What ValueAct Capital does

ValueAct Capital is a private investment management firm founded in 2000 and headquartered in San Francisco. The firm operates as an activist investor, accumulating meaningful equity positions in undervalued public companies and engaging with management teams and boards to drive long-term value creation. It invests on behalf of some of the world's largest institutional investors, managing capital through concentrated, long-term holdings typically held for 3-5 years and occasionally longer than 10 years.

The firm's investment approach is differentiated by its collaborative rather than confrontational engagement style with portfolio company leadership. ValueAct reports having made over 120 core investments and served on over 45 public company boards, accumulating operational and strategic experience across cycles. Recent disclosed activity includes a significant position in Salesforce (2,994,509 shares directly held via its Master Fund as of December 2025, including a $25 million purchase) and an increased stake in Toast following that company's recent sell-off. The firm is led by co-founder and Chairman Jeffrey Ubben and President G. Mason Morfit.

ValueAct generates revenue through traditional institutional asset management fee structures, specifically management fees on assets under management and performance fees (carried interest), though specific AUM figures and fee schedules are not publicly disclosed. The firm operates with 11-50 employees and uses direct institutional relationships as its primary distribution channel, supplemented by a corporate website and investor portal hosted via SS&C eFront. No distinct branded products, software platforms, or technology products are offered; the firm's value proposition is its investment management capability itself.

Name

ValueAct Capital

Website

http://www.valueact.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ValueAct Capital is a private San Francisco-based activist investment manager that takes long-term equity positions in undervalued public companies on behalf of large institutional investors, leveraging deep board engagement and data-driven insights across 120+ core investments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Activist Investment Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Other Financial Investment Activities (5239)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Activist Equity Long/Short (FSAHAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Large-Cap Equity (Active) (FSAAAIAA), Corporate Finance & Capital Advisory (BPAHADAB)

Keywords

• Activist investing
• Investment management
• Equity investing
• Institutional asset management
• Long-term value investing

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

ValueAct Capital is an activist investment management firm that invests on behalf of some of the world's largest institutional investors. The firm takes significant, long-term equity positions in high-quality undervalued public companies—typically holding for 3-5 years and sometimes 10+ years—and engages directly with management teams and boards as collaborative partners. Over 24 years, they have completed over 120 core investments and served on over 45 public company boards, offering data-driven strategic insights to drive sustainable value creation.

Product overview

ValueAct Capital is an investment management firm that invests on behalf of institutional investors. The company takes long-term positions in high-quality companies, typically holding investments for 3-5 years (occasionally 10+ years). They serve on public company boards and work with management teams as partners, offering data-driven insights to directors and managers. No distinct branded products, software platforms, or named service modules were identified in the available sources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Activist Equity Investment Funds Concentrated, long-term equity investment vehicles that take significant stakes in undervalued public companies on behalf of institutional investors. Positions are typically held for 3-5 years and occasionally 10+ years, with the firm engaging collaboratively with management and boards to drive value creation. Over 120 core investments have been completed across the firm's history.
• Board-Level Strategic Engagement and Advisory Direct engagement service where ValueAct partners with portfolio company management teams and boards, providing data-driven insights on strategy, governance, cost structure, and M&A to leave companies in a better position than when invested. Offered alongside the firm's equity investments as part of its collaborative activist model.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Pershing Square Capital Management: Bill Ackman-founded activist fund running concentrated, large-cap equity campaigns with public engagement and board involvement — virtually the same playbook and target universe as ValueAct.
• Elliott Investment Management: Paul Singer's activist and event-driven fund that takes large, often public stakes in undervalued companies and pushes for strategic change — directly comparable in activism style and target sizing to ValueAct.
• Starboard Value: Activist fund focused on operational and governance improvements at U.S. public companies, frequently seeking board seats — closely matches ValueAct's stated approach of constructive engagement with management.
• Trian Fund Management: Activist investor (Nelson Peltz/Peter May) known for large-cap, long-duration, collaborative campaigns at consumer and industrial companies — overlaps with ValueAct on hold period and engagement philosophy.
• Icahn Enterprises: Carl Icahn's activist vehicle running high-profile, often confrontational campaigns with board representation at large-cap names — comparable peer within the activist long/short universe.
• Jana Partners: Activist fund that takes concentrated stakes and pushes for operational and strategic changes at U.S. public companies — similar AUM scale and engagement style to ValueAct.
• Third Point: Daniel Loeb's event-driven and activist hedge fund pursuing large-cap public-company campaigns with board seats — direct comparable within the activist equity long/short category.
• Greenlight Capital: David Einhorn's value-oriented, publicly engaged hedge fund investing in undervalued large-caps — overlaps with ValueAct on value-style, long-duration public-equity exposure.

Emerging players

• Legion Partners Holdings: Smaller activist fund pursuing board representation and operational changes at mid- and large-cap U.S. companies — narrower-scope but architecturally similar activist model to ValueAct.
• Engine Capital: Activist fund focused on small- and mid-cap U.S. companies with operational and capital allocation campaigns — operates in the same activist playbook but at a smaller scale than ValueAct.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments34 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ValueAct Capital