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☆ Hedge fund manager Daniel Loeb believes Trump's chances are increasing and he's betting accordingly
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-17 | by ( Sean Conlon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Third Point's Daniel Loeb believes the odds are rising that former President Donald Trump will win the U.S. presidency this November over Vice President Kamala Harris and the influential hedge fund manager is increasing positions that would benefit under a Republican administration and Congress. But Loeb in his quarterly missive said he was increasing both "stock and option purchases" to bet on the Trump win scenario. Loeb is not alone on Wall Street in making those bets with JPMorgan most recently highlighting gains in bank stocks and the U.S. dollar as signs more investors see a Republican win. The fund gained 4% last quarter, according to the letter, also trailing the market. But he sees the improvement in market breadth that began in the third quarter continuing, especially under a Republican administration.

Persons: Point's Daniel Loeb, Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, ", Loeb, Harris, missive, Biden, CNBC's Scott Wapner Organizations: U.S, Republican, CNBC, Biden, NBC, Trump, JPMorgan Locations: U.S, Danish

Such forecasts have prompted a sell-off in a wide range of companies from makers of bariatric surgery devices to companies whose products address the health issues created by excess weight, from diabetes to sleep apnea. "The market is in a shoot-first, ask-questions-later mood when it comes to weight-loss drugs," said Nicholas Anderson, manager of the Thornburg International Growth Fund, which holds shares of Novo Nordisk. By contrast, the iShares U.S. Medical Devices exchange-traded fund has lost more than 22% in the last three months. Injectable weight-loss drugs, known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, are considered highly effective but are also expensive, costing more than $1,300 per month. "Overall, we'll see an increased interest in bariatric surgery, but that will get delayed in the short term."

Persons: Doctor Thomas Horbach, Wegovy, Nicholas Anderson, Eli Lilly, Kenneth Stein, Margaret Kaczor Andrew, William Blair, Michael Farrell, Jeff Jonas, Johnson, Myriam Curet, Ann Hynes, Hynes, David Gaffen, Manas, Michael Erman, Caroline Humer, Sonali Paul Organizations: Novo Nordisk, Healthcare, Growth Fund, Medical Devices, Boston, Gabelli Funds, Johnson, Reuters, Mizuho Securities, Manas Mishra, Thomson Locations: Germany, Munich, Danish, U.S, Boston, GLP, New York, Bengaluru

☆ Rolling Stones kick off album launch in New York with guest Lady Gaga
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( David Gaffen | Thomson Reuters | David Gaffen Has Been With Reuters Since As Of He Serves As The Breaking News Editor For Companies News | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] The members of the Rolling Stones Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood perform during a private record release party of their new album "Hackney Diamonds" in New York City, U.S., October 19, 2023. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Oct 20 (Reuters) - It was a gas, gas, gas in a club on Manhattan's West Side late on Thursday, where the Rolling Stones held a private launch party for their first new album in 18 years. The Stones closed with an appearance by Lady Gaga for "Sweet Sounds of Heaven," a slow, blues-infused number off the new album that recalls the band's 70s classic "Moonlight Mile." Gaga and Jagger mimicked each other's dance movies as they alternated vocals, Gaga in a shimmering red-and-black one-sleeved jumpsuit, Jagger wearing a customarily tight black shirt. The album closes with the song "Rolling Stone Blues," a Muddy Waters song that was the origin of the band's name.

Persons: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, Shannon Stapleton, Jumpin, Jack Flash, Lady Gaga, Gaga, Jagger, Charlie Watts, Ron Wood, Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Elton John, Bill Wyman, Watts, David Gaffen, Lincoln Organizations: REUTERS, Racket, Stone, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, York, New York

WASHINGTON, Sept 20 (Reuters) - When the CEO gets a 40% raise, what do the workers deserve? UAW President Shawn Fain initially asked for a 40% increase in worker's pay over the next four years - a figure based off an approximately 40% increase in CEO pay at the companies over the last four years at a time of stable profits for two of the three automakers. CEO pay and benefits have skyrocketed in recent decades, but worker pay has not kept pace. As the strikes began last week, Biden echoed Fain, saying automakers should offer more of the share of their profits to workers. Attempts to address rising CEO pay in decades past have not had the intended effect, said Rosanna Landis Weaver, director of wage justice and CEO pay at As You Sow, a non-profit shareholder advocacy group.

