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Writer's pictureJosh Rovner

Why ValueAct Capital? / Overview of ValueAct Capital

If you're interested in breaking into finance, check out our Private Equity Course and Investment Banking Course, which help thousands of candidates land top jobs every year.



Overview

ValueAct Capital is a West Coast-based activist investment firm with an AUM of $13.2B. It invests across industries and typically targets holding periods of 3-5 years, with occasional investments lasting over 10 years.

ValueAct Capital was founded in 2000 by Jeff Ubbe, and it is headquartered in San Francisco. The firm takes a concentrated approach to investing and focuses on companies with significant potential for long-term value creation. The firm takes a collaborative approach to activism, working constructively with management teams and boards of directors to implement strategic and operational changes aimed at improving performance and creating long-term value for shareholders.

Key campaigns have included Microsoft, Rolls-Royce, and the New York Times.


ValueAct Capital Overview


Remember that in order to craft a great answer to the common question "Why this Firm?", it's your responsibility to read articles and speak with employees. If you are interviewing with ValueAct Capital, you should make sure you know:


  • 1 deal that the investment team you are recruiting with has done

  • 1 person at the firm (ideally someone who would have influence over your recruiting process)

  • 1 business model-specific detail to mention


We explain how to answer qualitative questions and research private equity firms in our Private Equity Course. We also teach how to build LBO models and prepare for case study interviews.



Big 3 Qualitative Questions




Selected Activist Impact


In August 2022, ValueAct disclosed a 7% stake of the New York Times newspaper. ValueAct looks to speed up growth by increasing the NYT's focus on selling its all-access digital bundle, claiming that based on its research, subscribers would be willing to pay a premium for the wide range of included offerings, such as cooking, games, product reviews, and sports news.



Fact Sheet


ValueAct Capital Logo


  • Company Name: ValueAct Capital

  • Description: ValueAct Capital is a San Francisco-based privately owned hedge fund that invests in the public equity markets

  • Firm Category: Activist Investor

  • Status: ValueAct Capital is a privately held company

  • Founded: 2000

  • Assets Under Management: $13.2B

  • Chief Executive Officer: Mason Morfit

  • Headquarters: New York City, USA


Resources


ValueAct Capital Glassdoor



ValueAct Capital Salary


Based on the H1B Database, the average base salary for an Associate at ValueAct is $75k - $135k. We note that this salary information may be dated and not reflective of their current pay.

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