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☆ Battle of the Activists: Hindenburg Shorts Icahn
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Ben Foldy | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Activist investor Carl Icahn buys stakes in companies and agitates to make changes he thinks will drive their stock up. Photo: brendan mcdermid/ReutersShort seller Hindenburg Research is betting against activist investor Carl Icahn ’s publicly traded holding company, the firm said. In a report published Tuesday morning, the firm said Icahn Enterprises is overvalued and is holding some assets at inflated prices. Hindenburg’s report sets up a battle between the firm’s founder, Nathan Anderson, and Mr. Icahn, who have each tormented corporate executives with allegations of malfeasance and incompetence.

☆ Hindenburg takes on billionaire Icahn with latest short position
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 2 (Reuters) - Hindenburg Research said on Tuesday it has a short position in activist investor Carl Icahn-controlled energy-to-pharma conglomerate Icahn Enterprises (IEP.O), making it the latest in a string of recent high-profile targets of the U.S. short seller. Icahn Enterprises did not immediately respond to a request for comment and Reuters could not independently verify the claims the short-seller has made in its report. Hindenburg also claimed Icahn was operating a "ponzi-like economic structure," selling its units to new investors to support its dividend payouts. Based in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, Icahn Enterprises is one of the most successful activist investment firms and the chief investment vehicle of Icahn, who is known for his face-offs with several high-profile firms. As of last close, shares were down marginally this year, giving Icahn Enterprises a valuation of roughly $18 billion.

However, with inflation running well over the central bank's 2% target and a still-strong labor market, chances of rate cuts seem less likely. With Monday's manufacturing data giving the Fed enough room for more near-term tightening, all eyes will be on jobs and factory orders data after the opening bell. ET, Dow e-minis were down 79 points, or 0.23%, S&P 500 e-minis were down 7.5 points, or 0.18%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were down 6 points, or 0.05%. Educational services company Chegg (CHGG.N) tanked 45.6% on a downbeat second-quarter revenue forecast on increasing competition from ChatGPT. Icahn Enterprises LP (IEP.O) dropped 11% after U.S. short seller Hindenburg Research said it has a short position in activist investor Carl Icahn-controlled energy-to-pharma conglomerate.

☆ The short seller that took on Asia's richest man has a new target: Wall Street legend Carl Icahn
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Morgan Chittum | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Hindenburg Research unveiled its short position against Carl Icahn's holding company on Tuesday. The short seller has also targeted Adani Group and payments company Block this year. Hindenburg Research, which earlier this year released a scathing report on Indian conglomerate Adani Group, unveiled its short position against Icahn Enterprises on Tuesday. Shares of Icahn Enterprises plunged nearly 20% shortly after the opening bell, trading at $41.49 at 10:05 a.m. Icahn Enterprises did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

☆ Hindenburg Research goes after Carl Icahn in latest campaign for market-moving short seller
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Carl Icahn speaking at Delivering Alpha in New York on Sept. 13, 2016.Notable short seller Hindenburg Research is going after famed activist investor Carl Icahn. "Overall, we think Icahn, a legend of Wall Street, has made a classic mistake of taking on too much leverage in the face of sustained losses: a combination that rarely ends well," Hindenburg Research said in a note released Tuesday. Headquartered in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, Icahn Enterprises is a holding company that involves in a myriad of businesses including energy, automotive, food packaging, metals and real estate. Hindenburg said it believes the high dividend yield is "unsupported" by the company's cash flow and investment performance. Shares of Icahn Enterprises are down 0.5% on the year as of Monday's close.

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves midday: Uber, Chegg, Dell, PacWest, SoFi & more
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Uber — Shares of the ride-hailing giant jumped more than 8% after the company reported first-quarter revenue that beat analysts' expectations. Still, the company did beat expectations for the quarter and provide strong guidance. NXP Semiconductors — Shares of the chipmaker added more than 2% after the company beat analysts' expectations for first-quarter revenue and operating income. Revenue guidance for the second quarter was better than anticipated as well. The global bank also announced an upcoming $2 billion share buyback program and restored its quarterly dividend.

