Analyzing divestment – The sideways view
Suppose that I’m considering investing $1 in EvilCo (ticker EVL), but decide I don’t like the company’s activities so I refrain. Or maybe I decide to short EVL. Is this effective …
Suppose that I’m considering investing $1 in EvilCo (ticker EVL), but decide I don’t like the company’s activities so I refrain. Or maybe I decide to short EVL. Is this effective in reducing EvilCo’s activities? In this post I’ll argue: Divestment can be reasonably effective, despite replaceability. My best guess: I can often sacrifice <$1 to reduce EvilCo’s output by >$5. This contrasts with the received wisdom amongst people I know, that divestment is only symbolic. The first dollar of divestment is extremely effective, probably more than an order of magnitude better, such that it’s…
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