The 15 Most Famous Carl Icahn Quotes

Wondering what some of the most famous Carl Icahn quotes are? These days, it is very easy to come across some great quotes from great people over the internet. Sometimes it can certainly be very inspiring to read grandiose quotes from people who changed the world, or did some amazing things with their lives. Yet, when it comes to the business world, it is interesting to check out some of the most successful investors’ sayings and advice for even more personal reasons, as they can often give us insight into making and money.

ICAHN CAPITAL Carl Icahn

Warren Buffet is one such man, one of the most successful businessmen in America, who has had an extraordinary career. Ever since he started doing business, he has been gathering followers and investors in his wake, which learn from his inspirational and knowledgeable quotes. We’ve compiled a list featuring The 20 Most Inspirational Warren Buffett Quotes on Business, Investing and Life where you can check out some of the most relevant quotes from one of Americas’ greatest investors.

Another American business star is Carl Icahn. Icahn first started working as an entry-level stockbroker at Dreyfus & Company in New York, and since then has managed to build up one of the largest fortunes in America. Icahn has a value-investing strategy, which he himself defines as “buying something when no one wants it”. This means targeting a company that is trading below its current value, with stock prices that reflect poor price-to-earnings (P/E) ratios or book values that exceed market valuation.

Currently Icahn holds a hedge fund Icahn Capital Management, and has an estimated net worth of $25.9 Billion. Across his career he has inspired several investors with his words and ways. Let’s take a look now at some of those words, the 15 most famous Carl Icahn quotes and find out what his secret is.

No. 15

“If we’re going to make the company successful, you are going to have to look reality in the eye, and the reality is lower wages.”

As you can see, we’re off to quite a start on our countdown of the most famous Carl Icahn quotes. 14 more are still to come, check them out.

No. 14

“It’s the productivity we have to have if we are going to survive”

No. 13

“My opinion is that, philosophically, I’m doing the right thing in trying to shake up some of these managements. It’s a problem in America today that we are not nearly as productive as we should be. That’s why we have the balance-of-payments problems. It’s like the fall of Rome, when half the population was on the dole.” 

No. 12

“I look at companies as businesses, while Wall Street analysts look for quarterly earnings performance. I buy assets and potential productivity. Wall Street buys earnings, so they miss a lot of things that I see in certain situations”

No. 11

“I have never sold or liquidated a company after gaining control.”

No. 10

“I was always a good chess player”

No. 9

“In risk there is reward…”

No. 8

“We’re both on a life raft right now. And it’s sinking. It doesn’t matter who got on first. We have to do something to save ourselves.“

No. 7

“Ideas comes to you… not necessarily working and sitting at a desk…”

No. 6

“In takeovers, the metaphor is war. The secret is reserves. You must have reserves stretched way out ahead. You have to know that you could buy the company and not be stretched.” 

No. 5

“In life and business, there are two cardinal sins, … The first is to act precipitously without thought, and the second is to not act at all. Unfortunately the board of directors and top management of Times Warner already committed the first sin by merging with AOL, and we believe they are currently in the process of committing the second; now is not a time to move slowly and suffer the paralysis of inaction”

No. 4

“Their earnings are way down. It’s time for management to go”

No. 3

“I have to look out for the shareholder’s interests, and I’m the largest shareholder”

No. 2

“If you want a friend, you buy a dog”

No. 1

“I’m no Robin Hood. I enjoy making the money”