[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"nav-categories":3,"article-mad-bulls-the-ferocious-activists-who-tear-companies-apart-to-rebuild-them":70},{"data":4},[5,37,57,64],{"name":6,"slug":7,"categories":8},"Productivity","productivity",[9,13,17,21,25,29,33],{"id":10,"title":11,"slug":12},17,"Branding","branding",{"id":14,"title":15,"slug":16},19,"Marketing","marketing",{"id":18,"title":19,"slug":20},20,"Work","work",{"id":22,"title":23,"slug":24},34,"Community","community",{"id":26,"title":27,"slug":28},21,"For newbies","for-newbies",{"id":30,"title":31,"slug":32},24,"Investment","investment",{"id":34,"title":35,"slug":36},22,"Finance","finance",{"name":38,"slug":39,"categories":40},"Tech","tech",[41,45,49,53],{"id":42,"title":43,"slug":44},28,"Technology","technology",{"id":46,"title":47,"slug":48},32,"Artificial Intelligence","artificial-intelligence",{"id":50,"title":51,"slug":52},26,"Security and protection","security-and-protection",{"id":54,"title":55,"slug":56},31,"YouTube Blog","youtube-blog",{"name":58,"slug":59,"categories":60},"News","news",[61],{"id":62,"title":58,"slug":63},18,"quasanews",{"name":65,"slug":66,"categories":67},"Business","business",[68],{"id":69,"title":65,"slug":66},16,{"post":71,"published_news":97,"popular_news":154,"categories":225},{"title":72,"description":73,"meta_title":72,"meta_description":74,"meta_keywords":75,"text":76,"slug":77,"created_at":78,"publish_at":79,"formatted_created_at":80,"category_id":30,"links":81,"view_type":86,"video_url":87,"views":88,"likes":89,"lang":90,"comments_count":89,"category":91},"Mad Bulls: The Ferocious Activists Who Tear Companies Apart to Rebuild Them","Chief among them is Elliott Investment Management, one of the most feared and effective activist hedge funds in the world.","publishing explosive reports, and shorting the stock into oblivion — there is an equally ruthless counterpart on the long side: the mad bulls.","Chief among them is Elliott Investment Management, one of the most feared and effective activist hedge funds in the world","\u003Cp>While Hindenburg Research made headlines as the ultimate “mad bear” — digging up corporate dirt, publishing explosive reports, and shorting the stock into oblivion — there is an equally ruthless counterpart on the long side: the \u003Cstrong>mad bulls\u003C/strong>.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>Chief among them is \u003Cstrong>Elliott Investment Management\u003C/strong>, one of the most feared and effective activist hedge funds in the world. If Hindenburg specialized in exposing fraud and watching companies burn, Elliott specializes in buying big stakes in bloated giants and forcing them to evolve — often violently.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Chr />\n\u003Ch4>\u003Cstrong>The Hindenburg Playbook (for context)\u003C/strong>\u003C/h4>\n\n\u003Cp>Hindenburg would pick a target — Block (Jack Dorsey’s company), the Adani empire, Nikola, Roblox, Freedom Finance — conduct a deep, “independent” investigation, release a devastating report, and profit from the subsequent collapse. They were the apex predators of the short-selling world. The firm officially closed in January 2025 after a spectacular run that included helping send Nikola’s founder to prison.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Chr />\n\u003Ch4>\u003Cstrong>Enter the Mad Bulls\u003C/strong>\u003C/h4>\n\n\u003Cp>Elliott does the opposite — and sometimes the results are just as destructive in the short term.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>Instead of shorting, Elliott buys a significant stake (often 5–10% or more) in large but underperforming public companies. Then they go to war with management. Not with fraud allegations, but with cold, hard demands for radical change: massive cost cuts, asset sales, layoffs, leadership overhauls, spin-offs, and strategic pivots. The goal is simple — unlock shareholder value fast and sell the appreciated shares.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>This isn’t gentle stewardship. It’s corporate surgery without anesthesia.