Activist investor Starboard Value has fully exited its position in Pfizer, marking the end of a high-profile effort to pressure the pharmaceutical giant into boosting its flagging share price. According to a recent 13-F regulatory filing, Starboard sold approximately 8.5 million Pfizer shares during the third quarter, unwinding a stake that once totaled 15.4 million shares at the end of Q4 2024.
Starboard initially made waves when it disclosed a roughly $1 billion investment in Pfizer a year ago, stepping in at a time when the company’s stock was trading at roughly half its peak during the pandemic. The fund’s founder, Jeffrey Smith, was outspoken about Pfizer’s performance, arguing at an industry event that the board needed to hold management accountable for persistent underperformance and weak market confidence.
Despite its push for governance and operational improvements, Starboard’s campaign struggled to gain lasting traction. The firm had approached former Pfizer executives—including former CEO Ian Read—for strategic guidance, but discussions reportedly stalled. Pfizer’s current market value sits around $142 billion, a decline from roughly $162 billion when Starboard’s involvement was first revealed in October 2024.
Starboard, known for its aggressive activist strategies, has been active across several industries this year, taking positions in companies such as TripAdvisor, Rogers, and BILL Holdings, where it secured a board seat shortly after investing. However, its Pfizer exit marks a notable retreat from what was once one of its most closely watched campaigns.
The same filing also revealed that Starboard fully divested from Fortrea Holdings, a contract research organization spun off from LabCorp in 2023. The hedge fund sold 2.5 million Fortrea shares during the third quarter. Since Starboard disclosed its investment in October 2023, Fortrea’s share price has fallen nearly 50%, adding another setback to the fund’s recent positions.
Starboard declined to comment on the latest disclosures.


Bristol Myers Faces $6.7 Billion Lawsuit After Judge Allows Key Shareholder Claims to Proceed
Trump Administration to Secure Equity Stake in Pat Gelsinger’s XLight Startup
Amazon Debuts “Amazon Now” for 30-Minute Ultrafast Grocery Delivery
Rio Tinto Raises 2025 Copper Output Outlook as Oyu Tolgoi Expansion Accelerates
Wikipedia Pushes for AI Licensing Deals as Jimmy Wales Calls for Fair Compensation
Intel Boosts Malaysia Operations with Additional RM860 Million Investment
Michael Dell Pledges $6.25 Billion to Boost Children’s Investment Accounts Under Trump Initiative
Tesla Faces 19% Drop in UK Registrations as Competition Intensifies
IKEA Launches First New Zealand Store, Marking Expansion Into Its 64th Global Market
Sam Altman Reportedly Explored Funding for Rocket Venture in Potential Challenge to SpaceX
Firelight Launches as First XRP Staking Platform on Flare, Introduces DeFi Cover Feature
Microchip Technology Boosts Q3 Outlook on Strong Bookings Momentum
Netflix’s Bid for Warner Bros Discovery Aims to Cut Streaming Costs and Reshape the Industry
Samsung Launches Galaxy Z TriFold to Elevate Its Position in the Foldable Smartphone Market
Anthropic Reportedly Taps Wilson Sonsini as It Prepares for a Potential 2026 IPO
Magnum Audit Flags Governance Issues at Ben & Jerry’s Foundation Ahead of Spin-Off
OpenAI Moves to Acquire Neptune as It Expands AI Training Capabilities 