Persons: Shawn Fain, Joe Biden's, Biden, Fain, Rosanna Landis Weaver, Heather Timmons, David Gaffen, Jamie Freed Organizations: United Auto Workers, Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, UAW, U.S, Economic, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Big Three, Thomson Locations: Ohio, Michigan, U.S

REUTERS/Ann Wang Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON/NEW YORK, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Hedge funds hold record exposure to the seven biggest tech stocks by market capitalization, according to data released on Friday by Goldman Sachs, in a week Nvidia (NVDA.O) hit an all-time high after beating revenue expectations. The largest seven U.S. stocks collectively now make up about 20% of the total net market value held by hedge funds tracked by Goldman Sachs. Last week, Nvidia reported record quarterly revenue fueled by strong demand for its artificial intelligence (AI)-focused chips and said the AI boom has legs. Hedge funds will be forced into capturing these returns regardless of analysis," said Jim Neumann, chief investment officer of Sussex Partners. Goldman Sachs, which runs one of Wall Street's largest prime brokerages, is able to track trends in flows.

Persons: Ann Wang, Goldman Sachs, Jim Neumann, Bruno Schneller, Schneller, Daniel Loeb, Nell Mackenzie, Sharon Singleton, Paul Simao Organizations: REUTERS, Nvidia, Microsoft, Apple, Tesla, Nasdaq, Reuters, Sussex Partners, INVICO Asset Management, Thomson Locations: Taipei, Taiwan, Wall, Carolina

Signage and cars are displayed in honor of SentinelOne, a cybersecurity firm’s IPO, outside the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., June 30, 2021. SentinelOne has hired investment bank Qatalyst Partners to advise on discussions with potential acquirers, including private equity firms, the sources said. Private equity firms have been prolific investors in the cybersecurity sector. In November 2021, an investor consortium led by private equity firm Advent International acquired McAfee Corp for $14 billion. Tech-focused private equity firm Thoma Bravo has also been a serial acquirer in the sector, having bought Ping Identity, ForgeRock, Sailpoint Technologies and Magnet Forensics Inc, among others.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, SentinelOne, Qatalyst, SentinelOne's, Daniel Loeb's, Morgan Stanley, Thoma, Milana Vinn, Anirban Sen, Conor Humphries, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, SentinelOne, Qatalyst Partners, CrowdStrike Holdings, U.S ., Tiger Global, Sequoia Capital, Insight Partners, Redpoint Ventures, Advent International, McAfee Corp, Tech, Thoma Bravo, Sailpoint Technologies, Magnet Forensics, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, View , California, New York, Israel, cybersecurity

☆ Hedge funds turn bearish again as yields spike
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( Carolina Mandl | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Hedge funds added 4.6 short positions to each long position from July 7 to Aug. 3. Hedge funds were forced to partially unwind short bets in July to avoid further losses during a market rally triggered by better-than-expected corporate earnings. Goldman Sachs, as one of the biggest providers of lending and trading services through its prime brokerage unit, can track the movements of large hedge funds and asset managers. The bank said its clients are placing bearish bets mainly through indexes and exchange-traded funds, not using particular stocks. Equity long/short hedge funds have been vocal about the challenges of being bearish this year, as they were caught off-guard by a rally.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Goldman Sachs, Fitch, Daniel Loeb, Carolina Mandl, Leslie Adler, Richard Chang Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Global, Nasdaq, Investors, Carolina, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, United States, North America, Asia, Japan, Europe, New York

☆ Billionaire investor Loeb cuts bearish bets to avoid short squeezes
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Nell Mackenzie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SALT brings together public policy officials, capital allocators, and hedge fund managers to discuss financial markets. REUTERS/Steve MarcusLONDON, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Billionaire investor Daniel Loeb has reduced the size of short bets on single named companies to limit the vulnerability of his hedge fund, Third Point, to short squeezes, he said in a letter on Tuesday. "The short-selling environment is much more challenging than it has been historically," said Loeb in the letter. Almost half of Loeb's net long exposure includes companies that will benefit from developments in artificial intelligence, the letter said. Elsewhere at Third Point, Loeb's corporate credit team returned a net 8.7% for the quarter after market instability in the March banking crisis created opportunities for the fund, Loeb said.

