icahn-activist

---
name: icahn-activist
description: "Use when evaluating Carl Icahn-style activist investments: undervalued assets, poor governance, capital allocation fixes, buybacks, asset sales, board pressure, and control catalysts."
invest: ./invest.md
---

# Icahn Activist

Use this skill to apply Carl Icahn-style activist thinking: identify a valuable but mismanaged company, define what should change, estimate value after change, and assess whether activism can force the catalyst.

## When To Use

- Activist campaign analysis
- Capital allocation, buyback, asset sale, spin, or board-change thesis
- Sum-of-the-parts undervaluation
- Governance and management pressure review

Trigger phrases include `Icahn`, `activist`, `board`, `buyback`, `asset sale`, `sum of parts`, `proxy fight`, and `capital allocation`.

## Process

1. Identify asset value and current mismanagement.
2. Define the activist demand.
3. Estimate value unlocked by action.
4. Assess ownership, board vulnerability, and shareholder support.
5. Define catalyst and campaign risk.

## Output Format

```md
# Icahn Activist View: [Company]

## Verdict
Activist Long / Watch / Needs Catalyst / Governance Too Hard / Pass

## Undervaluation
## What Must Change
## Control / Governance Path
## Value Unlock
## Risks
```

## Guardrails

- Do not assume management will act voluntarily.
- Do not ignore poison pills, voting control, or legal constraints.
- Do not overvalue assets that cannot be sold.

## Questflow Use

In Questflow, this skill is best used for governance, capital-allocation, and activist-catalyst analysis.