The Changing Themes Of Investor Activism

Now that everyone knows activist investors are on the prowl, management teams are starting to approach investment banks and other consultants to figure out what they can do to stave off a campaign before it begins. But Barclays has taken a more proactive approach, screening more than a thousand companies every quarter to figure out which ones are the most vulnerable, and then approaching them before the activists to get their organization ready.

M&A is the new theme for investor activism

“We spent a great deal of time with the activists who have been more successful—and we found a certain amount of uniformity...