Persons: Daniel S, Loeb, Steve Marcus LONDON, Daniel Loeb, Ferguson, Nell Mackenzie, Amanda Cooper Organizations: Third, REUTERS, Pacific Gas and, Microsoft, HK, Offshore Fund, Web Services, Google, Thomson Locations: Las Vegas , Nevada, allocators

☆ Third Point Real Estate's managing partner said it's 'a foolish debate' to say the office market will fail
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-11 | by ( Al Yoon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Frank Scavone, managing partner of Third Point Real Estate Strategies, said offices aren't dead. Frank Scavone, the managing partner of Third Point Real Estate Strategies, told Insider he's up for the challenge. But are there opportunities now for investors like Third Point Real Estate Strategies? What's going to happen with all the commercial real estate debt coming due in this higher interest rate environment? And let's not forget about the more than $300 billion in dry powder aimed at North American commercial real estate investment.

Persons: Frank Scavone, Scavone, Daniel Loeb's, —, Trepp, CBRE, That's, San Francisco — Organizations: Service, Third Point, Hedge, CBRE, downtown, Employers, North Locations: San Francisco, downtown San Francisco, Marin County, York, multifamily, New York City

☆ Toshiba gives shareholder management masterclass
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( Una Galani | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Its limited visibility on the value of the memory-chip specialist was one reason it cited for its earlier restraint. Follow @ugalani on TwitterCONTEXT NEWSToshiba said on June 8 that its board has decided to recommend shareholders accept a tender offer from a group led by Japan Industrial Partners. The tender offer is expected to be launched some time from late July. Among other factors, it cited limited visibility into the value of chipmaker Kioxia, of which Toshiba owns around 40%. In recommending the offer, Toshiba noted the book value of Kioxia’s shares had fallen since its March announcement.

Persons: Paul Singer’s Elliott, Daniel Loeb’s, Jerry Black, Antony Currie, Katrina Hamlin Organizations: Reuters, Toshiba, Japan Industrial Partners, Paul Singer’s Elliott Management, Farallon Capital, Thomson Locations: MUMBAI, Kioxia, Japan

☆ Bath & Body Works beats quarterly profit estimates on higher prices
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 18 (Reuters) - Bath & Body Works Inc (BBWI.N) beat first-quarter profit expectations on Thursday, as higher product prices outweighed cost pressures and a slowdown in demand, sending its shares up over 9% in premarket trading. Specialty retailers such as Bath & Body Works have selectively raised prices to shield profit margins from spiraling costs associated with transportation, raw materials, labor and supply chain. Ohio-based Bath & Body Works saw net sales fall about 4% to $1.40 billion in the quarter ended April 29, but were in line with analysts' average estimate, according to Refinitiv data. Excluding items, the home fragrance and personal care products maker earned 33 cents per share, topping analysts' expectations of 26 cents. Separately, Bath & Body Works in April had said its finance chief would step down in July or earlier after the company faced a potential challenge from billionaire investor Daniel Loeb's hedge fund Third Point.

☆ Carl Icahn wants to bring back Illumina's ex-CEO -WSJ
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] A sign at the front entrance to the global headquarters of Illumina is pictured in San Diego, California, U.S., November 28, 2022. REUTERS/Mike BlakeMarch 29 (Reuters) - Carl Icahn wants former Illumina (ILMN.O) CEO Jay Flatley back at the U.S. life sciences firm, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, as the activist investor intensifies his proxy fight that was launched earlier this month. In an interview with the WSJ, Icahn signaled that Illumina "should bring Flatley back as CEO immediately". Icahn and Illumina did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment. Reporting by Leroy Leo and Bhanvi Satija in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi AichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

One hedge fund manager described trades in the financial sector as being "all over the map", with nobody agreeing on anything. Some breathed a sigh of relief that a competitor stepped in with a rescue offer for Credit Suisse. Others worried that the $3.2 billion UBS will pay is far less than the $9.5 billion Credit Suisse was valued at on Friday, and one investor said the market may not consider this to be a positive. loadingLater, short seller Jim Chanos tweeted his shock that $17 billion of Credit Suisse bonds would be wiped out, asking "What are the Swiss doing here…?!" There was also little agreement on how investors would be positioning themselves in smaller U.S. banks, including First Republic.