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Chr />\n\u003Ch4>\u003Cstrong>The Pepsi Challenge (2025–2026)\u003C/strong>\u003C/h4>\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cpicture>\u003Csource srcset=\"https://cdn.quasa.io/photos/0001/image-2026-05-05t120735935.webp\" type=\"image/webp\">\u003Cimg alt=\"Mad Bulls: The Ferocious Activists Who Tear Companies Apart to Rebuild Them\" class=\"image-align-right\" height=\"447\" src=\"https://cdn.quasa.io/photos/0001/image-2026-05-05t120735935.jpg\" width=\"300\" />\u003C/picture>\u003Ca href=\"https://www.wsj.com/finance/pepsi-activist-elliott-investment-management-9a46654e\">In September 2025, Elliott disclosed a roughly \u003Cstrong>$4 billion\u003C/strong> stake in PepsiCo\u003C/a>. The beverage-and-snacks giant had been drifting.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Elliott immediately pushed for:\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cul>\n\t\u003Cli>Selling or refranchising underperforming bottling operations;\u003C/li>\n\t\u003Cli>Divesting weak brands;\u003C/li>\n\t\u003Cli>Cutting product SKUs (Pepsi later announced nearly 20% reduction);\u003C/li>\n\t\u003Cli>Operational efficiency drives and leadership changes.\u003C/li>\n\u003C/ul>\n\n\u003Cp>Seven months later, Pepsi is under pressure to prove the turnaround is working, with price cuts, relaunches, and productivity initiatives underway. The stock reacted positively to the activism catalyst.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>This is classic Elliott. They don’t just invest — they \u003Cstrong>invade\u003C/strong>.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Chr />\n\u003Ch4>\u003Cstrong>A Legacy of Corporate Mayhem\u003C/strong>\u003C/h4>\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Elliott’s rap sheet is long and impressive (or terrifying, depending on which side of the boardroom table you sit on):\u003C/strong>\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cul>\n\t\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>AT&T\u003C/strong> — Pushed hard for restructuring the telecom giant;\u003C/li>\n\t\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Southwest Airlines\u003C/strong> — Forced leadership changes, the end of beloved policies (open seating, free bags), and the airline’s first mass layoffs in decades;\u003C/li>\n\t\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>eBay, AkzoNobel, pre-Musk Twitter\u003C/strong>, Honeywell (which agreed to split into three companies), and many more.\u003C/li>\n\u003C/ul>\n\n\u003Cp>In almost every case, Elliott’s arrival signals the same thing to executives: your comfortable status quo is over.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Chr />\n\u003Ch4>\u003Cstrong>Why They’re Hated (and Why They Win)\u003C/strong>\u003C/h4>\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cpicture>\u003Csource srcset=\"https://cdn.quasa.io/photos/0001/image-2026-05-05t120737832.webp\" type=\"image/webp\">\u003Cimg alt=\"Mad Bulls: The Ferocious Activists Who Tear Companies Apart to Rebuild Them\" class=\"image-align-left\" height=\"372\" src=\"https://cdn.quasa.io/photos/0001/image-2026-05-05t120737832.jpg\" width=\"250\" />\u003C/picture>Corporate boards and CEOs despise activist investors like Elliott.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>They’re accused of short-termism, destroying corporate culture, and caring only about quick flips. Unions and employees often protest the inevitable layoffs and restructuring.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>But the data tells a different story. Many of Elliott’s campaigns ultimately deliver higher shareholder returns.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>By identifying “dramatic underperformers” and applying intense pressure, they force companies to confront inefficiencies that passive investors and cozy boards had tolerated for years.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>Paul Singer, Elliott’s founder, has built one of the most successful long-term track records in activist investing by being relentlessly focused on value creation — even if the process looks brutal.