Pam

Shareholder Activism in Uncertain Times

Pamela Codo-Lotti, Pam, Liz

Following a 60% decline in activist campaigns during early 2020 driven by pandemic volatility and shifting investor priorities, activity has since recovered to previous levels through private dialogue and targeted engagement. Activists now focus on underperforming companies with governance weaknesses or inefficient capital allocation, while companies have increasingly adopted defensive measures like poison pills and proactive ESG integration to mitigate risk. As the market stabilizes, the landscape is shifting toward demands for M&A, board representation, and the use of ESG gaps as strategic leverage to force operational changes.