By |Published On: September 25th, 2013|Categories: Research Insights|

In my former life as a stock-picker I picked up a love for activist investing.

Activist investing is a lot like being a capitalist freedom fighter–everyone hates you, management calls you names, and you are always a “bad guy.”

Ironically, the activist is typically the one party that is actually doing the right thing: trying to make a business more efficient, booting out management that is leaching off of shareholders, or changing the capital structure so it is more profitable for common stock holders.

Well, a recent situation came across my desk that looked worthy of further investigation for those inclined to “do their homework.”

PRTS–a micro-cap under pressure!

U.S. Auto Parts Network, Inc
Tim Macquire, a former executive at Philadelphia Insurance–a large insurance company that was purchased by Tokio Marine Group in 2008–is leading the charge!

We did a little digging and found out that Tim Macquire is a 13x Ironman Triathlete–I almost feel bad for PRTS. This guy isn’t going to quit!

[youtube url=”http://youtu.be/U32BmWJ2FdY”]

Here is a link to the 13 D filing:
http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1378950/000114420413052206/v355761_ex99-c.htm

About the Author: Wesley Gray, PhD

After serving as a Captain in the United States Marine Corps, Dr. Gray earned an MBA and a PhD in finance from the University of Chicago where he studied under Nobel Prize Winner Eugene Fama. Next, Wes took an academic job in his wife’s hometown of Philadelphia and worked as a finance professor at Drexel University. Dr. Gray’s interest in bridging the research gap between academia and industry led him to found Alpha Architect, an asset management firm dedicated to an impact mission of empowering investors through education. He is a contributor to multiple industry publications and regularly speaks to professional investor groups across the country. Wes has published multiple academic papers and four books, including Embedded (Naval Institute Press, 2009), Quantitative Value (Wiley, 2012), DIY Financial Advisor (Wiley, 2015), and Quantitative Momentum (Wiley, 2016). Dr. Gray currently resides in Palmas Del Mar Puerto Rico with his wife and three children. He recently finished the Leadville 100 ultramarathon race and promises to make better life decisions in the future.

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