Corporate raiders, erstwhile activists, buy large interests in seemingly undervalued companies with an M.O. to take no prisoners; to gain control of the board before mounting a series of often draconian actions including pink-slipping management and employees, leveraging up the balance sheet to pay themselves back, and dividing their prize and selling off the parts. Often welcome by passive investors, raiders nevertheless are primarily motivated to enrich themselves.
One Example
Carl Icahn has been labeled a corporate raider by the likes of Investopedia, InvestmentNews, and The Register. As one, he amassed a