Vodafone Faces New Activist Investor with £640m Stake

Billionaire investor Martin Ebner has built a £640m stake in Vodafone, becoming one of the company's largest shareholders. Ebner, known as Switzerland's Warren Buffett, has taken a less hands-on approach in recent investments. Vodafone's shares have risen 28% this year, and the company has seen a recent surge in activist investors trying to influence its strategy.

Billionaire investor Martin Ebner has amassed a £640 million stake in Vodafone Group PLC, making him one of the company's largest shareholders. This significant investment comes as Vodafone's shares have surged by 28% in 2025, driven by a recent surge in activist investors attempting to influence the company's strategy.

Ebner, often referred to as Switzerland's Warren Buffett, has taken a less hands-on approach in his recent investments. His latest move in Vodafone is part of a broader trend of large institutional investors increasing their stakes in the telecommunications giant. HighTower Advisors LLC, for instance, reduced its position by 15.6%, selling 44,770 shares and leaving it with 242,690 shares valued at approximately $2.27 million [1].

Several other large investors have significantly increased their holdings in Vodafone. Hazlett Burt & Watson Inc. boosted its stake by 65.5%, NBC Securities Inc. by an astonishing 116,833.3%, and GeoWealth Management LLC by 258.0% [1]. These increases reflect a growing interest in Vodafone's strategic direction and potential for growth.

Analysts have mixed sentiments about Vodafone. Berenberg Bank raised the stock to a "hold" rating, while The Goldman Sachs Group downgraded it to a "sell" with a target price of $136.00. Overall, the stock has an average rating of "reduce" and an average target price of $136.00 [1].

Vodafone's financial profile remains robust. The company's market cap stands at $28.92 billion, with a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.46 and a PEG ratio of 0.57. Its current ratio is 1.26, quick ratio is 1.23, and debt-to-equity ratio is 0.85. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $11.01 and a 200-day moving average of $9.90 [1].

Vodafone Group provides telecommunication services in Europe and internationally, offering mobile connectivity services, fixed line connectivity, and financial services. The company's geographic distribution includes the United Kingdom (18.8%), Germany (32.4%), Europe (15.1%), Africa (20.7%), Turkey (8.2%), and other regions (4.8%) [2].

References:
[1] https://www.marketbeat.com/instant-alerts/filing-vodafone-group-plc-vod-shares-sold-by-hightower-advisors-llc-2025-08-24/
[2] https://www.marketscreener.com/news/patinex-ag-discloses-3-stake-in-vodafone-group-public-limited-company-as-of-august-21-ce7c50d9dd8efe24