Whitbread blinked. Facing an activist investor and a widening gap between its market value and its property assets, Premier Inn's owner has opted for a sweeping reset.
Premier Inn's owner said it's considering a strategy shift in response to criticisms by activist investor Corvex. But it may not reveal any changes until its next financial update in April.
Whitbread is a year into a five-year strategy. Corvex wants it to stop and reassess. That puts pressure on the Premier Inn owner to justify its long-term plan.
Southwest had a rough going over the past few months, but CEO Bob Jordan says he has a plan. The Southwest experience may not look too different from other airlines.