By John Meyer, consultant in financial affairs – Eurasia Business News, August 11, 2025. Article no. 1701

Engine Capital, an activist investment firm holding about a 3% stake in Avantor, has publicly pushed for significant changes at Avantor or for the company to be sold. They criticize Avantor’s board for poor oversight in operations, management, capital allocation, and succession planning, which they say has caused the company’s underperformance. Engine Capital recommends either selling Avantor at a strategic value price estimated between $17 and $19 per share or implementing several strategic initiatives to improve shareholder value.

These initiatives include strengthening execution, instilling cost discipline, improving portfolio management by divesting non-core assets, aligning executive compensation with shareholder value, and refreshing the board by replacing all but one current director. They project that if these changes are made, Avantor’s share price could reach $22 to $26 by the end of 2027.

Avantor has responded by affirming its commitment to strengthening growth and profitability under a new CEO, Emmanuel Ligner, who took over in August, after nomination on July 21. The company emphasizes ongoing efforts such as a $400 million cost transformation program, resegmentation of business units, and significant debt reduction over the past 18 months. Avantor is engaging in dialogue with shareholders, including Engine Capital, while its stock has experienced a decline of about 42% this year and roughly 50% over the past 12 months. Investor sentiment has been mixed but is slightly improving following these developments.

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© Copyright 2025 – Eurasia Business News. Article no. 1701