"Activist Investors Aim to Pressure America's Struggling Banks"
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Oct 28 2025
0mins
Should l Buy EBC?
Source: CNBC
Activism in Banking: Hedge fund HoldCo, led by Vik Ghei and Misha Zaitzeff, is challenging regional banks with over $200 billion in assets, demanding accountability from CEOs and boards, and has initiated campaigns against several banks, including a proxy battle against Columbia Bank.
Recent Success: HoldCo achieved a significant victory with Comerica's merger with Fifth Third for $10.9 billion, marking the largest bank merger of the year, and has since targeted smaller banks like Eastern Bank and First Interstate for similar activist campaigns.
Critique of Bank Management: The founders of HoldCo argue that many regional bank CEOs prioritize personal financial gain over shareholder interests, leading to underperformance and excessive compensation, which they aim to rectify through public pressure and proxy battles.
Market Impact and Future Plans: HoldCo's activism is gaining traction in the banking sector, prompting other banks to reassess their capital plans in anticipation of scrutiny, while the firm plans to continue its campaigns and publish reports on banks that fail to protect shareholder value.
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Analyst Views on EBC
Wall Street analysts forecast EBC stock price to rise
5 Analyst Rating
4 Buy
1 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 21.420
Low
20.00
Averages
21.90
High
23.00
Current: 21.420
Low
20.00
Averages
21.90
High
23.00
About EBC
Eastern Bankshares, Inc. is the holding company for Eastern Bank (The Bank). Eastern Bank is a local bank with approximately 109 branch locations serving communities in eastern Massachusetts, southern and coastal New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Connecticut. The Company provides a full range of banking and wealth management solutions for consumers and businesses of all sizes including through its Cambridge Trust Wealth Management division. Its diversified products and services include lending, deposit, and wealth management. offer a range of demand deposit accounts, interest checking accounts, money market accounts, savings accounts and time certificates of deposit accounts. Its lending focuses on the various loan categories: commercial and industrial, including its asset-based lending portfolio, commercial real estate, commercial construction, small business banking, residential real estate and home equity loans.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Eastern Bank Finances BostonbeaN's Employee Ownership Transition
- Employee Ownership Financing: Eastern Bank has provided financing to BostonbeaN Coffee Company to support its transition to a 100% employee-owned company, which includes a term loan for establishing an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) and a revolving line of credit for ongoing working capital, expected to enhance employee engagement and company culture.
- Business Background: Founded over 60 years ago, BostonbeaN specializes in providing workplace products such as coffee, tea, and healthy snacks to companies in the region, and transitioning to employee ownership is anticipated to further solidify its market position and boost employee morale.
- Banking Support and Expertise: Eastern Bank demonstrated exceptional expertise in ESOP financing, facilitating a smooth transition for BostonbeaN, highlighting the bank's capability and commitment to supporting sustainable business development.
- Community and Economic Impact: As Greater Boston's leading local bank with over 125 branches, Eastern Bank is dedicated to supporting the local economy through comprehensive banking services, and this financing is expected to further drive community development and economic growth.
See More
Eastern Bank Supports BostonbeaN Coffee's Employee Ownership Transition
- Employee Ownership Financing: Eastern Bank has provided financing to BostonbeaN Coffee Company to support its transition to a 100% employee-owned company, including a term loan for establishing an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) and a revolving line of credit for ongoing operational needs, aimed at enhancing employee engagement and company culture.
- Company History and Market Position: Founded over 60 years ago, BostonbeaN specializes in providing coffee, tea, and healthy snacks for workplaces, serving numerous businesses in the region; transitioning to employee ownership is expected to further solidify its market position and motivate employees.
- Banking Expertise Support: Eastern Bank demonstrated exceptional expertise in ESOP financing, ensuring a smooth transition for BostonbeaN, highlighting the bank's capability and commitment to supporting corporate transformations and employee incentives.
- Community and Charitable Contributions: Since 1994, Eastern Bank has donated over $240 million to community support, and as Greater Boston's leading bank, it is committed to driving local economic development through diverse financial services and community engagement.