☆ Bath & Body Works adds director, Third Point backs off proxy fight
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Svea Herbst-Bayliss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Shoppers wait in line outside a Bath and Body Works retail store in Brooklyn, New York, U.S., December 8, 2020. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File PhotoNEW YORK, March 6 (Reuters) - Bath & Body Works Inc (BBWI.N) on Monday named veteran financial executive and board member Thomas Kuhn as a new director, ending a potential challenge from billionaire investor Daniel Loeb's hedge fund Third Point. "Tom’s 35 year history as a respected financial and legal advisor, including working with consumer companies, will bring an important perspective to Bath & Body Works as it focuses on its key strategic initiatives to maximize shareholder value," Bath & Body Works board chair Sarah Nash said in a statement. Bath & Body Works, which is valued at roughly $10 billion, has been operating as a standalone company since 2021. At Bath & Body Works the company was advised by law firm Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz, financial services company J.P. Morgan Chase & Co, proxy solicitor Innisfree M&A Inc and public relations firm Joele Frank.

☆ Activist investor Dan Loeb builds passive stake in AMD
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Svea Herbst-Bayliss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

March 2 (Reuters) - Billionaire investor Daniel Loeb on Thursday told investors in his hedge fund Third Point that the firm has invested in microchip company Advanced Micro Devices(AMD.O), or AMD, a source familiar with the matter said. Third Point, which occasionally pursues an activist strategy and pushes for changes at companies, is not planning to press for changes at AMD and the investment can be considered a passive stake, the person familiar with the fund said. A spokesperson for Loeb declined to comment and AMD declined to comment. Shares of AMD were up about 2% in late afternoon trade. Reporting By Svea Herbst; editing by Peter HendersonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Third Point's Daniel Loeb takes a passive stake in AMD
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

In this videoShare Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailThird Point's Daniel Loeb takes a passive stake in AMDCNBC's Scot Wapner joins 'The Exchange' to report on billionaire investor Daniel Loeb taking a passive stake in AMD.

☆ Bath & Body Works calls investor Third Point's proxy contest "misguided"
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 27 (Reuters) - Bath & Body Works Inc (BBWI.N) said on Monday investor Third Point's potential proxy contest is misguided and is a result of the specialty retailer not willing to appoint the hedge fund's former co-chief investment officer to its board. Bath & Body Works said in the last twelve months the board has appointed four highly qualified directors, of which Lucy Brady, a senior executive at Conagra Brands (CAG.N), was proposed by Third Point. In a letter to its shareholders, the company said the potential proxy contest was due to the board's unwillingness to appoint Loeb's former partner Munib Islam to the board. Islam, who played a key role in Third Point's activist campaigns, left the firm in 2020 and is now a senior executive at LTS One, an investment partnership. While it has taken "reasonable" steps to avoid a proxy fight, Bath & Body Works said it is "disappointing and unfortunate" that it will have to spend more time on this despite efforts to engage productively with the hedge fund.

☆ Third Point's Loeb plans proxy contest at Bath & Body Works
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Svea Herbst-Bayliss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Bath & Body Works said in a statement late on Wednesday, "The Board strongly disagrees with the views expressed in Third Point's letter." However, it said it would review and consider Third Point's proposed board nominations. Third Point followed through and announced its board challenge hours after Bath & Body Works on Tuesday said that it was adding a second new board member, possibly to assuage the hedge fund's criticisms. Bath & Body Works is valued at roughly $10 billion. This marks Third Point's first proxy fight since 2018 when it challenged Campbell Soup Co.

