{"id":116448,"date":"2021-06-15T01:44:01","date_gmt":"2021-06-15T01:44:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fin2me.com\/?p=116448"},"modified":"2021-06-15T01:44:01","modified_gmt":"2021-06-15T01:44:01","slug":"loebs-u-s-hedge-fund-third-point-owns-vivendi-stake-source","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fin2me.com\/markets\/loebs-u-s-hedge-fund-third-point-owns-vivendi-stake-source\/","title":{"rendered":"Loeb's U.S. hedge fund Third Point owns Vivendi stake – source"},"content":{"rendered":"
(Reuters) – Billionaire hedge fund manager Daniel Loeb\u2019s Third Point owns a substantial stake in Vivendi SE and is \u201cevaluating\u201d the French media giant\u2019s plan to sell a stake in its Universal Music Group to rival billionaire investor William Ackman, a source familiar with the firm\u2019s holdings said on Monday.<\/p> New York-based Third Point has been invested in Paris-based Vivendi for some time, the person said, requesting anonymity because the matter is private.<\/p>\n A Vivendi spokesman on Monday said, \u201cThe company has yet to see any evidence of a stake being built,\u201d in response to a question about the Third Point holding. A Third Point representative declined to comment.<\/p>\n Third Point\u2019s stake was first reported by Bloomberg.<\/p>\n Vivendi has become popular with certain investors ever since it announced plans to spin off 60% of Universal. Earlier this month Ackman said his blank-check company Pershing Square Tontine Holdings is planning to buy 10% of Universal before the planned spinoff.<\/p>\n Vivendi, controlled by French tycoon Vincent Bollore, last month set out a plan to list Universal, the world\u2019s largest music group, by Sept. 27.<\/p>\n Investors will have a chance to vote on the proposed spinoff later this month and some have already expressed reservations.<\/p>\n Activist fund Bluebell Capital Partners and investment fund Artisan Partners have raised concerns about the spinoff, decrying the transaction as unfavorable to some investors.<\/p>\n Glass Lewis and ISS, the world\u2019s two biggest proxy advisers,<\/p>\n have recommended Vivendi shareholders vote in favor of the<\/p>\n spinoff plans.<\/p>\n Third Point is trying to evaluate what Ackman\u2019s proposal would mean for Vivendi shareholders and has not commented publicly about the matter.<\/p>\n Loeb and Ackman, both prominent New York hedge fund managers, have crossed on other investments, including Herbalife and United Technologies, for example, and sometimes taken differing approaches.<\/p>\n Loeb has had his own blank check company and invested in a number of others, according to letters to his investors and regulatory filings. He did not invest with Pershing Square\u2019s Tontine Holdings, which counts other prominent hedge funds as investors.<\/p>\n ($1 = 0.8247 euros)<\/p>\n