Late last week the floundering stock price of Navistar received quite a boost when “activist investor” Carl Ichan purchased a 9.8% interest in the company worth around 118 million. In the financing and investing industry Ichan is now for this kind of behavior, that is, purchasing large shares of companies he believes to be undervalued. With the shares comes the ability to appoint board members that can help dictate the direction of the company following his plan. The ultimate goal? Change an undervalued and possibly under performing company in a profit machine. Mr. Ichan already holds a share of fellow truck manufacturer Oshkosh so he may be poised to shake up the industry. But the question remains, will these two truck builders hold the attention of this activist investor? Similar control bids with Clorox and Lions Gate Entertainment did not produce the results desired. Like most things in life, only time will tell.
Source: Seeking Alpha Image: Oshkosh