Nielsen Holdings Rallies On Elliott Management Stake

Nielsen Holdings PLC NLSN shares were rallying Monday after The Wall Street Journal reported a notable activist investor firm accumulated a stake in the measurement and data analytics company.

What Happened

Paul Singer's firm Elliott Management acquired a stake in Nielsen, according to WSJ. The report was confirmed in a regulatory 13-D filing that shows Elliott's total interest including common shares, derivatives and stock options is around 8.4 percent.

Singer and Elliott Management are looking to push the company to sell itself; Nielsen's management acknowledged in July that it saw "one of the most challenging quarters for our business in over a decade," the WSJ report said.

Why It's Important

Elliott believes Nielsen's "buy" segment has not held its ground against competing measurement and data analytics companies, WSJ said. In fact, Nielsen relies on its employees to offer analysis to companies as opposed to rival IRI, which invested in data-intensive offerings.

The activist investment firm is pushing Nielsen to oversee a strategic review of the entire business as opposed to merely finding a strategic acquirer for the "buy" segment.

What's Next

A Nielsen spokeswoman told WSJ the company is open to listening to Elliott as it continues to explore how to best position its business.

Nielsen shares were trading up 9.83 percent to $24.14 at the time of publication Monday. 

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