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>Also read:\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cul>\n\t\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"https://quasa.io/media/senate-unanimously-bans-its-members-from-trading-on-prediction-markets-effective-immediately\">Senate Unanimously Bans Its Members from Trading on Prediction Markets — Effective Immediately\u003C/a>\u003C/li>\n\t\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"https://quasa.io/media/maryland-becomes-first-u-s-state-to-ban-surveillance-pricing-in-grocery-stores\">Maryland Becomes First U.S. State to Ban “Surveillance Pricing” in Grocery Stores\u003C/a>\u003C/li>\n\t\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"https://quasa.io/media/the-loop-joan-westenberg-s-powerful-essay-on-why-human-nature-guarantees-history-repeats-itself\">The Loop: Joan Westenberg’s Powerful Essay on Why Human Nature Guarantees History Repeats Itself\u003C/a>\u003C/li>\n\t\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"https://quasa.io/media/github-s-switch-to-usage-pricing-reignites-the-ai-economics-debate-and-ed-zitron-is-back-with-another-bubble-warning\">GitHub’s Switch to Usage Pricing Reignites the AI Economics Debate — And Ed Zitron Is Back With Another Bubble Warning\u003C/a>\u003C/li>\n\u003C/ul>\n\n\u003Chr />\n\u003Ch4>\u003Cstrong>Bears vs Bulls in the Modern Market\u003C/strong>\u003C/h4>\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cpicture>\u003Csource srcset=\"https://cdn.quasa.io/photos/0001/image-2026-05-05t120734149.webp\" type=\"image/webp\">\u003Cimg alt=\"Mad Bulls: The Ferocious Activists Who Tear Companies Apart to Rebuild Them\" class=\"image-align-right\" height=\"298\" src=\"https://cdn.quasa.io/photos/0001/image-2026-05-05t120734149.jpg\" width=\"200\" />\u003C/picture>Hindenburg represented one extreme of market discipline: exposing fraud and overvaluation through public shaming and short pressure.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>Elliott represents the other: forcing operational excellence through ownership and confrontation.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>Both are uncomfortable. Both make powerful enemies. But both serve a function in efficient capital markets — one by punishing the dishonest and the overhyped, the other by punishing complacency and bloat.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>In today’s world of massive, entrenched corporations, the “mad bulls” may actually be more necessary than ever. Passive index funds own everything and say nothing. Someone has to show up to the boardroom ready to break things.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>And Elliott is always happy to oblige.\u003C/p>","mad-bulls-the-ferocious-activists-who-tear-companies-apart-to-rebuild-them","2026-05-05T10:09:35.000000Z","2026-05-11T06:58:00.000000Z","11.05.2026",{"image":82,"image_webp":83,"thumb":84,"thumb_webp":85},"https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/u6g7VN74flqEzg55CVzFd7LTtjAMftWfsuLSdqBX.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/u6g7VN74flqEzg55CVzFd7LTtjAMftWfsuLSdqBX.webp","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/u6g7VN74flqEzg55CVzFd7LTtjAMftWfsuLSdqBX.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/u6g7VN74flqEzg55CVzFd7LTtjAMftWfsuLSdqBX.webp","small",null,14,0,"en",{"id":30,"title":31,"slug":32,"meta_title":92,"meta_description":93,"meta_keywords":94,"deleted_at":87,"created_at":95,"updated_at":96,"lang":90},"Investment Growth Hacks: AI Startups, Crypto & VC Unicorns | QUASA","Investments and life hacks. Forecasts and investment trends in Quasa Media.","Investment, IPO, bonds, Gold, invest. Investments, investor","2021-12-10T10:41:35.000000Z","2026-04-22T15:07:26.000000Z",[98,102,114,128,141],{"title":72,"description":73,"slug":77,"created_at":78,"publish_at":79,"formatted_created_at":80,"category":99,"links":100,"view_type":86,"video_url":87,"views":88,"likes":89,"lang":90,"comments_count":89,"is_pinned":101},{"title":31,"slug":32},{"image":82,"image_webp":83,"thumb":84,"thumb_webp":85},false,{"title":103,"description":104,"slug":105,"created_at":106,"publish_at":107,"formatted_created_at":80,"category":108,"links":109,"view_type":86,"video_url":87,"views":46,"likes":89,"lang":90,"comments_count":89,"is_pinned":101},"Ideal Real Estate, Chinese Style — Or Another Startup Idea (Spoiler: Probably Not)","China has a serious burial problem. Cemetery plots in major cities have become luxury assets. In Shanghai’s Songhe Cemetery, prices have hit 700,000–800,000 yuan per square meter — roughly $100,000.","ideal-real-estate-chinese-style-or-another-startup-idea-spoiler-probably-not","2026-05-05T09:51:40.000000Z","2026-05-11T03:38:00.000000Z",{"title":65,"slug":66},{"image":110,"image_webp":111,"thumb":112,"thumb_webp":113},"https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/nC0QPHVzIdvYlrMGrfBoU7s5yNiJ3TzdAPZbNuRj.