



Can Social-Media Fame Power an IPO? Bill Ackman Is About to Find Out.
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Bill Ackman wants to capitalize on his social-media fame by opening his hedge-fund strategy to the masses. It remains to be seen how enthusiastic the masses are.The billionaire investor plans to stage a unique double listing Wednesday, taking public both a new stock-picking fund, Pershing Square USA, and his hedge-fund management company, Pershing Square.
To attract investors, he is offering free shares of Pershing Square to anyone who buys into Pershing Square USA.By the time orders closed late Monday, Pershing Square USA was on track to raise $5 billion, the low end of Ackman’s targeted range of $5 billion to $10 billion, according to people familiar with the matter. More than 80% of demand came from institutional investors, rather than individuals, some of the people said.Ackman built a following beyond Wall Street in recent years as a social-media commentator on issues ranging from university-campus protests to New York City’s mayoral election.
The idea behind the new fund was to capitalize on this name recognition by raising money from everyday people who can’t normally invest with a prominent hedge-fund manager.Individual investors play a central role in determining how newly listed companies’ shares trade but can be unpredictable. Their enthusiasm can either send shares soaring in early trading as more investors pile in or send the stock lower if those who invested in the IPO decide to sell.This is Ackman’s second attempt at launching Pershing Square USA, known by its planned ticker, PSUS.
He aborted an earlier attempt in 2024 after lukewarm investor interest. Even raising nearly $1 billion from individuals, as it appears Ackman might, would be a feat.This time around, he has
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