Activist investing As an activist investor JANA Partners buys large numbers of shares in companies that it believes are underperforming, and then encourages the companies to make the changes JANA believes are needed to improve performance. The firm has been highly involved in the food sector. In 2015, it revealed a 7.2% stake in ConAgra and moved to change its board. In July, it successfully appointed former Nestle USA CEO Brad Alford In 2017, JANA Partners revealed an 8.8% stake in
Whole Foods and stated intentions to make changes to the board of directors as well as improve the company's use of technology. Later that year, the fund sold its 26 million shares for a profit of approximately $300 million, following the grocer's buyout by
Amazon. In early 2017 JANA reported in its SEC 13D an agreement with Tiffany & Co. to appoint three new directors;
Francesco Trapani, Roger Farah, and
James Lillie. A year later the firm announced a 9.1% stake in
Pinnacle Foods Inc., as well as plans to alter the company's cost structure, operations and board of directors. Company shares rose almost 8% as a result. As of April 2018, the firm and its partners held 9.5% of the company. In June 2018, Pinnacle Foods was acquired by Conagra Brands in an $8.1 billion deal, and JANA profited $144 million on its investment. JANA applied pressure to
Bloomin’ Brands Inc. and eventually won a seat on the board In October 2024, Jana announced that it had acquired a 5% stake in American food processor
Lamb Weston. Jana, working with Continental Grain, was demanding a strategic review of the Lamb Weston's operations and would be seeking seats on the company's board. A survey commissioned by Jana found that nearly half of Lamb Weston's top 50 shareholders were in favor of completely replacing the company's board of directors. In June 2025, Jana and Lamb Weston reached an agreement in which four of Jana's proposed directors were added to the company's board of directors as well as two other mutually agreed-upon directors, expanding the board from 11 to 13 members. At the time of the decision Jana's position in Lamb Weston had grown to 7%. In October 2025, Jana announced it had acquired a 9% stake in American theme park and entertainment company
Six Flags, partnering with American professional football player
Travis Kelce in order to pressure Six Flags to improve its marketing and customer experiences. In March 2026, Kelce became Six Flags' brand ambassador, and later in the month, pressured the company to replace its current
board chair and explore a possible sale in a memo. Six Flags replaced its current board chair
Marilyn Spiegel with Richard Hadrill around a week following the memo.
Socially responsible investing Think Differently About Kids In January 2018, JANA Partners issued a public letter to
Apple Inc. alongside the
California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS) called “Think Differently About Kids.” The letter called on the company to seek out new ways to limit the effects of technology on children. Together, the two funds hold approximately $2 billion of Apple Inc. shares. In June 2018, Apple released a new iOS feature called "
Screen Time" aimed at increasing awareness of potential tech addiction. As a result, JANA Partners and CalSTRS issued a second letter of support.
JANA Impact Capital In January 2018, JANA announced a new fund called JANA Impact Capital, which was formed to expand efforts towards corporate responsibility in leading companies. The fund's co-portfolio managers are Daniel Hanson and Charles Penner, and the new advisory board includes musician
Sting, his wife
Trudie Styler, Sister Patricia A. Daly and Robert Eccles. == References ==