Globally, 177 companies have faced a demand from a shareholder for at least one board seat in 2018, as of May 10, according to analysis from Activist Insight. That compares to 161 at the same point in 2017.
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Companies publicly subjected to activist demands for board representation by company HQ, in the period January 1 – May 10 each year
*All YTD figures are as of May 10.
The number of demands is not quite a record, as during the same period in 2016, 213 companies were publicly subjected to demands for board representation. That year, the total number of companies facing demands for board seats worldwide was 406.
Companies publicly subjected to activist demands for board representation by company HQ
*All YTD figures are as of May 10.
Nonetheless, this year is likely to enjoy a clear second place and highlights the emergence of activism in historically untroubled markets. While fewer U.S. and European-headquartered issuers have been subjected to demands for board seats than in 2016, the number of targets has grown in Canada, Australia and Asia on a year-to-date basis.
So far this year, 20% of the companies subjected to activist demands for board representation have had market capitalizations above $2 billion. If that pace were sustained, it would exceed the ratio of any year to the beginning of the data, in 2013.
Proportion of companies publicly subjected to activist demands for board representation by market cap
*All YTD figures are as of May 10.
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About Activist Insight
Since 2012, Activist Insight (www.activistinsight.com) has provided its diverse range of clients with the most comprehensive information on activist investing worldwide. Regularly quoted in the financial press, Activist Insight is the trusted source for data in this evolving space. Activist Insight offers five industry-leading products: Activist Insight Online, Activist Insight Shorts, Activist Insight Governance, Activist Insight Vulnerability – a tool for identifying potential activist targets – and Activist Insight Monthly – the world’s only magazine dedicated to activist investing.