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/nC0QPHVzIdvYlrMGrfBoU7s5yNiJ3TzdAPZbNuRj.webp","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/nC0QPHVzIdvYlrMGrfBoU7s5yNiJ3TzdAPZbNuRj.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/nC0QPHVzIdvYlrMGrfBoU7s5yNiJ3TzdAPZbNuRj.webp",{"title":115,"description":116,"slug":117,"created_at":118,"publish_at":119,"formatted_created_at":120,"category":121,"links":122,"view_type":86,"video_url":87,"views":127,"likes":89,"lang":90,"comments_count":89,"is_pinned":101},"Senate Unanimously Bans Its Members from Trading on Prediction Markets — Effective Immediately","What is already clear is that the prediction-market boom has reached a regulatory inflection point: the platforms have grown too big and too politically sensitive to ignore, yet too lucrative — and too useful to certain interests — to shut down entirely.","senate-unanimously-bans-its-members-from-trading-on-prediction-markets-effective-immediately","2026-05-04T19:32:49.000000Z","2026-05-10T11:23:00.000000Z","10.05.2026",{"title":58,"slug":63},{"image":123,"image_webp":124,"thumb":125,"thumb_webp":126},"https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/tkI34jOiw8xlpPYillqzfjjSOT2bDJxfKsJ2g2xu.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/tkI34jOiw8xlpPYillqzfjjSOT2bDJxfKsJ2g2xu.webp","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/tkI34jOiw8xlpPYillqzfjjSOT2bDJxfKsJ2g2xu.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/tkI34jOiw8xlpPYillqzfjjSOT2bDJxfKsJ2g2xu.webp",123,{"title":129,"description":130,"slug":131,"created_at":132,"publish_at":133,"formatted_created_at":120,"category":134,"links":135,"view_type":86,"video_url":87,"views":140,"likes":89,"lang":90,"comments_count":89,"is_pinned":101},"Maryland Becomes First U.S. State to Ban “Surveillance Pricing” in Grocery Stores","Maryland has drawn a sharp line in the sand against one of the most controversial pricing practices of the AI era.","maryland-becomes-first-u-s-state-to-ban-surveillance-pricing-in-grocery-stores","2026-05-04T19:21:04.000000Z","2026-05-10T09:13:00.000000Z",{"title":35,"slug":36},{"image":136,"image_webp":137,"thumb":138,"thumb_webp":139},"https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/AhATaOF1ocOMfLXBqlCyVbDgkFNxgeKTkSQD4ecd.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/AhATaOF1ocOMfLXBqlCyVbDgkFNxgeKTkSQD4ecd.webp","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/AhATaOF1ocOMfLXBqlCyVbDgkFNxgeKTkSQD4ecd.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/AhATaOF1ocOMfLXBqlCyVbDgkFNxgeKTkSQD4ecd.webp",133,{"title":142,"description":143,"slug":144,"created_at":145,"publish_at":146,"formatted_created_at":120,"category":147,"links":148,"view_type":86,"video_url":87,"views":153,"likes":89,"lang":90,"comments_count":89,"is_pinned":101},"The Loop: Joan Westenberg’s Powerful Essay on Why Human Nature Guarantees History Repeats Itself","If you’re tired of the endless “AI bubble” debate, Joan Westenberg has written the essay that puts every financial panic, political upheaval, and technological frenzy into a single, sobering framework.","the-loop-joan-westenberg-s-powerful-essay-on-why-human-nature-guarantees-history-repeats-itself","2026-05-04T19:10:31.000000Z","2026-05-10T06:04:00.000000Z",{"title":58,"slug":63},{"image":149,"image_webp":150,"thumb":151,"thumb_webp":152},"https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/h0ngAzhj3Lu2rYRCW8Sky2KjPBtae0k2vWr3f07x.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/h0ngAzhj3Lu2rYRCW8Sky2KjPBtae0k2vWr3f07x.webp","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/h0ngAzhj3Lu2rYRCW8Sky2KjPBtae0k2vWr3f07x.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/h0ngAzhj3Lu2rYRCW8Sky2KjPBtae0k2vWr3f07x.webp",146,[155,168,184,196,211],{"title":156,"description":157,"slug":158,"created_at":159,"publish_at":160,"formatted_created_at":161,"category":162,"links":163,"view_type":86,"video_url":87,"views":166,"likes":167,"lang":90,"comments_count":89,"is_pinned":101},"The Anatomy of an Entrepreneur","Entrepreneur is a French word that means an enterpriser. Enterprisers are people who undertake a business or enterprise with the chance of earning profits or suffering from