☆ McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski 'needs to be fired', says Allen Media Group CEO Byron Allen
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailMcDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski 'needs to be fired', says Allen Media Group CEO Byron AllenByron Allen, Allen Media Group CEO and chairman, joins 'Last Call' to discuss its recent attempt to buy TEGNA, the future of local news, his open letter to Carl Icahn, and much more.

☆ Short investor Hindenburg erases fifth of Icahn empire’s value
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

In a report published on Tuesday, Hindenburg accused IEP of overvaluing its holdings and relying on a “Ponzi-like” structure to pay dividends. The subsequent plunge in IEP shares wiped $2.9 billion off Icahn’s net worth, leaving him with an estimated $14.7 billion, according to Forbes. NAV is a key gauge of a fund’s performance, measuring the market value of securities held by the fund. Driving the frothiness in IEP’s stock, Hindenburg argued, is its dividend yield of 15.8%, the highest of any US large cap company by far. Hindenburg also offered examples it said showed IEP itself was valuing its holdings way above their market value.

In a report published on Tuesday, Hindenburg accused IEP of overvaluing its holdings and relying on a "Ponzi-like" structure to pay dividends. The subsequent plunge in IEP shares wiped $2.9 billion off Icahn's net worth, leaving him with an estimated $14.7 billion, according to Forbes. NAV is a key gauge of a fund's performance, measuring the market value of securities held by the fund. Driving the frothiness in IEP's stock, Hindenburg argued, is its dividend yield of 15.8%, the highest of any U.S. large cap company by far. Hindenburg also offered examples it said showed IEP itself was valuing its holdings way above their market value.

☆ Carl Icahn calls Illumina Q1 results ‘very disappointing,’ slams cost-cutting plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Carl Icahn on Friday called Illumina's first-quarter results "very disappointing" and slammed the DNA sequencing company's new plans to cut costs. "Illumina CEO Francis deSouza seems to believe that he can fool all of the people all of the time," Icahn wrote. Illumina's stock is down more than 9% since the company reported earnings. In that missive, Icahn also took shots at cost-cutting plans Illumina unveiled to improve its shrinking margins. Illumina reported a negative operating margin of 5.7% for the quarter, down from 15% during the same period a year ago.

☆ Illumina CEO touts Grail’s 100% revenue growth amid proxy fight with Icahn
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Illumina CEO Francis deSouza on Wednesday touted the company's controversial acquisition of Grail after revenue from the cancer test developer doubled in the last year. The Grail deal is the focus of a heated proxy fight between Illumina and activist investor Carl Icahn. Antitrust regulators in the U.S. and Europe have also ordered Illumina to divest the $7.1 billion acquisition Illumina completed in 2021. He added that the Grail deal "makes sense" for Illumina because the company can significantly expand the market for the test. But Icahn, who owns a 1.4% stake in Illumina, has called the Grail deal "disastrous" and "a new low in corporate governance."

☆ Illumina unveils plans to cut costs as it faces shrinking margins
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A building on the campus at the world headquarters of Illumina is shown in San Diego, California, September 1, 2021. Illumina on Tuesday unveiled plans to cut costs in a bid to improve the DNA sequencing company's shrinking margins. Among Illumina's plans is to use its NovaSeq X sequencing system to accelerate genomic discoveries. The San Diego-based company said it also plans to save by "enabling activities" in more cost-effective areas around the world. The Grail deal is also the focus of a proxy fight between activist investor Carl Icahn and Illumina.

☆ Piggyback Icahn? These are the best-performing activists you should follow into stocks
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Goldman Sachs said only a handful of activist investors have the power to move stocks the way he does. The Wall Street firm analyzed 2,142 shareholder activism campaigns since 2006 and identified the investors with the most number of campaigns. "A wide performance distribution exists for both successful and unsuccessful activist campaigns and varies by type of activist demand," Goldman's head of U.S. equity strategy David Kostin said in a note. The stocks Carl Icahn invests in tend to enjoy a double-digit boost in the 12 months after he starts an attack, according to Goldman. Other activists that have a similar impact on stocks during the time frame are Ancora Advisors and Clinton Group, Goldman said.

