Activist investing can be lucrative for the activist who often forces an action that creates a stock price boost.
But is it good for the underlying company on a long-term basis?
Carl Icahn (Trades, Portfolio) says it depends on the activist.
In his opinion he is a provider of long-term value because he goes in and cleans up companies. He backs up that claim by pulling out a list of companies that he has held for many years.
Here he is defending his version of activist investing:
