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Icahn Adds Another Two Million HLF Shares, Now Owns 15.5% Of Company

Tyler Durden's picture




 

Icahn wasted exactly zero time to take advantage of Herbalife's board expansion last week which gave him permission to build up his HLF stake to 25%.

Moments ago the billionaire corporate raider just announced the purchase of another 2 million shares of HLF stock, taking his total to 16 million shares, or 15.5% of the company, up from 13.6% previously. Scarier for the shorts is that unlike before, Icahn is no longer pussyfooting with costless collars and is buying the shares outright at a blended cost somewhere in the upper $40/share range. The end game here is now very clear: build up a sufficient stake in the company to where the the shorts outstanding are greater than the open float, at which point the stock borrow is pulled creating an epic squeeze, just as we predicted would happen back in December.

What is tangentially quite amazing is that according to the just filed 13-D, Icahn bought nearly 2% of the company in three short trading days, and without moving the price materially. In fact, of today's entire 4.1 million share volume, Icahn's bid-side VWAP algo was responsible for a stunning 1.5 million shares, or 36% of the total.

What spurred the buying surge? Who knows, but perhaps the recent epic collapse in Icahn's other infamous position, his JCP long which is imploding day after day, Icahn decided to hep out with the margin call. Who knows - perhaps Icahn is even short JCP. Of course, the reason he is a multi-billionaire is that unlike Ackman, he will not tell anyone until he is out of the position.

Will Icahn continue buying HLF every day? You bet: the moral of the story then and now: you don't piss off a multi-billionaire on primetime TV whose only thought afterwards is how to piss on your grave as fast as possible. 

 

and here's how the algos can push that much new flow through a stock and hardly budge the price close-to-close - still convinced of the money-on-the-sidelines argument?

And remember:

That Icahn is out there. He can't be bargained with. He can't be reasoned with. He doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And he absolutely will not stop, ever, until Ackman is destroyed.

Behold: the Icahnator

 

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Thu, 03/07/2013 - 18:50 | 3310434 Haager
Haager's picture

It is only true if it shows up in The Onion.

Thu, 03/07/2013 - 19:04 | 3310475 WayBehind
WayBehind's picture

Thats how you do it.

Wash > Rinse > Repeat

Thu, 03/07/2013 - 19:09 | 3310479 knukles
knukles's picture

Maria Bartilromo:  Mr Ichan, or can I call you David? (massive toothy smile)

Carl Ichan:  My name is Carl, Maria.  Don't you remember?  Even over the weekend when you were over at my house for dinner I had to keep correcting you.  Carl.  My name's Carl. (rolls eyes)

Maria:  Oh yeah.  OK, Donnie, why do you keep buying that spice company stock?

Carl:  Jesus, Maria!  It's not a goddamned spice company it's... (interrupted)

Maria:  Whatever... but why do you keep buying the stock, Bob?

Carl: (screaming, spraying spittle all over her face)  Because I hate that little fucker, Maria.

Maria:  Who's Maria?

Thu, 03/07/2013 - 18:51 | 3310435 MisterMousePotato
MisterMousePotato's picture

Didn't something similar happen with Volkswagon (or was it Porsche?) stock a few years back?

Thu, 03/07/2013 - 18:52 | 3310441 Mediocritas
Mediocritas's picture

VW, Porsche drove the squeeze.

Thu, 03/07/2013 - 18:58 | 3310451 CPL
CPL's picture

Who gives a shit

The rockies are about to blow their guts out.  If you are on the west coast.  

 

Run.

 

Europe in Northern hemi, RUN.

 

Don't look back.

Thu, 03/07/2013 - 18:59 | 3310460 ebworthen
ebworthen's picture

The Yellowstone Caldera?

Give me warning, I'm going to need some time (in the Intermountain West).

Thu, 03/07/2013 - 19:11 | 3310481 CPL
CPL's picture

No.

Larger.  Much larger.

 

Or relax.  Talk of guns...retardation...fire one at your own peril after May.  First one to fire one, is the man in the story book.

Fri, 03/08/2013 - 02:07 | 3310453 MurderNeverWasLove
MurderNeverWasLove's picture

.

Thu, 03/07/2013 - 19:20 | 3310497 knukles
knukles's picture

The Currant is a daily dose of humor....
Like "Why Anne Coulter wouldn't get on a plane with a black pilot?"

 

ah hem....

 

Seriously....

 

Edit:  Well, looks like it's being picked up elsewhere.  LOL
Gonna fry that little narcissist's squeeze box

Thu, 03/07/2013 - 18:47 | 3310423 Mediocritas
Mediocritas's picture

I hope the best outcome happens here, that Icahn destroys Ackman in a short squeeze then, down the track, Ackman turns out to be right regarding HLF being a pyramid/ponzi scheme and Icahn gets wiped too. Two less Wall St cunts sleazing around.

Fri, 03/08/2013 - 01:42 | 3311268 ElvisDog
ElvisDog's picture

Icahn doesn't give a shit if he eventually loses money on HLF, as long as he sticks the knife in Ackman. He's got a lot more money in his bank account, and the notoriety (if that's the right word) he would acheive by pulling this off? priceless.

Fri, 03/08/2013 - 08:54 | 3311572 Mediocritas
Mediocritas's picture

Yeah, HLF could wipe to zero and Icahn probably wouldn't give a shit so long as he hammered Ackman. Would hardly make a dent in Icahn's bank account. As for the notoriety though, all it would prove is that Icahn is an even bigger cunt than everyone already thought, which means he scores approximately 11/10.

Thu, 03/07/2013 - 18:53 | 3310445 Morphine Drip
Morphine Drip's picture

Why did you do this to me?

 

Because I cahn.