☆ Carl Icahn says Illumina’s appeal of FTC order to divest Grail is ‘an almost impossible battle’
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Carl Icahn on Wednesday said Illumina 's efforts to appeal a Federal Trade Commission order to divest the highly contested Grail acquisition "is an almost impossible battle." Illumina on Monday told CNBC it intends to appeal the FTC's order in federal court, and will seek an expedited decision. The FTC's order reverses an administrative judge's September ruling, which dismissed the commission's initial challenge to the Grail deal. The company last year appealed a similar order by European Union regulators to unwind the Grail deal. The company on Wednesday said in a statement to CNBC that it has a "strong case on appeal" of the FTC's order.

☆ Elon Musk’s Doge barks up SEC’s tree
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, April 5 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Elon Musk’s Dogecoin yapping might be loud enough to hear in Washington. The token’s value soared as much as 30% earlier this week after Musk-owned Twitter featured a Shiba Inu on the social media service’s homepage instead of its blue bird logo. It could help inform the crypto-skeptical U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as it considers how to police the industry. Musk said that year that he had invested in Dogecoin, but it’s unclear how much, if any, he holds today. The SEC has largely policed crypto markets through enforcement action when it sees clear examples of tokens behaving like securities.

☆ Edtech giant leverages up in financial expertise
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MUMBAI, April 4 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Indian education technology giant Byju’s has a new chief financial officer. Ajay Goel, who recently left a similar role at the Mumbai-listed natural resources firm Vedanta (VDAN.NS), will now steer the debt-laden company’s finances. Prosus-backed (PRX.AS) Byju’s, meanwhile, in December sought easier terms on a year-old $1.2 billion loan private placement. That provides some breathing room, but with the company’s top line shrinking and losses mounting, the battle-hardened Goel’s start date cannot come too soon. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

☆ DeSantis wins with Disney co-dependency
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEW YORK, April 4 (Reuters Breakingviews) - For Walt Disney (DIS.N) Chief Executive Bob Iger, action speaks louder than words. During the Magic Kingdom’s annual shareholder meeting on Monday, Iger took a shot at Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, calling him “anti-business” for his retaliation involving Disney World. DeSantis, for those keeping score, signed a law in February that gives Florida control of Disney’s theme park district, stripping some of its autonomy. The irony is that Iger plans to shower Florida with $17 billion over the next 10 years, he said at the meeting. Iger’s decision to plow more money into Florida only tethers him more to DeSantis’ whims.

☆ Fake jobs hide cooler reality for US workforce
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

With listings for positions that don’t exist, dubbed ghost jobs, and stale postings complicating the monthly openings count, the latter signal is probably closer to reality. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 9.9 million job openings in February on Tuesday, still up 42% from the last pre-pandemic reading. Unique job postings collected from hundreds of websites have fallen back to early 2020 levels, according to ZipRecruiter. Nearly half of hiring managers said they left job openings up to give the impression their firm was growing, small-business lender Clarify Capital found in a summer survey. The discrepancy matters, since a still-elevated count probably worries the Federal Reserve, which views strong labor demand as a major contributor to inflation.

☆ Aesop deal spreads scent of stressed M&A
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TORONTO, April 4 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The scent of stress is wafting from the Brazilian backer of Aesop. Natura (NTCO3.SA)agreed to sell the luxury lotion maker to French cosmetics giant L’Oreal (OREP.PA) for about $2.5 billion. It offloaded the successful investment to shore up its balance sheet, an M&A motivation that probably will spread. With recessions being anticipated in a higher interest rate environment, more companies are bound to consider a similar calculus. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

☆ Bill Gates' daughter reportedly paid $51 million for this NYC penthouse—it comes with 3,400 square feet of outdoor space
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Celia Fernandez | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Bill Gates' eldest daughter, Jennifer Gates, might now be calling a $51 million New York City penthouse home. 443 Greenwich Street is known for being home to other celebrities like Meg Ryan, and Blake Lively and Ryan Reynold. The penthouse apartment is 8,900 square feet and has a 3,400 square-foot outdoor space with a plunge pool. Gates' penthouse apartment is 8,900 square feet and has a 3,400 square-foot outdoor space. 443 Greenwich Street was designed with an indoor courtyard, which is rare for buildings in New York City.

