Vivek Ramaswamy has acquired 8% of Buzzfeed, attempting to challenge the company's management, but faces a significant obstacle as Jonah Peretti controls 96% of the Class B stock with superior voting rights. Ramaswamy's investment has temporarily boosted Buzzfeed's share value, raising questions about his true intentions, whether it's a quick profit-making scheme or a strategic move for public relations and media influence. Despite his efforts, Ramaswamy's influence on Buzzfeed is minimal due to Peretti's dominant control, and the critique suggests that targeting a platform like Facebook might have been a more impactful strategy.
Vivek Ramaswamy, a former Republican presidential candidate, took significant actions regarding BuzzFeed's stock. He acquired an 8 percent stake in BuzzFeed, which was a strategic move as part of his broader activist efforts within the company3. This purchase was not just a financial investment but also a move to influence the company's direction. Ramaswamy sent a letter to BuzzFeed's CEO, Jonah Peretti, which the news article describes as a "nastygram," indicating a confrontational approach to suggesting changes within the company4.
Ramaswamy's actions led to a significant increase in BuzzFeed's stock price, which closed at $3.00, up from his purchase price of $1.80 per share. This represents a 66 percent profit, suggesting that his investment had a substantial impact on the stock's market performance. His involvement with BuzzFeed appears to be part of a larger strategy to reshape its editorial and operational strategies, although the article hints at skepticism regarding the effectiveness and genuineness of his intentions.
Vivek Ramaswamy, a former Republican presidential candidate and biotech entrepreneur, recently purchased a 7.7% stake in BuzzFeed, making him the fourth largest shareholder in the company. He acquired 2,723,927 shares of BuzzFeed beginning in March and ending in May, at an average price of $1.80 per share, for a total of about $3.9 million. Ramaswamy believes that BuzzFeed's stock is undervalued and is looking to engage in dialogue with the company's board and management to discuss potential operational and strategic opportunities to maximize shareholder value, including a possible shift in the company's strategy4. Following the news of Ramaswamy's investment, BuzzFeed's share price surged by about 20% to close at $3.01 on Wednesday.