This Month
Gloria Jean’s owner has an angry shareholder on its case
A minority shareholder in Retail Food Group is calling for a total management clear out amid a 70 per cent decline in market cap over five-years.
Woodside faces slower green ammonia start-up as customer demand lags
The delay to the start of low-carbon ammonia at a plant in Texas comes as the company confirmed its $7 billion target for clean energy investments by 2030 despite the Iran war.
There’s a sting in Santos’ win over activist greenwashing claims
The oil and gas giant saw off allegations it was misleading investors about its net zero emissions plans. But the decision has raised more questions.
February
Federal Court judge throws out greenwashing case against Santos
The shareholder activist group that brought the case says Santos’ behaviour on emissions claims should reinforce investor concerns about the company’s leadership.
Gold miners rush to join the large caps, pushing out blue chip names
At least four gold producers are set to reach the ASX 100 next month, forcing large and small-cap fund managers to revisit their portfolios.
January
Hedge fund slams Domain-owner CoStar’s ‘disastrous’ strategy, questions CEO pay
The US billionaire hedge fund activist’s campaign to force CoStar to focus on commercial property could hurt Australia’s real estate listing group.
December 2025
Humm chair bought $11m worth of shares days after takeover approach
An activist investor says directors should have known the chairman’s transactions were highly questionable and a significant governance ‘red flag’.
The man flown in to make amends for the deals scandal of the year
This year’s biggest Australian corporate mess was a bolt from the blue, but also completely self-inflicted. Scotsman Nigel Stein is here to fix James Hardie.
Humm’s agitating shareholders get cracking with board spill
Sources said these shareholders are tossing between calling the meeting under the 249D section of the Corporations Act or the 249F.
November 2025
Tempers flare as food barons plot Maggie Beer Holdings rescue
Maggie Beer says having the owners of Bickford’s cordials and San Remo pasta as controlling shareholders is a turning point, but not all are happy.
Boards should be ‘war-gaming’ amid rise in shareholder activism: Corrs
Corrs expects more M&A will be driven by shareholders, on deal structuring and deal success, over the coming year.
Activism without proxy fights is like ‘Catholicism without hell’: Loeb
An older, wiser Dan Loeb reckons his activist approach has changed, but the Wall Street icon will never put away the big stick.
Rio’s activist investor shows it pays to be a pest
Both the hedge fund and the individual, James Smith, behind the failed push for Rio’s dual-listing unification have clocked generous profits.
NEX looks for exit after second strike at home builder Simonds
The Newcastle-based builder hoped to expand in Victoria through a tie-up, but after investing $17m those hopes are dead.
Deep Yellow’s biggest shareholder takes aim after Borshoff exit plunge
Paradice is working with Arnold Bloch Leibler’s Jeremy Leibler and Leon Zwier on a potential move against the board of the $1.5 billion company.
Project V: Humm activist moves against Abercrombie, weighs spill
If Humm doesn’t commit to board renewal before the AGM, sources say the agitators are considering calling for a special meeting to spill the board.
October 2025
James Hardie investors call for ‘cleanskin’ chairman to rebuild trust
Fund managers and proxy advisers say the company must look externally, as the current directors have been tarnished by the fallout from its $14 billion Azek buyout.
Webjet says general counsel sacked on ‘performance’ despite CEO claims
The senior lawyer had alleged chief executive Katrina Barry exaggerated parts of her resume and said she was fired after raising concerns with the chairman.
Stealth swap in the top ranks of Tanarra’s $1.6b activist fund
Tanarra plans to make the fund more concentrated, taking a smaller number of larger stakes in the companies it invests in.
‘The deal is done’: James Hardie CEO vows to rebuild trust
Aaron Erter admits the dilutive $14 billion deal to buy Azek was a surprise for investors but said James Hardie needed to diversify for future growth.
