• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock

2

‘I want to die broke’: Billionaire philanthropist Denny Sanford dies after giving away $4 billion

3

OpenAI says its AI models secretly broke out of a secure test environment and hacked into AI company Hugging Face in order to cheat on an evaluation

1

Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock

2

‘I want to die broke’: Billionaire philanthropist Denny Sanford dies after giving away $4 billion

3

OpenAI says its AI models secretly broke out of a secure test environment and hacked into AI company Hugging Face in order to cheat on an evaluation
FinanceInvesting

Failed Pfizer-Allergan Merger Had Hedge Funds Scrambling in Q2

By
Reuters
Reuters
and
Aaron Task
Aaron Task
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Reuters
Reuters
and
Aaron Task
Aaron Task
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 15, 2016, 5:14 PM ET
90306508
Man in office pulling files with flying paperPhotograph by Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

For many prominent hedge fund managers who bet Pfizer Inc (PFE) and Allergan Plc (AGN) would merge to become the world’s biggest pharmaceuticals company, the second quarter started with a thud that send many in search of new opportunities.

John Griffin’s Blue Ridge Capital, Andreas Halvorsen’s Viking Global Investors each slashed their firm’s stakes in Allergan by more than half after news broke that Pfizer was walking away from the deal, according to so so-called 13F regulatory filings released on Monday. Senator Investment Group and Jana Partners yanked their money from Pfizer.

The filings, which show U.S. stocks owned by investment managers at the end of the past quarter, are backward looking but they do identify by name the managers who moved after fresh regulation scuttled the $160 billion Pfizer-Allergan deal.

As investors mulled alternatives, even embattled drug maker Valeant Pharmaceutical International Inc’s (VRX) name emerged as a possible winner amid the wreckage.

Mutual fund giant Fidelity Investments, for example, bought 10 million Valeant shares to own 15.5 million at the end of the quarter. North Tide Capital put on a new position of 2.5 million shares, while Hexavest Inc raised its stake by more than ten-fold to 1.8 million shares.

Allergan’s stock price dropped 14 percent, suggesting fund managers such as Eric Mindich’s Eton Park, which sold all of its 1.8 million shares, made the right call. Viking Global cut its holdings by 60 percent to 1.93 million shares and Blue Ridge cut its stake by 53 percent to 700,000 shares. Sachem Head Capital Management reduced its position by 57 percent.

Not all big investors ran. Daniel Loeb’s Third Point kept its Allergan investment largely intact at 4.9 million shares, while Seth Klarman’s Baupost Group raised it by 16 percent to 2 million. Carl Icahn took a new position in Allergan, buying 3.4 million shares.

At Pfizer, which has been seeking a way to compete better with rivals that pay lower tax rates, Jana Partners sold 13 million shares and Senator sold 15 million shares. Jason Karp’s Tourbillon exited its position and sold 7 million shares. But the exits may have been premature since the stock rose 16 percent, benefiting managers such as Diamond Hill, which increased its stake modestly to 11.6 million.

Tourbillon also exited all of its 3.4 million shares of Valeant, joining long-time holders Brave Warrior and Hound Partners, which had finally had enough. Even though Valeant brought in a new chief executive and a big investor continued to support the stock, it dropped 23 percent during the second quarter. Hound sold 4.9 million shares, while Brave Warrior exited 2 million shares.

There were some bright spots on the broader pharmaceutical sector, with a number of managers placing new bets on St. Jude Medical Inc, a manufacturer and distributor of medical devices whose stock surged 42 percent during the quarter. Farallon Capital made a new bet with 4.6 million shares, while Carlson Capital put on a wager with 2.05 million shares. Adage Capital boosted its holding by 227 percent to just under 1 million shares.

About the Authors
By Reuters
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Aaron Task
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in Finance

t
AIMarkets
Billionaire Mike Bloomberg warns Trump’s AI ownership plan would make ‘George Orwell blush’
By Eva RoytburgJuly 21, 2026
6 hours ago
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sits and speaks at a Senate Committee Hearing
PoliticsDonald Trump
‘Without these funds, we face critical shortfalls’: Hegseth on additional defense spending following $37.5B Iran War price tag
By The Associated Press and Lisa MascaroJuly 21, 2026
7 hours ago
A ski worker in winter skiing gear strikes a pose in front of a ski slope in Lesotho.
Travel & LeisureDonald Trump
In Lesotho, the country’s only fully operational ski resort offers snowy slopes for Africa’s ski enthusiasts
By The Associated Press and Mogomotsi MagomeJuly 21, 2026
7 hours ago
Moldova’s parliament elects 44-year-old businessman investor Vasile Tofan as prime minister
PoliticsEuropean Union
Moldova’s parliament elects 44-year-old businessman investor Vasile Tofan as prime minister
By The Associated PressJuly 21, 2026
7 hours ago
UN’s worst-case scenario: Energy and fertilizer shock from Iran war could push nearly 19 million more into chronic hunger by 2030
EconomyUnited Nations
UN’s worst-case scenario: Energy and fertilizer shock from Iran war could push nearly 19 million more into chronic hunger by 2030
By Mia OsmonbekovJuly 21, 2026
7 hours ago
holland
Arts & EntertainmentMovies
‘The audience is telling the industry something’: even IMAX is stunned by Christopher Nolan’s runaway ‘Odyssey’
By Tatiana SatauaJuly 21, 2026
8 hours ago

Most Popular

Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock
Success
Mark Cuban says he has the solution to growing income inequality, and it's to reward every employee—from CEO to janitor—with company stock
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 20, 2026
1 day ago
‘I want to die broke’: Billionaire philanthropist Denny Sanford dies after giving away $4 billion
Success
‘I want to die broke’: Billionaire philanthropist Denny Sanford dies after giving away $4 billion
By Sydney LakeJuly 20, 2026
2 days ago
OpenAI says its AI models secretly broke out of a secure test environment and hacked into AI company Hugging Face in order to cheat on an evaluation
Cybersecurity
OpenAI says its AI models secretly broke out of a secure test environment and hacked into AI company Hugging Face in order to cheat on an evaluation
By Jeremy Kahn and Emily ForliniJuly 21, 2026
8 hours ago
Mathematicians grapple with a ‘very rapid and very unsettling change’ as AI cracks yet another century-old problem
AI
Mathematicians grapple with a ‘very rapid and very unsettling change’ as AI cracks yet another century-old problem
By Eva RoytburgJuly 21, 2026
12 hours ago
'Dr. Doom' Nouriel Roubini says we're headed for universal basic income or 'some form of socialism' as AI revolutionizes work—He calls that optimistic
AI
'Dr. Doom' Nouriel Roubini says we're headed for universal basic income or 'some form of socialism' as AI revolutionizes work—He calls that optimistic
By Jason MaJuly 18, 2026
3 days ago
Despite a $156 million contract, Knicks star Jalen Brunson still calls his parents for financial advice any time he makes a big purchase
Success
Despite a $156 million contract, Knicks star Jalen Brunson still calls his parents for financial advice any time he makes a big purchase
By Emma BurleighJuly 21, 2026
13 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.