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☆ Activist investor Jana discloses 'significant' stake in Wolfspeed, urges semiconductor manufacturer to consider sale
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Rohan Goswami | In Rohangoswamicnbc | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Activist investor Jana Partners disclosed in a letter Monday that it has built a "significant" position in semiconductor manufacturer Wolfspeed and urged the company to resolve what it called a "staggering erosion of shareholder value," up to and including a sale. In the letter to Wolfspeed's board, viewed by CNBC, Jana wrote that the semiconductor company's "differentiated manufacturing capabilities" and status as an "American supplier supporting the energy transition" gave it significant intrinsic value. Jana also wrote that management's missteps around capital allocation, execution and strategy had depressed the stock. Wolfspeed, formerly known as Cree, is a supplier of electronic components and semiconductors used to manage electricity, often in cars. Jana said Wolfspeed's board should "promptly" begin a comprehensive review of the business, up to and including a sale.

Persons: Scott Ostfeld, Jana Partners, Jana, Wolfspeed, Barry Rosenstein, Kif Leswing Organizations: JANA Partners, CNBC, Reuters, TSR, Qualcomm, Trimble Locations: New York City, U.S, Mohawk Valley, Siler City, Freshpet ,

☆ Jana Partners calls for strategic review, possible sale at Frontier Communications -letter
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Svea Herbst-Bayliss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Small toy figures with laptops and smartphones are seen in front of displayed Frontier Communications logo, in this illustration taken December 5, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsDec 4 (Reuters) - Activist investment firm Jana Partners is urging Frontier Communications (FYBR.O) to begin a strategic review, including a possible sale of the telecommunications company, arguing that its shares will continue to lag unless corrective action is taken. In the letter, the partners said they have spoken with potential strategic and financial buyers who have "indicated interest in participating in a company-initiated review process." A Jana spokesman declined to comment and a representative for Frontier did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In the letter Jana said Frontier's lagging stock price is linked to the fact the company hasn't been able to attract new investors since exiting bankruptcy in 2021.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Jana Partners, Jana, Barry Rosenstein, Scott Ostfeld, Goldman Sachs, hasn't, Frontier's, Svea Herbst, Bayliss, Nick Zieminski Organizations: REUTERS, Frontier Communications, Reuters, Board, Frontier, Wall, Svea, Thomson

☆ Jana brought an aerospace rock star to Mercury Systems. These next steps could help build value
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-15 | by ( Kenneth Squire | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Business: Mercury Systems is a manufacturer of essential components, products, modules and subsystems. On July 6, Bill Ballhaus, Mercury Systems' interim president and CEO, was also named chairman. Mercury Systems has been a successful manufacturer of small electronic components with many favorable attributes. Further, unlike many peers, it pays for its own R&D, making Mercury Systems more nimble and allowing it to have higher operating margins. In June 2022, Jana and Starboard each won a seat on the company's board: Bill Ballhaus (Jana) and Howard L. Lance (Starboard).

Persons: it's, Jana, Barry Rosenstein, Rosenstein, Scott Ostfeld, Gerard J, DeMuro, Roger A ., Bill Ballhaus, Starboard's 13D, Howard L, Ballhaus, Ozzy Osbourne, Steven Tyler, Ken Squire Organizations: Mercury Systems, U.S, Starboard's, Computer Sciences, 13D Locations: U.S

☆ Ticks die when they bite him. This man's immunity to ticks could pave the way for a tick vaccine.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-03 | by ( Emily Swaim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

He has acquired tick resistance, which may help guide research and development of a tick vaccine. (But don't go searching for ticks just to try and build immunity, since you might contract a debilitating tick-borne disease.) "There clearly has been an increase in recent decades in the incidence of tick-borne disease in the human population. CDCThe latest US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data reported 50,865 cases of tick-borne disease across the US in 2019. The Lyme disease vaccine currently in development would only protect against the bacteria Lyme borreliosis, meaning you could still get other tick-borne diseases.

Persons: Richard Ostfeld, welt, aren't, JUAN GAERTNER, Ostfeld, Ostfelt, Lyme, Remus Belododia, haven't Organizations: Service, for Disease Control, National Center for Emerging, Vector, CDC Locations: Lyme, Alaska, Maine

Feb 13 (Reuters) - Banking and payments processing conglomerate Fidelity National Information Services Inc (FIS.N) took a $17.6 billion write-down on its merchant business as it unveiled plans on Monday to spin it off, undoing a $43 billion acquisition that went sour. FIS built its merchant business, which processes transactions for companies, on the back of its $43 billion purchase of WorldPay four years ago. "The pace of disruption in payments is rapidly accelerating, requiring increased investment in growth and a different capital allocation strategy for our merchant solutions business," FIS Chairman Jeffrey Goldstein said in a statement. Charles Drucker, the former CEO of Worldpay, will lead the merchants business after it is spun out, FIS said. Merchant solutions makes up about 30% of FIS' revenue, while its banking solutions arm constitutes about 46%, and capital market solutions the remainder.

Latino Republican voters appear more progressive than white Republican voters on key issues like abortion and climate change, according to NBC News exit polls. Around 57% of Latino Republican voters held this view, compared to 45% of white Republican voters. Nearly twice as many Latino Republican voters, 29%, approve of Biden’s student debt cancellation plans compared to white Republican voters, at 15%. Around 29% of Latino Republican voters and 46% of white Republican voters view inflation as the issue that mattered most in deciding how they voted. Similar numbers of Latino Republican voters, 93%, and white Republican voters, 96%, also reported that they disapprove of Biden.

Share this -Link copiedWisconsin Senate race too close to call Wisconsin's Senate race between GOP Sen. Ron Johnson and Democrat Mandela Barnes is too close to call, NBC News says. Vance wins Ohio Senate race, defeating Democrat Tim Ryan, NBC News projects COLUMBUS, Ohio — J.D. Ohio Republican Senate candidate J.D. Vance is leading The Senate race in Ohio is too early to call, NBC News says, but Republican candidate J.D. Share this -Link copiedGeorgia Senate race too close to call Georgia's Senate race is too close to call about three hours after polls closed at 7 p.m.

Americans named inflation and abortion as the most important issues driving their vote on Tuesday, according to the NBC News Exit Poll. Democrats care most about abortion rights, while Republicans are most concerned about inflation, according to the poll. Midterm voters are also continuing to feel pain at the pump as gas prices in the U.S. hover around $4 per gallon. More voters say Biden's policies are hurting than helpingBiden fell short in persuading voters of the merits of his administration's policies, according to the poll. Black voters are one of the few demographic groups where a majority (55%) say Biden's policies are helping the country.

☆ Activist investor Jana Partners discloses nearly 10% stake in Freshpet
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The New York-based investor said in a regulatory filing that Freshpet's shares, down nearly 60% so far this year, are undervalued. Jana Partners has a history of pushing for change in the food and beverage industry. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterJana Partners has also been pushing for changes at packaged food maker TreeHouse Foods Inc (THS.N) since last year. Freshpet has not yet spoken to Jana, but will "look forward to hearing their perspectives", the company said in an emailed statement. The news of Jana's stake was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.

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