WASHINGTON, April 3 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Monday ordered Illumina (ILMN.O) to divest cancer diagnostic test maker Grail, finding that its ownership would stifle competition in the U.S. market for cancer tests. Illumina said it would appeal the decision, and will seek expedited consideration from an appeals court. The company said the FTC order to unwind the deal would be automatically put on hold. Meanwhile, Illumina completed the takeover of Grail in August 2021, despite the lack of regulatory approval from Europe or the United States. He has called for Illumina, now valued at $36 billion, to unwind its deal for Grail, which he called a risky acquisition that cost shareholders $50 billion.

☆ Icahn and Khan make for odd bedfellows
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Case in point is Illumina (ILMN.O), which on Monday was ordered by the Federal Trade Commission, led by Chair Lina Khan, to unwind its $7 billion acquisition of Grail (GRAL.O). This puts Khan on the same side as Carl Icahn, who wants Illumina to ditch the deal for seemingly opposite reasons. Illumina makes DNA sequencing machines used in medical research. The commission believes Illumina could use its dominance in DNA sequencing to hurt Grail’s competitors and raise prices. Icahn, on the other hand, worries Grail is burning Illumina’s cash, and this hurts the parent firm’s effort to keep ahead of rivals.

☆ Carl Icahn blasts Illumina for nearly doubling CEO’s pay despite steep drop in market value
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Carl Icahn blasted Illumina for nearly doubling its CEO's pay last year despite a dramatic drop in the biotech company's market value since closing a controversial deal. He was awarded nearly $26.8 million in total pay last year, nearly double the $14.3 million he received in 2021, according to a preliminary proxy statement Illumina filed Thursday. Part of deSouza's pay bump is a special grant of stock options worth $12.5 million, which Illumina called a "meaningful retention incentive in a highly competitive talent environment." DeSouza's pay increase follows a rocky 18 months for San Diego-based Illumina. The company's market value has fallen to roughly $35 billion from about $75 billion in August 2021, the month it closed its acquisition of cancer test developer Grail.

☆ Illumina urges shareholders to reject Carl Icahn's board nominees as proxy fight heats up
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Illumina on Thursday urged shareholders to reject Carl Icahn's three board nominees at this year's annual meeting, saying they would "threaten the progress" of the biotech company's core business. "Carl Icahn's involvement with Illumina risks the long-term success of the Company, and his director nominees bring no relevant skills to the Board of Directors," San Diego-based Illumina said in a preliminary proxy statement filed Thursday. The DNA sequencing company told shareholders to discard any proxy card sent by the activist investor or his affiliate entities. Illumina also urged shareholders to vote in favor of its proposed board of directors, noting that it would mail its definitive proxy materials soon. Illumina said it will provide more information about "the strength of our Board and management team, our strategy to deliver shareholder value – with innovation at its core – and the potential for Mr. Icahn's associate nominees to damage that strategy."

March 29 (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) has laid off Marvel Entertainment Chairman Isaac "Ike" Perlmutter as part of a cost-cutting campaign, a source confirmed Wednesday. Dan Buckley, president of Marvel Entertainment, will remain and report to Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, the second source said. Perlmutter, who outmaneuvered billionaire Carl Icahn for control of the comic book publisher in the late 1990s, sold Marvel to Disney for $4 billion in 2009. Disney CEO Bob Iger later restructured Marvel in 2015, placing Marvel Studios under Walt Disney Studios. Perlmutter retained the title of chairman of Marvel Entertainment, a unit responsible for publishing, games, digital media and some consumer products.

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