Poison pill limits takeover potential

Article Excerpt

NORDSTROM INC. $22 is a hold. The retailer (New York symbol JWN; Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 166.2 million; Market cap: $3.7 billion; Dividend yield: 3.4%; Takeover Target Rating: Medium; www.nordstrom.com) owns and operates over 350 stores in the U.S. and Canada. Those locations sell upscale clothing and footwear. Activist investor Ryan Cohen recently announced a sizable stake in the company. He wants to replace board members and cut costs. The Nordstrom family controls about 30% of the shares, so it’s likely they could block Cohen’s nominees. As well, a full takeover seems unlikely as the company implemented a shareholder rights plan, or “poison pill,” in 2022. That followed news Mexican department store operator Liverpool now owns 9.9% of Nordstrom’s shares. Poison pills are aimed at reducing the chances of a hostile bidder gaining control through the accumulation of shares in the open market without appropriately compensating shareholders. Nordstrom’s poison pill lets shareholders, excluding those trying to purchase the company, buy shares at a 50% discount to dilute the…