Activists want buyers for these two

Article Excerpt

We keep an eye on activist investors, as they tend to zero in on depressed companies that could unlock value with a spinoff or sale. Here are two firms that are now under activist pressure to sell themselves. While that may attract offers, we see better opportunities for your new buying. ARCONIC CORP. $26 is a hold. This company (New York symbol ARNC; Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 105.8 million; Market cap: $2.8 billion; No dividend paid; Takeover Target Rating: Medium; www.arconic.com) makes rolled aluminum products for customers in the automotive, building construction, packaging, industrial, and aerospace industries. On April 1, 2020, the old Arconic Inc. split into two companies: Howmet Aerospace Inc. (New York symbol HWM), a maker of industrial parts, and Arconic Corp. As a result, each old share automatically converted to one share of Howmet; shareholders also received one share of Arconic Corp. for every four shares of Arconic Inc. they held. The stock has gained 21% since the start of 2023. That’s…