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☆ Wall Street strategist and '10 Surprises' author Byron Wien dies at 90
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Svea Herbst-Bayliss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Byron Wien, Vice Chairman of Private Wealth Solutions group, speaks during the Reuters Global Investment 2019 Outlook Summit, in New York, U.S., November 13, 2018. Wien built his wide following on Wall Street during two decades at investment bank Morgan Stanley (MS.N) where he rose to be the firm's chief investment strategist of the United States. Soon after, at age 76, when most people were enjoying retirement, Wien joined private equity firm Blackstone to offer direction and guidance. "My wife hopes I give this up as soon as possible," Wien told the New York Times about writing it. He told the New York Times in 1985 "I'm not sure I can do this job," about the strategist role at Morgan Stanley.

Persons: Byron Wien, Brendan McDermid, Wien, Morgan Stanley, Blackstone, Steve Schwarzman, Jon Gray, I'm, Svea Herbst, Bayliss, Chris Reese Organizations: Wealth Solutions, Reuters, REUTERS, Blackstone Inc, Wien, Pequot Capital Management, Blackstone, U.S, New York Times, Harvard, Svea, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S, United States, China, Wien

☆ Charlie Javice says JPMorgan is trying to use 'red tape' to avoid paying her legal bill of $3.8 million and growing
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Jack Newsham | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

JPMorgan and prosecutors claim Charlie Javice fraudulently inflated the value of her startup. But JPMorgan was ordered to pay her legal fees – totaling almost $3.8 million, new filings show. AdvertisementAdvertisementLawyers for indicted startup founder Charlie Javice say JPMorgan Chase is defying a court order to pay almost a fifth of the nearly $3.8 million in legal bills they've racked up. But a Delaware judge said JPMorgan still had to honor its commitment to advance Javice's legal fees under agreements it made when it acquired Frank. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe bank's unpaid tab totals more than $835,000, Javice's lawyers claimed, amounting to about 22% of the total amount they've sought.

Persons: Charlie Javice, —, JPMorgan Chase, they've, Olivier Amar, Frank, Abrams, Bayliss, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart, Sullivan, Michael Barlow, Mintz Levin, wasn't Organizations: JPMorgan, Service, Javice, Securities and Exchange Commission Locations: Delaware

☆ Ackman's bet against US Treasuries pays off with $200 mln profit
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Svea Herbst-Bayliss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Ackman said on Monday on X, "we covered our bond short" some 12 weeks after he announced the bet on the messaging platform formerly known as Twitter. "The economy is slowing faster than recent data suggests," Ackman said in the post, adding "There is too much risk in the world to remain short bonds at current long-term rates." The yield on the 30-year Treasuries was around 4.16% when he announced his bet against them. He said the Treasury yield, which moves in the opposite direction of prices, could rise to 5.5%. But the conflict between Islamist group Hamas and Israel is unnerving investors and suggests Treasuries could become a safe investment option.

Persons: Bill Ackman, Richard Brian, Ackman, Treasuries, Svea Herbst, Bayliss, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Pershing Square Capital Management, REUTERS, Companies, Billionaire, U.S, Financial Times, Inc, Restaurant Brands, Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited, Pershing Square, Treasury, Hamas, Svea, Thomson Locations: Las Vegas , Nevada, U.S, Israel

People walk outside of Jefferies Financial Group offices in Manhattan, New York, U.S., December 8, 2021. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Investment bank and capital markets firm Jefferies (JEF.N) has hired industrial banker Francis Tucci from Citigroup (C.N) for a senior role, according to sources familiar with the move. Tucci will join Jefferies as chairman, industrials, and will report to Peter Bowden, global head of industrial, energy and infrastructure investment banking. Tucci, who will be based in New York, will start early next year, the sources said. Also in September, Wells Fargo (WFC.N) hired former Citi executive Clayton Hale as co-head of equity capital markets.