See More
Wall Street Banks Are Taking Notice of an Activist Investor
Finance Conferences in Florida: Wall Street executives are gathering in southeast Florida for a series of finance industry conferences this week.
Activist Hedge Fund's Role: A small activist hedge fund known for advocating changes at U.S. banks is becoming more assertive during this event.
See More
HoldCo Asset Management Unveils New Presentation at UBS Conference
- Asset Management Scale: HoldCo Asset Management manages approximately $2.8 billion in regulatory assets, showcasing its strength and influence in the financial services sector, indicating its significant position within the industry.
- Activist Shareholder Campaigns: The firm has launched five public activist campaigns targeting banks such as KeyCorp and Comerica, demonstrating its proactive role in driving corporate governance and management changes, which is expected to impact upcoming shareholder meetings.
- Soft Activism Engagements: Additionally, HoldCo has engaged in behind-the-scenes 'soft activism' dialogues with four banks, reflecting its diversified strategy to promote industry change through constructive discussions aimed at achieving substantive improvements.
- Management Changes: Co-founders of HoldCo noted that over the past six months, management teams and boards have made significant changes due to their initiatives, indicating the effectiveness of their shareholder activism and potentially reducing the need for future proxy contests, thereby enhancing investor confidence.
See More
Eastern Bankshares CIO Sells Shares in Open Market Transaction
- Executive Share Sale: Eastern Bankshares' CIO Donald Michael Westermann executed an open-market sale of 21,256 directly held shares on January 28, 2026, valued at approximately $427,500, indicating a need for liquidity.
- Ownership Change: This transaction marks Westermann's only recorded open-market sale, resulting in a 30.88% reduction in his direct holdings while indirect shares remain unchanged, reflecting sustained confidence in the company's future.
- Market Price Comparison: The weighted-average sale price was around $20.11 per share, closely aligning with the market close of $19.93 on January 28, 2026, suggesting that the sale did not significantly impact the stock price.
- Shareholder Return Strategy: Eastern Bankshares has announced a quarterly dividend of $0.13 per share and repurchased 3.1 million shares, demonstrating strong balance sheet management and enhancing investor confidence in the company's growth prospects.
See More
Eastern Bank Provides $15.5 Million Financing for Brockton Mill Redevelopment
- Financing Support: Eastern Bank has provided $15.5 million in construction financing to Causeway Development for the redevelopment of a historic mill in downtown Brockton, aiming to revitalize the local economy.
- Housing Unit Composition: The project will feature 30 mixed-income housing units, including 10 market-rate units, 15 affordable units (up to 60% of Area Median Income), and 5 Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program units (up to 30% AMI), offering diverse housing options for the community.
- Community-Oriented Development: Causeway Development specializes in transforming underutilized properties into lasting homes and vibrant community anchors, reflecting its commitment to preserving the character of New England communities while fostering economic growth.
- Partnership Dynamics: Eastern Bank's Community Development Lending team collaborates closely with Causeway Development, leveraging a blend of Low-Income Housing and Historic Tax Credits to ensure the project's sustainability and enhance economic opportunities in the area.
See More
Eastern Bank Finances BostonbeaN's Employee Ownership Transition
- Employee Ownership Financing: Eastern Bank has provided financing to BostonbeaN Coffee Company to support its transition to a 100% employee-owned company, which includes a term loan for establishing an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) and a revolving line of credit for ongoing working capital, expected to enhance employee engagement and company culture.
- Business Background: Founded over 60 years ago, BostonbeaN specializes in providing workplace products such as coffee, tea, and healthy snacks to companies in the region, and transitioning to employee ownership is anticipated to further solidify its market position and boost employee morale.
- Banking Support and Expertise: Eastern Bank demonstrated exceptional expertise in ESOP financing, facilitating a smooth transition for BostonbeaN, highlighting the bank's capability and commitment to supporting sustainable business development.
- Community and Economic Impact: As Greater Boston's leading local bank with over 125 branches, Eastern Bank is dedicated to supporting the local economy through comprehensive banking services, and this financing is expected to further drive community development and economic growth.
