• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster

3

Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster

3

Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place
FinanceHedge Funds

Ackman’s Hedge Fund Faces S&P Downgrade

By
Reuters
Reuters
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Reuters
Reuters
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 17, 2016, 5:46 PM ET
Key Speakers At The Bloomberg Markets Most Influential Summit
William "Bill" Ackman, founder and chief executive officer of Pershing Square Capital Management LP, speaks at the Bloomberg Markets Most Influential Summit 2015 in New York, U.S., on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2015. The summit brings together the bankers, policymakers, money managers and big thinkers who matter most for a day of discussion about the macroeconomic trends and global forces shaping investment strategy. Photographer: Chris Goodney/Bloomberg *** Local Caption ***William AckmanPhotograph by Chris Goodney — Bloomberg
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Billionaire investor Bill Ackman’s already very bad week got worse on Thursday.

Rating agency Standard & Poor’s said it may cut its BBB rating of Ackman’s publicly traded Pershing Square Holdings vehicle in the wake of weak investment returns and a sharp drop in its net asset value.

“The fund’s performance since we initiated the rating on PSH in May 2015 has been weaker than peers, in contrast to its stellar track record in previous years,” S&P analysts wrote, noting that the fund lost money on 11 of 12 positions since October 2015.

A spokesman for the firm declined to comment.

Ackman’s Pershing Square oversees roughly $11 billion for wealthy clients, including state pension funds.

The fund’s net asset value tumbled to $3.8 billion this week from $5.3 billion in October 2015, the S&P analysts wrote. That pushed the fund’s debt-to-total-assets ratio to more than 20% from 15% at the end of October 2015.

The most immediate cause for Ackman’s woes is the sharp decline in drug company Valeant Pharmaceuticals’ stock price, which crashed more than 50% this week and cause Ackman’s firm to lose roughly $1 billion on paper. Valeant (VRX) delivered worse-than-expected financial guidance and raised the chance of defaulting on its debt if it breaches agreements with creditors by not filing its annual report on time.

This year alone, the Pershing Square Holdings fund, which has been trading publicly since 2014, lost 26.4 percent. That followed on a 20% drop in 2015. The year it was listed in Amsterdam, it scored a 40 percent gain.

As one of the hedge fund industry’s most widely followed investors, Ackman is now being vilified just as much as he was celebrated two years ago when he worked with Valeant to try to buy rival drug company Allergan, in which he owned shares.

Investors are privately saying they are concerned about Pershing Square‘s big bet on Valeant. Ackman has scrambled this week to soothe that concern by sending back-to-back memos urging clients to call him personally with questions.

 

S&P underscored his high-profile stature by writing “Bill Ackman’s prominent role exposes the fund to key man risk.”

But the analysts noted that Ackman has taken “proactive steps to respond to the turmoil.” On Wednesday the fund sold 20 million shares of snack food maker Mondelez (MDLZ), increasing its free cash. Last week Pershing Square Vice Chairman Steve Fraidin, a veteran mergers and acquisitions lawyer, joined Valeant’s board.

About the Author
By Reuters
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Finance

This summer’s heat is a live stress test for data centers—here’s what it’s revealing in real time
AIData centers
This summer’s heat is a live stress test for data centers—here’s what it’s revealing in real time
By Tristan BoveJune 29, 2026
3 hours ago
The Supreme Court upholds Fed independence by saving Lisa Cook’s job—and also saves U.S. debt from a crisis
EconomyFederal Reserve
The Supreme Court upholds Fed independence by saving Lisa Cook’s job—and also saves U.S. debt from a crisis
By Jason MaJune 29, 2026
4 hours ago
Strategy cofounder Michael Saylor sits during a conference and looks out into the crowd.
CryptoBitcoin
Strategy may sell up to $1.25 billion in Bitcoin to calm investor jitters
By Camila Grigera NaónJune 29, 2026
5 hours ago
b
LawCrime
2 more NBA players indicted who ‘turned professional basketball into a criminal betting operation’
By The Associated PressJune 29, 2026
5 hours ago
lc
PoliticsSupreme Court
Supreme Court rules against Donald Trump in his quest to fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook — for now
By Mark Sherman and The Associated PressJune 29, 2026
5 hours ago
comcast
Big TechMarkets
Comcast stock jumps 24% for agreeing to break up with itself
By Michelle Chapman and The Associated PressJune 29, 2026
7 hours ago

Most Popular

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
5 days ago
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
Success
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
By Preston ForeJune 27, 2026
2 days ago
Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place
Success
Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place
By Sydney LakeJune 29, 2026
5 hours ago
The retired college professor fighting a $313 trespassing ticket in Wisconsin thinks he's part of a national struggle
Environment
The retired college professor fighting a $313 trespassing ticket in Wisconsin thinks he's part of a national struggle
By Catherina GioinoJune 28, 2026
2 days ago
Cristiano Ronaldo is soccer's first-ever billionaire: He went from begging for burgers outside McDonald's to landing a $400 million contract
Success
Cristiano Ronaldo is soccer's first-ever billionaire: He went from begging for burgers outside McDonald's to landing a $400 million contract
By Preston ForeJune 28, 2026
1 day ago
Ex-Google engineer says Larry Page, Sergey Brin and Sundar Pichai share the same trait—it's the lesson he swears by as a $7.2 billion AI CEO
Success
Ex-Google engineer says Larry Page, Sergey Brin and Sundar Pichai share the same trait—it's the lesson he swears by as a $7.2 billion AI CEO
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 28, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.