Buy just one of these activist targets

Article Excerpt

It’s a good idea for you to keep an eye on activist investors, as they often look for the same hidden assets we do. When they find those assets, activists tend to zero in on the undervalued company and pressure it to spin off or sell parts of its operations to add value for all investors. For example, an activist has helped spur AT&T to cut its debt and buy back shares. Both moves should lift investor value. For the other two activist-targets on this page, we think you should remain on the sidelines. That’s because each of those companies faces deeper problems that could take years for its management to resolve. AT&T INC. $33 is a buy for investors. The stock (New York symbol T; Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 7.2 billion; Market cap: $237.6 billion; Dividend yield: 6.2%; Takeover Target Rating: Lowest; www.att.com) lets investors tap the largest wireless carrier in the U.S., with 165.9 million subscribers. AT&T also sells traditional phone, high-speed Internet and…