See More
Eastern Bank Supports BostonbeaN Coffee's Employee Ownership Transition
- Employee Ownership Financing: Eastern Bank has provided financing to BostonbeaN Coffee Company to support its transition to a 100% employee-owned company, including a term loan for establishing an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) and a revolving line of credit for ongoing operational needs, aimed at enhancing employee engagement and company culture.
- Company History and Market Position: Founded over 60 years ago, BostonbeaN specializes in providing coffee, tea, and healthy snacks for workplaces, serving numerous businesses in the region; transitioning to employee ownership is expected to further solidify its market position and motivate employees.
- Banking Expertise Support: Eastern Bank demonstrated exceptional expertise in ESOP financing, ensuring a smooth transition for BostonbeaN, highlighting the bank's capability and commitment to supporting corporate transformations and employee incentives.
- Community and Charitable Contributions: Since 1994, Eastern Bank has donated over $240 million to community support, and as Greater Boston's leading bank, it is committed to driving local economic development through diverse financial services and community engagement.
See More
Wall Street Banks Are Taking Notice of an Activist Investor
Finance Conferences in Florida: Wall Street executives are gathering in southeast Florida for a series of finance industry conferences this week.
Activist Hedge Fund's Role: A small activist hedge fund known for advocating changes at U.S. banks is becoming more assertive during this event.
See More
HoldCo Asset Management Unveils New Presentation at UBS Conference
- Asset Management Scale: HoldCo Asset Management manages approximately $2.8 billion in regulatory assets, showcasing its strength and influence in the financial services sector, indicating its significant position within the industry.
- Activist Shareholder Campaigns: The firm has launched five public activist campaigns targeting banks such as KeyCorp and Comerica, demonstrating its proactive role in driving corporate governance and management changes, which is expected to impact upcoming shareholder meetings.
- Soft Activism Engagements: Additionally, HoldCo has engaged in behind-the-scenes 'soft activism' dialogues with four banks, reflecting its diversified strategy to promote industry change through constructive discussions aimed at achieving substantive improvements.
- Management Changes: Co-founders of HoldCo noted that over the past six months, management teams and boards have made significant changes due to their initiatives, indicating the effectiveness of their shareholder activism and potentially reducing the need for future proxy contests, thereby enhancing investor confidence.
See More
Eastern Bankshares CIO Sells Shares in Open Market Transaction
- Executive Share Sale: Eastern Bankshares' CIO Donald Michael Westermann executed an open-market sale of 21,256 directly held shares on January 28, 2026, valued at approximately $427,500, indicating a need for liquidity.
- Ownership Change: This transaction marks Westermann's only recorded open-market sale, resulting in a 30.88% reduction in his direct holdings while indirect shares remain unchanged, reflecting sustained confidence in the company's future.
- Market Price Comparison: The weighted-average sale price was around $20.11 per share, closely aligning with the market close of $19.93 on January 28, 2026, suggesting that the sale did not significantly impact the stock price.
- Shareholder Return Strategy: Eastern Bankshares has announced a quarterly dividend of $0.13 per share and repurchased 3.1 million shares, demonstrating strong balance sheet management and enhancing investor confidence in the company's growth prospects.
See More
Eastern Bank Provides $15.5 Million Financing for Brockton Mill Redevelopment
- Financing Support: Eastern Bank has provided $15.5 million in construction financing to Causeway Development for the redevelopment of a historic mill in downtown Brockton, aiming to revitalize the local economy.
- Housing Unit Composition: The project will feature 30 mixed-income housing units, including 10 market-rate units, 15 affordable units (up to 60% of Area Median Income), and 5 Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program units (up to 30% AMI), offering diverse housing options for the community.
- Community-Oriented Development: Causeway Development specializes in transforming underutilized properties into lasting homes and vibrant community anchors, reflecting its commitment to preserving the character of New England communities while fostering economic growth.
- Partnership Dynamics: Eastern Bank's Community Development Lending team collaborates closely with Causeway Development, leveraging a blend of Low-Income Housing and Historic Tax Credits to ensure the project's sustainability and enhance economic opportunities in the area.
See More
