Yakira President Bruce Kallins argues that People Incorporated (PPLI) has drifted from its historical strength of developing agile, tech-focused companies. Instead, the firm is pursuing a massive leveraged buyout of a mature industry player. Yakira contends that while PPLI management has previously acknowledged the company trades at a significant discount to its underlying assets, this proposed deal threatens to complicate the corporate structure and increase financial risk at an inopportune time for consumer spending.

The investment firm highlights a stark mathematical discrepancy: while PPLI shares were trading near $42.03, the company’s implied sum-of-the-parts value—accounting for its current MGM stake and cash holdings—suggests a potential value exceeding $190 per share if the company liquidated its MGM position to fund aggressive stock buybacks. By opting to acquire MGM at a premium, management is choosing a strategy that contradicts its own long-term efforts to close the gap between PPLI’s market price and its actual asset value. According to Yakira, even an optimistic 50% appreciation in MGM stock would fail to generate the same level of value creation as a disciplined, large-scale repurchase of PPLI’s own discounted equity.