• Activist investors buy minority stakes in public companies to change the way they are run.

  • If they fail to convince the company’s managers, they may start fighting for a place on the board of directors by proxy.
  • Some hedge funds specialize in active investing, while institutional investors may do so from time to time.
  • The activity of investors can be aimed at maximizing shareholder value or at the social responsibility of the company.
  • The SEC has proposed tougher disclosure rules for activist investors, which critics say could make activism unprofitable.