William Ackman on retirement savings
From Bill Ackman Milken Conference 2026-MAY-04 Monday · · TorontoWealthGroup
“You can't have a world in which you know 60% of the company gets excited when the stock market goes up and 40% is resentful and so what the president announced is that basically in effect 401k plans for every American. It's a matching program but like many companies do for their employees but if you're an Uber driver if you're a restaurant worker if you work for a company that doesn't have a kind of plan this is the I call it the Trump savings plan or the American I think they call it the American dream accounts.”
On , William Ackman, CEO & Portfolio Manager at Pershing Square, spoke about retirement savings during Bill Ackman Milken Conference 2026-MAY-04 Monday on TorontoWealthGroup.
About William Ackman
In late April and early May 2026, Bill Ackman oversaw the dual IPO of Pershing Square USA (PSUS), a new closed-end fund, and Pershing Square Inc. (PS), the alternative asset management company. The offering raised $5 billion, which Ackman described as the sixth-largest IPO in the prior decade and the largest closed-end fund offering in U.S. history. He stated that the capital would be deployed within weeks, calling it a "great time to put the capital to work." Ackman emphasized that the fund would differ from typical closed-end funds by offering lower fees, better governance, quarterly earnings calls, and investor days, and he characterized it as "the rebirth of the closed-end investment company universe." He also noted that retail investors received larger allocations than usual, which he said contributed to early trading volatility. Ackman discussed his investment philosophy in several interviews, stating that the most important factor in his approach is "business quality" and the durability of a company's growth. He said that founder-led companies are particularly attractive because their leaders have long-term stakes in the business. On the topic of artificial intelligence, Ackman described it as both the "greatest time to build a business" and a "major threat to portfolios," adding that every company is now an AI company and that boards are prioritizing the topic. He expressed a bullish view on the market, saying that stocks are "fairly valued" and that he sees "cuts ahead" for interest rates. Ackman also commented on his activist campaign involving Universal Music Group, stating that the company needs a "reset" and that his proposal includes a move from Amsterdam to a U.S. listing, a new board led by Mike Ovitz, and a more aggressive buyback program. He said succession at Pershing Square is already in place.