BP shares plummet as firm chops buyback amid weakened oil market Energy British energy giant BP chopped its quarterly share buyback after President Donald Trump’s erratic tariff agenda sent the price of oil tumbling. BP cuts its buyback to $750m (£559m), compared to $1.75bn the previous quarter. The firm’s shares dropped nearly four per cent in early trading on Tuesday. This comes after the cost of a [...]
Yougov boss facing call to resign from activist investor Gatemore Investing Yougov is facing calls to sack its boss and kick off an “urgent strategic review” from an activist investor today after a dramatic fall in its share price over the past year. Gatemore Capital Management, an activist investment firm which owns around 1.3 per cent of Yougov, wrote to the company’s board demanding that boss [...]
Johnson Matthey: US investor ramps up activist campaign Business Johnson Matthey’s largest shareholder has piled pressure on the FTSE 250 chemicals group, calling its response to a demanded strategic review “wholly insufficient”. In an open letter to Johnson Matthey chair Patrick Thomas, today, US industrials investor Standard Investments slammed the group’s “destruction of shareholder value” as part of its activist campaign. Last month, Standard [...]
Baillie Gifford ‘appalled’ by US activist investor Saba Capital’s conduct January 6, 2025 Baillie Gifford has hit back against an activist campaign by US hedge fund Saba Capital targeting three of its investment trusts, calling the hedge fund’s actions “a backdoor attempt to seize control”. “We are appalled by Saba’s actions and conduct,” said Karen Brade, chair of one of Baillie Gifford’s trusts targeted by the attack. Last [...]
US activist investors ramp up attacks on UK companies January 6, 2025 US activist investors ramped up their attacks on UK companies in 2024, with British firms continuing as the top target for investor campaigns in Europe. 42 per cent of all activist campaigns in Europe targeted the UK, with 59 companies coming under pressure throughout the year, according to Alvarez & Marsal’s latest Activist Alert Outlook. [...]
Downing Strategic Micro-Cap hits back at activist investor attempt to ‘thwart’ wind-down July 8, 2024 Activist investor Milkwood Capital has been condemned by an investment trust it is targeting for an attempt to thwart its pursuit to shutter.
Smith & Nephew shares jump after activist investor Cevian takes stake July 4, 2024 The FTSE 100 firm's stock price rose as much as seven per cent in early trading, with Cevian taking a shareholding of just over five per cent.
UK investors missed the global rally in 2023 as they dumped equity funds for bonds March 19, 2024 IA’s figures showed UK retail investors pulled £24.3bn from open-ended funds in 2023, although slightly better than the figure reported for 2022 it was still one of the highest and fastest levels recorded.
Activist investor Kelso gains board seats at The Works as it tries to enhance shareholder value February 14, 2024 Kelso chief John Goold and chief financial officer Mark Kirkland have gained non-executive director positions, and will focus on "all matters relating to shareholder value."
Cheap London firms in crosshairs of trigger-happy activist investors in 2024 January 10, 2024 Activist investors are circling the London Stock Exchange this year in a bid to capitalise on the “significant valuation gap” facing UK firms, a new report has claimed.