IAMGold responds to its new activist pressure

Article Excerpt

Activist investors make their money by targeting underperforming firms they feel would benefit from better management or assets sales. Here’s a look at how IAMGold is responding to its new activist pressure. IAMGOLD, $3.91, is a buy. The miner (Toronto symbol IMG; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (www.iamgold.com; Shares outstanding: 476.9 million; Market cap: $1.8 billion; No dividends paid) is now the target of U.S. activist/investment fund RCF Management LLC. RCF, which focuses on mining investments, now owns about 5.2% of IAMGold’s shares. IAMGold has just agreed to place RDF’s three nominees on its board of directors. RCF wants to participate in the company’s search for a new CEO (both IAMGold’s CEO and its chairman have recently resigned their posts) as well as the identification of assets for potential sale. Meantime, how far IAMGold will ultimately respond to RCF’s pressure is uncertain. Still, the activist’s interest does draw attention to IAMGold’s assets and growth prospects. As well, it brings in some highly experienced mining industry veterans to boost the…