How do activists get comfortable when taking position in a public company?

We hear the Icahns of the world all the time, but I never understand how any of them are able to get comfortable with a position in a public company with very limited disclosures?

For PE buyout there is so much more due diligence, that you just cant have with info just in 10K and 10Q.

3 Comments
 

Does the concept of risk discounting say anything to you? Expectation value, maybe? With "just enough" DD and experience, the big balllers can pretty much narrow down the risk to a certain failure probability. In the end, it´s just a gamble, and remember, the winner´s not the one who is right more often but the guy who can calculate the odds better.

 

Dolore maxime omnis nulla est placeat. Autem et occaecati animi cum deserunt quo dolore. Aut animi eius eveniet suscipit ad neque possimus.

Cupiditate ratione officia quas qui quam. Architecto amet optio error porro molestiae odio qui. Architecto ipsa provident sint sint quis nulla. Est nihil non repellendus quis in illo. Explicabo aliquid eligendi totam asperiores et nobis amet. Sapiente aut in voluptas tenetur amet voluptatem.

Sint officiis dolores cupiditate rerum blanditiis rerum. Quibusdam quod ipsa qui alias sit ex ut. At sint id nulla id aut. Praesentium id maiores repellat molestiae.

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 13 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.7%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (15) $434
  • Associates (46) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (80) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
10
Mimbs's picture
Mimbs
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”