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In Good Company with Nicolai Tangen

Paul Singer: Activist Investing, Market Risks and Avoiding Losses

Feb 26, 2025
In this enlightening discussion, Paul Singer, legendary investor and founder of Elliott Asset Management, sheds light on the ins and outs of activist investing. He shares how external pressure can drive corporate change and discusses past investment cases, including Starbucks. Singer reveals his risk management strategies amid today's volatile markets and expresses concerns about crypto's future in relation to central bank money. He emphasizes the need for a well-rounded education in business, advocating for critical thinking in aspiring investors.
38:39

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Paul Singer emphasizes that activist investing serves as a necessary counterbalance to passive strategies, pushing companies to improve performance and shareholder value.
  • He warns that current market conditions are extraordinarily risky, highlighting the importance of diligence and learning from past investment failures to avoid losses.

Deep dives

Understanding Activist Investing

Activist investing involves acquiring significant shares in a company to influence its management and strategy with the aim of improving its performance and unlocking value. This can include advocating for management changes, restructuring capital, or altering financial strategies to enhance profitability. The practice has grown in importance as passive investment strategies dominate the market, often leading to a reduction in engagement from shareholders. Therefore, activist investors like Elliott seek to fill this gap by actively participating in company affairs to ensure that the company operates effectively and to safeguard the interests of its shareholders.

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