Activist investor Ancora urges Big Yellow to explore a sale

(Sharecast News) - Big Yellow shares rallied on Wednesday after activist investor Ancora Holdings Group said the self-storage company should explore a sale. Ancora, which has a stake of more than 4% in Big Yellow, said the company is "materially" undervalued in the public market due to slow UK economic growth, a weak domestic housing market, the failed take-private by Blackstone in 2025 and its "capital-intensive yet high-potential" property development pipeline.

Ancora urged the company's board to launch a comprehensive strategic review, including a sale process, "soliciting interest from the deep pool of likely strategic and financial acquirers globally". It said a sale of Big Yellow represents "the best risk-adjusted" outcome for shareholders.

"In addition, with shares at a five-year low, Ancora believes Big Yellow can take pragmatic value-enhancing actions such as divesting non-core assets, rebranding or selling Armadillo and monetising the property development pipeline," it said.

Ancora said its due diligence suggests that despite the failed take-private last year, buyer appetite remains strong. It argued that if Big Yellow were to run a full strategic process, a transaction would likely occur at a compelling valuation. Ancora estimated that the intrinsic value of Big Yellow is £12.36 per share, reflecting a 5.1% capitalisation rate.

Ancora also called on Big Yellow to pursue the divestiture of non-core assets, rebrand or sell its smaller Armadillo brand, optimise its portfolio "for highest and best use", monetise its property development pipeline and repurchase its undervalued shares.

"These actions, combined with a likely recovery in occupancy and the possibility of an improved UK/London economic environment, could cause Big Yellow's shares to materially re-rate from trough levels," it said.

At 0930 BST, the shares were up 5.3% at 841p.