Rockstar Energy founder seeks Celsius CEO ouster after earnings miss
Billionaire Russ Savage, founder of Rockstar Energy, acquired a 4.7% stake (~$300 million) in Celsius Holdings and publicly demanded the removal of CEO John Fieldly and other top executives after Celsius missed Q2 earnings estimates (EPS $0.36 vs. $0.43 expected; revenue $817.9M vs. $870M). Savage criticized excessive costs and management layers, warning of lost shelf space to Red Bull and Monster. He volunteered to become CEO himself. Celsius shares initially fell 18% but later rallied 12% on the activist news. The board has expressed support for Fieldly, setting up a potential proxy fight.
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Rockstar Energy Founder Takes Aim at Celsius Holdings After Q2 Miss
Billionaire Russ Savage, founder of Rockstar Energy, has built a stake of over 12 million shares in Celsius Holdings (CELH) and publicly criticized its management following disappointing Q2 results. Celsius CEO John Fieldly cited SKU rationalization and integration of Alani Nu and Rockstar brands as reasons for a deliberate slowdown. Savage called for the firing of top executives and volunteered to become CEO. Celsius' core brand sales dropped 12% YoY, while total revenue rose 11% to $817.9 million, missing analyst estimates. The stock, down 49% over the past year, surged 16.8% on news of Savage's stake.
Celsius stock rallies as Rockstar Energy founder demands leadership change
Celsius Holdings (CELH) shares surged about 12% on Friday after billionaire investor Russ Savage, founder of Rockstar Energy, revealed a roughly $300 million stake (4.7% of the company) and publicly demanded the removal of CEO John Fieldly and other top executives. The rally reversed an 18% drop from Wednesday following a weak Q2 earnings report, where revenue of $817.9 million missed the $886 million consensus and core Celsius brand sales fell 11.7%. Savage, who sold Rockstar to PepsiCo for $3.85 billion in 2020, offered to step in as CEO himself, citing lost investor trust. The board has expressed support for Fieldly, setting up a potential proxy fight. Celsius stock remains about 42% below its start-of-year level.
Celsius Holdings stock rallies after Rockstar Energy founder demands CEO ouster
Celsius Holdings (CELH) stock surged about 12% on Friday, August 8, 2026, recovering from an 18% drop earlier in the week following a weak Q2 earnings report. The rebound was triggered by billionaire investor Russ Savage, founder of Rockstar Energy, who revealed a roughly $300 million stake (4.7% of the company) and publicly demanded the removal of CEO John Fieldly and other top executives. Savage, who sold Rockstar to PepsiCo for $3.85 billion in 2020, offered to step in as CEO himself. The activist push came after Celsius reported Q2 revenue of $817.9 million (up 11% but missing estimates of $886 million) and core brand sales declining 11.7%. Gross margin narrowed to 48.1% from 51.5%. Despite the rally, Celsius stock remains about 42% below its start-of-year level. The board has stated support for current CEO Fieldly, setting up a potential proxy fight.
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Rockstar Energy founder builds Celsius stake, wants to take over as CEO
Russ Savage, billionaire founder of Rockstar Energy, has acquired a 4.7% stake in Celsius Holdings (worth ~$300 million) and is publicly calling for the ouster of Celsius's CEO and top management after the company's second-quarter earnings missed analyst expectations. Savage told CNBC he now controls over 12 million shares and wants to become CEO himself, citing management missteps, excessive costs, and a loss of shelf space. Celsius shares fell 18% after reporting earnings of 36 cents per share versus the 43 cents expected, with revenue of $817.9 million below the $870 million forecast. Celsius responded that it welcomes value-creating ideas from shareholders and remains focused on its energy portfolio strategy. Savage, who sold Rockstar to PepsiCo for over $4 billion in 2020, claims he has been advising Celsius for over a year but was ignored, and argues the company needs decisive leadership to avoid losing shelf space to competitors like Red Bull and Monster.
Russ Savage Calls for Celsius Holdings CEO John Fieldly to Be Fired After Earnings Miss
Russ Savage, founder of Rockstar Energy, has built a 4.7% stake (over 12 million shares, worth ~$300 million) in Celsius Holdings and is publicly calling for the removal of CEO John Fieldly, along with the COO, brand manager, and marketing manager. Savage's demand follows Celsius's second-quarter earnings miss, where revenue of $817.9 million (11% YoY growth) fell short of analyst expectations, adjusted EPS of 36 cents missed consensus, and net income dropped 45% to $55.3 million. Celsius stock fell 18% on the news. Savage, who sold Rockstar to PepsiCo in 2020 for over $4 billion, said he has been providing strategic advice to Celsius for over a year but was ignored. He criticized management layers and insufficient accountability, warning that losing shelf space to Red Bull or Monster would be fatal. Savage volunteered to serve as CEO himself. Celsius responded by saying it welcomes value-creating ideas from shareholders and remains focused on its total energy portfolio strategy. Shares recovered slightly to around $27 on Friday.
Rockstar Energy founder builds Celsius stake, seeks CEO role after earnings miss
Billionaire Russ Savage, founder of Rockstar Energy, has acquired a 4.7% stake in Celsius Holdings, worth approximately $300 million, and is publicly calling for the ouster of Celsius CEO John Fieldly and other top executives. Savage told CNBC that Celsius leadership must be replaced following a second-quarter earnings miss, where earnings per share of 36 cents fell short of the 43-cent consensus and revenue of $817.9 million missed the $870 million estimate. Savage, who sold Rockstar to PepsiCo in 2020 for $3.85 billion, has been advising Celsius for over a year but says his suggestions were ignored. He criticizes the company for excessive management layers, high costs, and lack of accountability, and warns that losing shelf space in the competitive energy drink market could be fatal. Savage is volunteering to take over as CEO himself, arguing that a hands-on, detail-oriented leader is needed to fix the company's trajectory. Celsius has not responded to requests for comment.