Persons: Eduardo Munoz, Francis Tucci, Tucci, Jefferies, Peter Bowden, Jane Fraser, Wells, Clayton Hale, Svea Herbst, Bayliss, David Carnevali, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Jefferies Financial, REUTERS, Investment, Jefferies, Citigroup, Citi, Svea, Thomson Locations: Manhattan , New York, U.S, New York, Wells Fargo

☆ Harvard posts investment gain in fiscal 2023, endowment stands at $50.7 billion
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BOSTON, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Harvard University's endowment fund, the world's largest university endowment, posted a small investment gain that bested several other top U.S. universities' returns but saw the value of the fund shrink as more was paid to university operations. Harvard Management Co said on Thursday that it earned a 2.9% return in the fiscal year that ended June 30, leaving the total endowment at $50.7 billion. A year earlier it lost 1.8% amid tumbling markets but the endowment ended at $50.9 billion. Returns from these schools are watched closely because they pioneered putting money into hedge and private equity funds. Rival Yale University returned 1.8% while the University of Pennsylvania returned 1.3%.

Persons: N.P, Narvekar, Svea Herbst, Bayliss, Diane Craft Organizations: BOSTON, Harvard, Harvard Management, Harvard Management's, Private, Rival Yale University, University of Pennsylvania, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Columbia University, Stanford, Svea, Thomson

☆ Starboard says Rupert Murdoch's News Corp should break up
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Svea Herbst-Bayliss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Jeff Smith, CEO and chief investment officer of Starboard Value, L.P., speaks at a panel discussion at the SALT conference in Las Vegas May 14, 2014. Smith's remarks at the 13D Monitor Active Passive Investor Summit came after Reuters revealed last week that Starboard had become a News Corp shareholder, a prelude to a potential shake-up at Murdoch's media empire. "We believe separate news and real estate assets could help unlock $7 billion or more in value," he added. Starboard, which has pushed for changes at companies ranging from Salesforce (CRM.N) to Darden Restaurants <DRI.N,> would struggle to shake up News Corp without Murdoch's consent. If News Corp separates its real estate assets, shareholders would benefit, Smith said.

Persons: Jeff Smith, Rick Wilking, Rupert, Smith's, Smith, REA, Murdoch, Lachlan, Svea Herbst, Bayliss, Sharon Singleton, David Gregorio Our Organizations: SkyBridge, Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, 13D, Investor, Reuters, News Corp, Dow Jones, Street, Darden, Corp, Svea, Thomson Locations: Las Vegas

Oct 16 (Reuters) - Nelson Peltz's activist hedge fund Trian Fund Management has built a stake in Allstate Corp (ALL.N), one of the insurers struggling to cope with the fallout of natural disasters such as the Maui wildfire in Hawaii, people familiar with the matter said. It has blamed natural disasters that are sometimes amplified by climate change for its poor performance. Allstate has hired investment bankers to advise it on how to handle Trian, the sources said. Allstate and Trian did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Trian has previously pushed for change at companies such as Procter & Gamble (PG.N), Unilever (ULVR.L) and Invesco (IVZ.N).

Persons: Nelson, Tom Wilson, Carl Icahn, Matthew, Walt Disney, Bob Iger's, Trian, Svea Herbst, Bayliss, David French, Greg Roumeliotis, Rod Nickel Organizations: Management, Allstate Corp, Allstate, Trian, Insurance, Walt, Procter, Gamble, Unilever, Svea, Thomson Locations: Hawaii, Northbrook , Illinois, New York

☆ Hedge fund JAT pushes Overstock.com to mull options -filing
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Svea Herbst-Bayliss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NEW YORK, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Hedge fund JAT Capital on Monday urged Overstock.com (OSTK.O) to consider selling certain assets and overhauling its management and compensation, warning it may seek board seats if its suggestions are ignored, a regulatory filing on Monday showed. The hedge fund, run by John Thaler, owns a 9.1% stake in Overstock.com, and made its demands public in the filing after sending a letter outlining its wishes to the company last week. JAT is not traditionally an activist investor but its filing signaled mounting frustration with the company and left open the option of pursuing strategies like running a proxy contest. JAT also wants the company to emphasize stock option participation and develop a business plan with financial objectives, the filing said. "The Reporting Persons may consider to seek Board representation to the extent the above recommendations have not been explored, pursued and executed satisfactorily."

