{"id":54718,"date":"2025-12-09T14:56:47","date_gmt":"2025-12-09T05:56:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/?p=54718"},"modified":"2025-12-09T18:23:24","modified_gmt":"2025-12-09T09:23:24","slug":"square-enixs-major-shareholder-drops-100-page-presentation-criticizing-how-the-company-is-managed-rallies-other-shareholders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/news\/square-enixs-major-shareholder-drops-100-page-presentation-criticizing-how-the-company-is-managed-rallies-other-shareholders\/","title":{"rendered":"Square Enix\u2019s major shareholder drops 100-page presentation criticizing how the company is managed, rallies other shareholders\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

3D Investment Partners, an infamously aggressive<\/a> Singapore-based activist investment fund, has published a 100-page presentation<\/a> highlighting issues in Square Enix\u2019s management (as reported by BusinessWire)<\/a>. As a major shareholder of the game company (owning a 14.36% stake), 3D Investment is calling on other shareholders to join them in \u201csharing frank opinions\u201d on Square Enix\u2019s ongoing issues. Their purpose is to \u201cpursue constructive dialogue\u201d with the company\u2019s leadership.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given that 3D Investment Partners is known for being an \u201cactivist\u201d investor (an investor who seeks to buy significant stakes in companies in order to influence how they are managed, often targeting underperforming or poorly managed companies), people have been curious about what moves they\u2019ll make on Square Enix ever since they first started acquiring shares in April this year<\/a>. At the time, 3D Investment said its purpose was \u201cpure investment, and depending on circumstances, to offer advice or make significant proposals to management.\u201d Now, it seems they\u2019ve finally decided to make bolder moves towards influencing the company\u2019s operations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Tifa<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In the new announcement, the fund argues that despite being a national brand who owns world-class franchises like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, Square Enix has been facing stagnant revenue growth and weak profit margins over the past three years, especially compared to peers like Nintendo, Capcom, Bandai Namco and Konami. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D Investment blames this on the underperformance of Square Enix\u2019s console and mobile game sectors, as well as exceptionally large write-downs related to cancelled games. Interestingly, they also consider the company\u2019s arcade and publishing sectors to be \u201cnon-synergistic\u201d businesses that are ultimately pulling down the company\u2019s value with lackluster performance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although Square Enix\u2019s plan is to \u201cReboot\u201d with its new mid-term strategy for fiscal years 2025 through 2027, 3D Investment implies this plan is insufficient and too vague. Some of the issues cited are a lack of a concrete vision for long-term recovery, low-balled improvement margins, and a lack of concrete execution plans or KPIs for measures meant to address the company’s problems. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Final<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It seems that 3D Investment already approached Square Enix\u2019s CEO Takashi Kiryu with an analysis of these problems and proposal for improvements back in October 2025, but was not satisfied with the response (allegedly, they only got a brief email that insisted the current plan was adequate). As a result, they\u2019ve turned to making things public and getting other shareholders on board, which is a common method activists use to lobby for their initiatives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s not to say that Square Enix is obligated to listen. For example, Japanese mobile game giant GungHo has been facing similar pressure from activist investors, with major shareholder Strategic Capital repeatedly asking for the company to fire its CEO<\/a> through scalding public announcements. On the other hand, GungHo has persistently rejected<\/a> such proposals. How Square Enix\u2019s responds to 3D Investment Partners\u2019 initiatives remains to be seen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Related: Square Enix shares reach highest price since the beginning of 2025 after activist investor raises stake to 10.01% <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Square Enix\u2019s 10-year-old mobile game grew so complex it became difficult to manage without serious bugs, producer reveals <\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

3D Investment Partners, an activist investor who owns a major stake in Square Enix, is pushing for the company to reconsider its mid-term strategy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":55,"featured_media":54720,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_gspb_post_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[261,17],"class_list":["post-54718","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-financial-news","tag-japan-related-news"],"blocksy_meta":[],"yoast_head":"\nSquare Enix\u2019s major shareholder drops 100-page presentation criticizing how the company is managed, rallies other shareholders\u00a0 - AUTOMATON WEST<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"3D Investment Partners, an activist investor who owns a major stake in Square Enix, is pushing for the company to reconsider its mid-term strategy.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/news\/square-enixs-major-shareholder-drops-100-page-presentation-criticizing-how-the-company-is-managed-rallies-other-shareholders\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Square Enix\u2019s major shareholder drops 100-page presentation criticizing how the company is managed, rallies other shareholders\u00a0 - 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