Thu, 03/07/2013 - 19:02 | 3310471 CPL
CPL's picture

He will be gone in two weeks after his announcement of his retirement.

 

Media will say something, but life says something else.

Thu, 03/07/2013 - 18:57 | 3310447 Yen Cross
Yen Cross's picture

    I'can is laughable.(another CNBS shill)< I like the guys tenacity, but come on Carl? Don't you have better things to do in your "Golden Years"? 

    Take over Blackwater and build some doomsday bunkers. Start a new bank, since they can safely(caugh) lend again. Get creative Carl.

     What ever happened to Clorox Carl?  That looked like a good deal.

 

 

Fri, 03/08/2013 - 01:44 | 3311269 ElvisDog
ElvisDog's picture

Are you kidding? Icahn probably hasn't enjoyed himself this much in years.

Fri, 03/08/2013 - 09:19 | 3311613 Vooter
Vooter's picture

"Don't you have better things to do in your "Golden Years"?"

Look at his face--of course he doesn't. But don't worry--we can all laugh at his cancer in a few years...

Thu, 03/07/2013 - 18:56 | 3310449 thewayitis
thewayitis's picture

Who REALLY gives a shit?

Thu, 03/07/2013 - 19:22 | 3310508 McMolotov
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What, you're not interested in "frat-boy handbag fights?"

h/t EclecticParrot

Thu, 03/07/2013 - 18:58 | 3310454 ebworthen
ebworthen's picture

HLF is a pyramid scheme, a Ponzi, but no one cares.

Just like the markets.

Thu, 03/07/2013 - 18:59 | 3310458 francis_sawyer
francis_sawyer's picture

JEW-brawl-LIFE

Thu, 03/07/2013 - 19:01 | 3310466 Bruce Krasting
Bruce Krasting's picture

 

BREAKING NEWS

Ackman announces he has covered HLF short.

 

BREAKING NEWS

Ackman says, "I set it up to sucker Icahn."  "I won - Carl is stuffed".

 

 

BREAKING NEWS

Financier Carl Icahn sent to Bellevue after, "Uncontrolled anal discharge". Reports from witnesses say the event occurred at the main ballroom of the Astoria hotel. Icahn become ill after reading a Tweet that Ackman had covered his HLF short. He was heard saying as he was led away, "I'm long and wrong, I'm long and wrong."

 

 

I wish......

 

Thu, 03/07/2013 - 19:13 | 3310492 Yen Cross
Yen Cross's picture

 Carl is stuffed Bruce. Your comment isn't off base. I'Can has to unwind the position, and has to hire management, being the new principle. I'm sure Carl has an exit strategy though? (churn-em & burn-em) Carl.

Thu, 03/07/2013 - 19:36 | 3310540 knukles
knukles's picture

Ah, the famous Waldork-Astoria Escolar Luncheon

Thu, 03/07/2013 - 19:49 | 3310586 khakuda
khakuda's picture

Seriously!  I've had food poisoning one time in my life and it was after eating the Waldorf Salad there once.  For the handful of dinners I've attended there over the past 20 years, I've always found the uncooked meats and fish to perfectly complement the burned vegetables.

Thu, 03/07/2013 - 19:02 | 3310469 rqb1
rqb1's picture

Ackman wont get wiped out.  He may lose some money, investors, but this is no do or die for him. 

I never understood what he was trying to do with this short.  it was one thing to take on mbia who were picking people's pockets, or buy ggp for pennies on the dollar with all their assets,  but another to try and take out a fruit/diet drink manufacturer.  Did not make sense to me

Thu, 03/07/2013 - 19:10 | 3310485 Buffet's Jet
Buffet&#039;s Jet's picture

build up a sufficient stake in the company to where the the amount of shares outstanding is greater than the float, at which point the stock borrow is pulled

 

This doesn't make any sense. Shares outstanding is always greater than the float.

Thu, 03/07/2013 - 19:37 | 3310546 kaiserhoff
kaiserhoff's picture

Was a Typo, but Tyler caught it.  Now reads SHORTS outstanding.

In theory, you have to borrow the stock to short it, but I think the big boys still get to use a "best efforts to borrow" standard, which means they don't have to do squat.  If Bruce is still on, he would know how real the squeeze threat is.  I wouldn't touch the damn thing.

Thu, 03/07/2013 - 19:40 | 3310556 ghengis86
ghengis86's picture

I read that a few times too and went cross eyed.

Tylers fixed it.

Back to normal vision, thanks

Thu, 03/07/2013 - 19:30 | 3310524 TheObsoleteMan
TheObsoleteMan's picture

Why isn't this guy {Ican} broke and on skid row by now? He's not that smart. I remember when he offered $22 a share to buy out WCI Communities {they went bust a year later}. The only people more stupid were the board members that voted down the offer.

Thu, 03/07/2013 - 19:31 | 3310527 EclecticParrot
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"I liked it so much, I bought the company"

Thu, 03/07/2013 - 20:30 | 3310695 HowardBeale
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"...build up a sufficient stake in the company to where the the shorts outstanding are greater than the open float, at which point the stock borrow is pulled creating an epic squeeze, just as we predicted would happen back in December."

 

Similar thing is about to happen in another beaten down dog (USU). Take a look at the action on it over the past month. Accumulation Buffet style.

Thu, 03/07/2013 - 21:07 | 3310787 Pedantic Rube
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Buffet style does not entail posting stupid @ss comments on finane boards about penny stocks.  

Thu, 03/07/2013 - 23:35 | 3311096 GMadScientist
GMadScientist's picture

Icahn has failed to apply the "don't get high on your own supply" rule.

He was last seen running amok, claiming to be the "lizard king", whatever the fuck that means.

Fri, 03/08/2013 - 00:28 | 3311189 Edward Fiatski
Edward Fiatski's picture

KHAAAAAN!!

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