Persons: Overstock.com, John Thaler, JAT, Svea Herbst, Bayliss, Richard Chang Organizations: Bed, Svea, Thomson Locations: Overstock.com

☆ Exclusive: Activist hedge fund Starboard eyes Rupert Murdoch's News Corp -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Svea Herbst-Bayliss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The fund's plans and the size of its stake in News Corp could not be learned. News Corp declined to comment and Starboard did not respond to a request for comment. Starboard, which has pushed for changes at companies ranging from Salesforce (CRM.N) to Darden Restaurants (DRI.N), would struggle to shake up News Corp without Murdoch's consent. Irenic did succeed in drumming up investor opposition to Murdoch's proposed merger with his other company Fox Corp (FOXA.O), forcing him to abandon the plan. Reporting by Svea Herbst-Bayliss in New York Editing by Greg Roumeliotis and David GregorioOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Rupert Murdoch, Lachlan Murdoch, Bing Guan, Jeffrey Smith, Rupert Murdoch's, Smith, Murdoch, Dow Jones, Irenic, Murdoch's, Lachlan, Svea Herbst, Bayliss, Greg Roumeliotis, David Gregorio Our Organizations: News Corporation, News Corp, Fox, REUTERS, 13D, Investment, New York Times Co, Darden, Corp, Irenic Capital Management, Wall Street, Fox Corp, Reuters, Svea, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S

☆ Exclusive: NCR in talks to merge ATM business with Brink's -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Svea Herbst-Bayliss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Mike Hayford, President and CEO of NCR Corporation, rings the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., November 7, 2018. Brink's, which is valued at about $6.2 billion including debt, moves cash around the world for its clients and provides ATM services among other things. It approached financial technology and software company NCR in recent months with the deal proposal, and negotiations could conclude as early as next week, the sources said. The sources cautioned that an agreement is not certain and asked not to be identified because the matter is confidential. Representatives for NCR and Brinks were not immediately available for comment.

Persons: Mike Hayford, Brendan McDermid, Brink's, morris, Svea Herbst, Bayliss, Mark Porter Organizations: NCR Corporation, New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, NCR, NCR Corp, Representatives, Svea, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S

☆ Peltz's Trian up 3% this year even as Disney bet soured
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Svea Herbst-Bayliss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NEW YORK, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Nelson Peltz's Trian Fund Management returned nearly 3% in the first nine months of the year, investors said on Tuesday, as his bet on Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) contributed to the activist hedge fund lagging its peers' returns. Disney's stock price has tumbled roughly 30% since February, when Peltz ended a battle for a board seat but kept Trian invested in the stock. Some blue-chip activist investors, including Bill Ackman's Pershing Square Capital Management and Jeff Smith's Starboard Value, are posting better numbers. The average activist investor gained nearly 7% through the end of September, according to Hedge Fund Research data. At the end of June, the average activist investor was up 11.5% while Trian was up roughly 6%, HFR data and investors said.

Persons: Nelson, Peltz, Trian, Janus Henderson, Trian's, Bill Ackman's, Jeff Smith's, Svea Herbst, Bayliss, Nick Zieminski Organizations: Fund Management, Walt Disney Co, Disney, Reuters, Janus Henderson Group, Ferguson, Bill Ackman's Pershing, Capital Management, Pershing, Fund Research, Svea, Thomson Locations: Boston

The Wall Street Journal was first to report Peltz's push for board seats. Disney had rejected Peltz as a possible board member. Disney has undergone a period of transformation, restructuring the company and streamlining operations to make the business more cost effective. In addition, Disney is laying plans to make its flagship ESPN sports network available via streaming at some point in the future. Facing trouble last year, Disney's board brought Iger out of retirement in November for a second turn at running the company.

Persons: Mario Anzuoni, Nelson Peltz, Mickey Mouse, Peltz's, Trian, Bob Iger, Peltz, Iger, Disney, Disney's, Ed Garden, Matthew, Josh Frank, Svea Herbst, Bayliss, Krishna Chandra Eluri, Savio D'Souza, Tomasz Janowski, Leslie Adler Organizations: Walt Disney Studios, Writers Guild of America, REUTERS, Walt Disney, Peltz's Trian Fund Management, Disney, Peltz, ESPN, Svea, Thomson Locations: Burbank , California, U.S, Disney, New York, Rhode Island, Bengaluru

Negotiations between Exxon and Pioneer are advanced but have not yet led to an agreement over the acquisition of the largest oil producer in Permian basin. So far, shareholders profited as the share price more than doubled since early 2021 when activist investors publicly pushed for changes. Big Oil is responsible for the bulk of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions and pressure for action is building. "Investor pressure has decreased; they're backtracking... the big investors are enabling this," said climate investment group Follow This founder Mark van Baal. Privately, investors worried if Exxon bowed out of production, someone else would pick up the slack and nothing would be gained for shareholders or energy transfer.

