In the context of acknowledging that every company is a potential activist target, Clermont Partners' "Defending Against the New Generation of Activists: 4 Things Every Company Needs to Know" soundly advises companies to take the offensive on activism defense by:
- Objectively considering potential vulnerabilities from operational, financial, and ESG perspectives;
- Understanding investors' perceptions, views and concerns via implementation of a strategic engagement plan and real-time feedback;
- Carefully constructed, up-to-date messaging that is responsive to investors' concerns, and clearly communicates the company's long-term growth and profitability plans; and
- Understanding the investor base - including new entrants and exits into the stock, voting patterns, etc., to best position the company for defensive action if warranted.