☆ Third Point announces proxy contest at Bath & Body Works in letter to board
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

NEW YORK, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Third Point told Bath & Body Works on Wednesday that it plans to launch a proxy contest and that the company's recent board refresh does not adequately address the hedge fund's concerns about governance, capital allocation and pay. "As fiduciaries, we have no choice but to put forth qualified director candidates and give our fellow shareholders the opportunity to elect directors who can hold the stewards of their capital responsible for the decisions they make," Third Point founder Daniel Loeb wrote in a letter to the company's board. Reporting by Svea Herbst-BaylissOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Bath & Body Works adds second new director amid pressure from Third Point
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Svea Herbst-Bayliss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Last week Bath & Body Works added Lucy Brady, a senior executive at Conagra Brands (CAG.N) and consumer products veteran to the board, expanding the group to 11 from 10 members. Voskuil and Brady's appointments come weeks after Third Point, which owns a 6% stake in the company, hinted it might push for board seats. In December Third Point announced its stake in a regulatoryfiling and criticized the company's high costs, includinggenerous executive pay. Bath & Body Works, best known for selling soaps, candles andlotions, is valued at $10 billion. Third Point spent an average of $38.16 per share on thestock which is now trading at $40.76.

☆ Premarket stocks: Share buybacks could beat last year's record $1.2 trillion
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Companies have announced about $175 billion worth of planned stock buybacks so far this year. This year will likely be the first with at least $1 trillion in completed S&P 500 company buybacks, said Howard Silverblatt at S&P Dow Jones Indices. ▸ GM (GM) just inked an exclusive deal for the hottest product in automaking: Semiconductors. The strong dollar is hurting multinationalsThe rip-roaring dollar cut deeply into the earnings of multinational companies selling their wares overseas last quarter. “We got hit with that.”McDonald’s (MCD) and 3M (MMM) also said in earnings reports that they were worried that the strong dollar would affect future sales.

☆ Peltz ends Disney proxy fight as Iger launches restructuring
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Nelson Peltz founding partner of Trian Fund Management LP. speak at the WSJD Live conference in Laguna Beach, California October 25, 2016. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File PhotoFeb 9 (Reuters) - Activist investor Nelson Peltz called off his bid for a seat on the board of Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) on Thursday after Chief Executive Bob Iger revealed a plan to restructure and cut costs. Peltz's Trian Fund, after Third Point's Daniel Loeb, pushed the company to make changes after the pandemic crushed its parks business and forced it to increase expenditure to weed out competition in the streaming industry. Here is what happened since Iger retired in 2020:Reporting by Akash Sriram and Tiyashi Datta in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj KalluvilaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Disney issued a statement applauding Peltz's decision to end a board challenge which it called a "distraction. 'FIRST PHASE' IN DISNEY'S TRANSFORMATIONFor Peltz's Trian Fund Management the board challenge appears to have paid off with an estimated 20% gain on his investment. Analysts said Peltz made a reasonable request for one board seat and to join the 12-member board himself. Peltz appeared on CNBC on Thursday to announce his proxy fight with Disney was over. "Bob Iger has a long, strong track record which provides confidence he will manage this transition for Disney."

☆ Third Point owns Salesforce stake, talks Bath & Body Works changes
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Svea Herbst-Bayliss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Third Point declined to comment on its stake, which was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. These firms have said publicly and privately that they would like to see changes at Salesforce. Third Point on Wednesday updated its own investors about other investments, including one in Bath & Body Works (BBWI.N) , where the firm hinted last year that it might mount a boardroom challenge. In the letter, Third Point's founder billionaire investor Daniel Loeb wrote that he sees a chance to work "constructively" with Bath & Body Works to "address its apparent governance issues and help it realize its significant potential." Last years biggest losers included Walt Disney Co and Amazon.com while Bath & Body Works counted among its biggest winners.

☆ Inside the Disney drama as CEO Bob Iger announces massive layoffs and a reorg that dismantles the structure under predecessor Bob Chapek
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Bob Iger returned to Disney as CEO in November, ending Bob Chapek's rocky tenure. In one of the most dramatic reversals in corporate history, the Walt Disney Co. board reinstated Bob Iger as CEO in November, ousting his predecessor Bob Chapek. Disney had just reported a $1.5 billion loss in its streaming business on a November 8 earnings call. Wall Street faulted him for waiting until after the 3Q earnings call to announce that layoffs were planned, for example. Disney, which in December launched its own ad-supported Disney+ offering, has enjoyed strong streaming growth, but Wall Street cares more about profitability now.

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