Persons: Olaf Scholz, Exxon Mobil's, Jim Rossman, that's, Andrew Logan, tussles, Mark van Baal, Charlie Penner, Ceres, Logan, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Environmental, Exxon, Republique, New Global Financial, Big Oil, Energy, Natural Resources, Pioneer, Barclays, Oil, Public, International Energy Agency, Investors, Ancora, Holdings, Algonquin Power & Utilities, Elliott Investment Management, NRG Energy, Smart, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, BOSTON, Ukraine

☆ Explainer: How Bill Ackman's SPARC differs from a SPAC
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-02 | by ( Svea Herbst-Bayliss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Here's how a SPARC differs from a SPAC:DEAL VISIBILITYOne of the biggest differences is a SPARC doesn't require up-front money from investors like a SPAC does. SPAC investors are then given the option to vote down an acquisition or redeem their shares once a deal has been announced. SPARC will only ask for money from investors once it has clinched and disclosed a deal to buy a company. CAPITAL FLEXIBILITYUnlike a SPAC, the amount of money SPARC seeks from investors will vary based on the size of the deal it pursues. This means that SPARC investors will not be diluted by such warrants and will get to keep more of the company.

Persons: Bill Ackman, Richard Brian, Bill Ackman's, Ackman, Tontine, Svea Herbst, Bayliss, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: Pershing Square Capital Management, REUTERS, Pershing Square SPARC Holdings, SPARC, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, SEC, Pershing, Tontine Holdings, Universal Music Group, SPACs, Svea, Thomson Locations: Las Vegas , Nevada, U.S, New York, Rhode Island

☆ Glass Lewis recommends Stratasys shareholders reject Desktop Metal deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Svea Herbst-Bayliss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Glass Lewis argued that Stratasys should look at a revised bid it received from 3D Systems this month (DDD.N) but rejected, according to the Glass Lewis note, which was published on Friday and seen by Reuters. On Wednesday, Institutional Shareholder Services, Glass Lewis' bigger competitor, also recommended against the Desktop Metal deal. Glass Lewis wrote that the Desktop Metal merger "could be a reasonable transaction from the point of Stratasys." Stratasys made its all-stock bid for Desktop Metal in May in a transaction valued at about $1.8 billion. "In our view, the 3D Systems offer presents not only compelling value for Stratasys shareholders, but also lower regulatory hurdles and greater potential scale as composed to the Desktop Metal merger.

Persons: Lewis, Stratasys, Glass Lewis, Svea Herbst, Bayliss, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Reuters, Services, Desktop, Metal, Systems, Svea, Thomson

The meeting was scheduled for hours after Zelenskiy addressed the United Nations Security Council about Russia's invasion and its consequences. Ukraine has tried to lock in financial support from business leaders to help rebuild the country. A spokesperson for Zelenskiy and Ukraine's mission to the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Since the start of the war, Ackman's foundation has donated roughly $24 million to support Ukraine, a person familiar with the numbers said. Before the meeting in New York, the White House appealed to Congress to approve billions of additional dollars of support for Ukraine.

Persons: Ken Griffin, Mike Blake, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, JPMorgan Chase, Bill Ackman, Jonathan Gray, Robert Kraft, Henry Kissinger, Eric Schmidt, Mike Bloomberg, Barry Sternlicht, Mary Callahan Erdoes, Vince LaPadula, Whitney Tilson, Griffin, Howard Buffett, Warren, Svea Herbst, Bayliss, Lananh Nguyen, Andrea Shalal, Michelle Nichols, Megan Davies, Grant McCool Organizations: Citadel, Milken, Global Conference, REUTERS, United Nations Security Council, JPMorgan, Blackstone Group, New England Patriots football team, United, State, Google, United Nations, Griffin's Citadel, Ackman's Pershing, Capital Management, Ukraine, Fox News, Svea, Thomson Locations: Beverly Hills , California, U.S, New York, Ukraine, United States