loss.","the-anatomy-of-an-entrepreneur","2021-08-04T15:18:21.000000Z","2025-12-14T06:09:00.000000Z","14.12.2025",{"title":65,"slug":66},{"image":164,"image_webp":87,"thumb":165,"thumb_webp":165},"https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/mVsXPTMuHZuI7UXCsENgL1Qwp1uSOf7Rz3uVPMfm.webp","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/mVsXPTMuHZuI7UXCsENgL1Qwp1uSOf7Rz3uVPMfm.webp",73652,2,{"title":169,"description":170,"slug":171,"created_at":172,"publish_at":173,"formatted_created_at":174,"category":175,"links":176,"view_type":181,"video_url":87,"views":182,"likes":183,"lang":90,"comments_count":89,"is_pinned":101},"Advertising on QUASA","QUASA MEDIA is read by more than 400 thousand people a month. We offer to place your article, add a link or order the writing of an article for publication.","advertising-on-quasa","2022-07-06T07:33:02.000000Z","2025-12-15T17:33:02.000000Z","15.12.2025",{"title":58,"slug":63},{"image":177,"image_webp":178,"thumb":179,"thumb_webp":180},"https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/45SvmdsTQbiyc3nxgbyHY1mpVbisYyub2BCHjqBL.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/45SvmdsTQbiyc3nxgbyHY1mpVbisYyub2BCHjqBL.webp","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/45SvmdsTQbiyc3nxgbyHY1mpVbisYyub2BCHjqBL.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/45SvmdsTQbiyc3nxgbyHY1mpVbisYyub2BCHjqBL.webp","large",73460,4,{"title":185,"description":186,"slug":187,"created_at":188,"publish_at":189,"formatted_created_at":190,"category":191,"links":192,"view_type":86,"video_url":87,"views":195,"likes":183,"lang":90,"comments_count":89,"is_pinned":101},"What is a Startup?","A startup is not a new company, not a tech company, nor a new tech company. You can be a new tech company, if your goal is not to grow high and fast; then, you are not a startup. ","what-is-a-startup","2021-08-04T12:05:17.000000Z","2025-12-17T13:02:00.000000Z","17.12.2025",{"title":65,"slug":66},{"image":193,"image_webp":87,"thumb":194,"thumb_webp":194},"https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/EOsQhSW3VXyG7a6NPdE1oZd00xfJXe3bjY5aJGb7.webp","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/EOsQhSW3VXyG7a6NPdE1oZd00xfJXe3bjY5aJGb7.webp",70980,{"title":197,"description":198,"slug":199,"created_at":200,"publish_at":201,"formatted_created_at":202,"category":203,"links":204,"view_type":86,"video_url":87,"views":209,"likes":167,"lang":90,"comments_count":210,"is_pinned":101},"Top 5 Tips to Make More Money as a Content Creator","Content creators are one of the most desired job titles right now. Who wouldn’t want to earn a living online?","top-5-tips-to-make-more-money-as-a-content-creator","2022-01-17T17:31:51.000000Z","2026-01-17T11:30:00.000000Z","17.01.2026",{"title":19,"slug":20},{"image":205,"image_webp":206,"thumb":207,"thumb_webp":208},"https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/gP8kiumBPpJmQv6SMieXiX1tDetx43VwFfO1P4Ca.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/gP8kiumBPpJmQv6SMieXiX1tDetx43VwFfO1P4Ca.webp","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/gP8kiumBPpJmQv6SMieXiX1tDetx43VwFfO1P4Ca.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/gP8kiumBPpJmQv6SMieXiX1tDetx43VwFfO1P4Ca.webp",44760,1,{"title":212,"description":213,"slug":214,"created_at":215,"publish_at":216,"formatted_created_at":217,"category":218,"links":219,"view_type":181,"video_url":87,"views":224,"likes":167,"lang":90,"comments_count":89,"is_pinned":101},"8 Logo Design Tips for Small Businesses","Your logo tells the story of your business and the values you stand for.","8-logo-design-tips-for-small-businesses","2021-12-04T21:59:52.000000Z","2025-05-05T03:30:00.000000Z","05.05.2025",{"title":15,"slug":16},{"image":220,"image_webp":221,"thumb":222,"thumb_webp":223},"https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/Wbx2NtS1CnTupgoQbpFMGspJ5jm4uob2hDOq33r0.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/images/news/Wbx2NtS1CnTupgoQbpFMGspJ5jm4uob2hDOq33r0.webp","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/Wbx2NtS1CnTupgoQbpFMGspJ5jm4uob2hDOq33r0.jpg","https://cdn.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/Wbx2NtS1CnTupgoQbpFMGspJ5jm4uob2hDOq33r0.webp",43692,[226,227,228,229,230,231,232,233,234,235,236,237,238],{"title":23,"slug":24},{"title":47,"slug":48},{"title":55,"slug":56},{"title":43,"slug":44},{"title":51,"slug":52},{"title":31,"slug":32},{"title":35,"slug":36},{"title":27,"slug":28},{"title":19,"slug":20},{"title":15,"slug":16},{"title":58,"slug":63},{"title":11,"slug":12},{"title":65,"slug":66}]