Avantor Faces Activist Fire: Why Engine Capital Wants It Sold Now?

Avantor, the $7.8 billion life sciences supplier headquartered in Radnor, Pennsylvania, has recently drawn the attention of activist investor Engine Capital, which has taken a roughly 3% stake in the company. The move comes after a tumultuous year in which Avantor’s shares fell nearly 50%, pressured by weakened demand—especially in government and education sectors due to research funding cuts—and the April announcement of its longtime CEO’s departure. Now, with a new chief executive, Emmanuel Ligner, set to take the helm in mid-August, Engine Capital is urging Avantor to either sell itself outright or embark on a strategic overhaul that could include a board refresh, cost reductions, stock buybacks, and divestitures of noncore assets. The firm believes Avantor could fetch $17–$19 per share in a sale or reach as high as $26 by 2027 through selfdriven reforms. This activist push comes at a time when Avantor’s operational and market conditions present both opportunity and urgency.