☆ Proxy advisor ISS opposes Stratasys, Desktop Metal merger in 3D printing
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Svea Herbst-Bayliss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"It is not clear that it (the all-stock offer Stratasys made for Desktop Metal) creates value for 3D printer manufacturer Stratasys shareholders," ISS wrote in its note to clients with a headline "vote against acquisition at SSYS meeting." The directors felt this deal was more attractive than others, including overtures from 3D Systems and Nano Dimension. But as Stratasys', Desktop Metal's and 3D Systems' share prices have dropped in the last 52 weeks, ISS argued that 3D Systems' cash and stock offer for Stratasys "holds out an important hedge against further declines." 3D Systems offered to pay $7 in cash and 1.6387 3D shares per Stratasys share, which would leave them owning 46% of the combined company. Stratasys investor Nano Dimension, which owns 14.1% of the company, said last week that it would vote against the merger.

Persons: ISS's, Stratasys, Svea Herbst, Bayliss, Josie Kao Organizations: Services, Reuters, ISS, 3D Systems, Desktop, Systems, Svea, Thomson

☆ Griffin of Citadel hedge fund lays out roadmap to future philanthropic giving
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Svea Herbst-Bayliss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Companies Citadel Income Fund FollowNEW YORK, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Ken Griffin, the world's most successful hedge fund manager in terms of earnings, has already donated more than $2 billion to charity during his lifetime and on Wednesday laid out a roadmap for his future philanthropic giving to find faster solutions to the world's biggest problems. Griffin, who laid the foundations for Citadel in his Harvard dormitory, launched Griffin Catalyst (GriffinCatalyst.org), a platform that illustrates how he thinks about giving and showcases his partner organizations and how they have put his money to work. Already a big donor to schools and universities, Griffin said his giving will focus on six areas: Education, Science & Medicine, Upward Mobility, Freedom & Democracy, Enterprise & Innovation and Communities. Earlier this year Griffin donated $300 million to his alma mater. Early in his career, Griffin also donated time tutoring Chicago children in math.

Persons: Ken Griffin, Griffin, Griffin Catalyst, Svea Herbst, Bayliss, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Citadel, Harvard, Griffin Catalyst, Science & Medicine, Upward Mobility, & Democracy, Enterprise, Innovation, Forbes, U.S . State Department, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, Chicago, Svea, Thomson Locations: Chicago, United States, Wuhan, China

Arm may price its IPO above the indicated price range and will decide on how much it will sell its shares for on Wednesday, that source and a second person with knowledge of the matter said. Arm was considering publishing a revised price range that would have been higher, reflecting the strong investor demand. Pricing the approximately $5 billion IPO conservatively raises the chances of the shares trading strongly at their debut on Thursday, the sources added. The valuation that Arm has been seeking thus far represents a climb-down from the $64 billion valuation at which SoftBank last month acquired the 25% stake it did not already own in the company from the $100 billion Vision Fund it manages. Sales in China contributed 24.5% of Arm's $2.68 billion revenue in fiscal 2023.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, SoftBank, Echo Wang, Svea Herbst, Bayliss, Greg Roumeliotis, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: REUTERS, SoftBank Group Corp, Reuters, Nvidia Corp, Apple, Nvidia, Devices, Intel, Samsung Electronics, ., stagnate, Sales, Svea, Thomson Locations: New York, China, United States

NEW YORK, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Barclays (BARC.L) hired Christian Oberle from JPMorgan Chase (JPM.N) to oversee its relationships with private equity (PE)firms in the Americas region, Barclays confirmed on Friday. Oberle will join the British bank as the head of its financial sponsors group in the Americas, and report to Jean-Francois Astier, who leads the group globally. Barclays has long wanted to grow its relationships in PE. Wall Street banks have cut thousands of employees in recent months in response to a slowdown in deals. Reporting by Svea Herbst-Bayliss and Nupur Anand in New York; Editing by Lananh Nguyen and Diane CraftOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Christian Oberle, Oberle, Jean, Francois Astier, C.S, Venkatakrishnan, Marco Caggiano, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Svea Herbst, Bayliss, Nupur Anand, Lananh Nguyen, Diane Craft Organizations: Barclays, JPMorgan Chase, JPMorgan, Wall, Bank of America, Svea, Thomson Locations: Americas, U.S, New York

Weak mobile demand during a global economic slowdown has caused Arm's revenue to stagnate. The future growth driver is to expand market share in the Windows PC market," said Ryuta Makino, a research analyst at Gabelli Funds. ARM China has a history of late payments and presents "significant risks" to Arm's business, the company's IPO filing said. Arm said in the filing that it was owed $386.9 million by Arm China as of the end of March. Arm's chief financial officer has told investors during the marketing of the IPO that the company was not concerned about being paid back.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Rene Haas, Ryuta Makino, Arm, Echo Wang, Svea, Bayliss, Max Cherney, Greg Roumeliotis, Richard Chang Organizations: REUTERS, Arm Holdings, stagnate, Vision Fund, Apple Inc, Nvidia Corp, Inc, Apple, Windows, Gabelli, Sales, ARM, Arm, Svea Herbst, Thomson Locations: China, United States, Arm China, ARM China, New York, San Francisco

Digital World needed to get 65% of its roughly 400,000 shareholders to vote to approve the extension. Shares of Digital World were trading at $16.80 on Tuesday, up 1.8% on the day but down from a peak of around $97 a share in March, 2022. Digital World has faced a series of challenges since the October 2021 announcement that it was planning to acquire TMTG. If DWAC's deal with TMTG closes, Trump Media would gain access to more than $1 billion in cash from DWAC's institutional investors, such as hedge funds. According to a Feb. 2, 2021 services agreement, Trump controls 90% of Trump Media.

Persons: Donald Trump, Evelyn Hockstein, Donald Trump's, TMTG, Svea Herbst, Bayliss, Emelia Sithole, Paul Simao Organizations: Fair, REUTERS, U.S, Trump Media & Technology, U.S . Department of Justice, Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, Trump Media, Trump, Reuters, Svea, Thomson Locations: Iowa, Des Moines , Iowa, U.S

☆ Shareholders ask China's Hollysys to set special meeting amid takeover frustration
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Svea Herbst-Bayliss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEW YORK, Aug 30(Reuters) - Shareholders in China's Hollysys Automation Technologies owning a total 32.2% of the automation control system maker's shares asked the board of directors to set a special shareholder meeting, according to a letter seen by Reuters. Asking for a special meeting is a highly unusual step and signals shareholders' mounting frustration with management of the U.S.-listed company, which has received takeover bids but which has not started a sales process, people familiar with the matter said. A year ago Hollysys management was ready to take the company private at a $1.8 billion valuation, Reuters reported, but nothing has happened since then. Registered shareholders have a statutory right under section 82 of the BVI Business Companies Act (British Virgin Islands) to require the Hollysys board to convene a shareholder meeting. Any shareholder also has a statutory right to apply to the court for an order requiring a shareholder meeting to be held on the basis that it is in the interest of the shareholders that such a meeting be held.

Persons: Conyers, Pearman, Hollysys, Svea Herbst, Bayliss, Louise Heavens Organizations: Automation Technologies, Reuters, Oasis Management, Maso, Company, Technology, . Ltd, Dazheng Group Investment Holdings Company, Act, Svea, Thomson Locations: U.S, United States, Cayman Islands, China, Virgin

A general view of the drug product manufacturing laboratory in biologics and sterile injectables, Catalent, in Brussels, Belgium June 27, 2023. Catalent named three pharma industry executives and a senior Elliott executive to its board and said John Greisch, who has served on the board since 2018, will become executive chairman. Elliott, whose stake in Catalent became public last month, has been engaging with the company behind the scenes for months. Two of the directors were picked by Elliott, while two were mutually agreed by Elliott and Catalent. Catalent is also forming a new strategic and operational review committee which Greisch will chair.

Persons: Yves Herman, Elliott, Catalent, Alessandro Maselli, John Greisch, Max, William Blair, Maselli, Steven Barg, Goldman Sachs, Frank D'Amelio, Stephanie Okey, Michelle Ryan, Greisch, Merck KGaA, Svea Herbst, Bayliss, Maggie Fick, Sriparna Roy, Shinjini Ganguli, Catherine Evans, Mike Harrison Organizations: REUTERS, Catalent Inc, Elliott Investment Management, Reuters, Novo, pharma, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, Pfizer, Johnson, Catalent, Svea, Thomson Locations: Brussels, Belgium, ., Danish, Novo, United States, Catalent, GLP, Boston, London, Bengaluru

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