Carl Icahn Calls Off Attack On Dell

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Dell Inc. (NASDAQ:DELL) may have seen the last of Carl Icahn. The veteran hedge fund manager revealed in a regulatory filing today that he was calling an end to his activist campaign at the company. Icahn has been trying to block the privatization of the computer company for several months.

Carl Icahn Calls Off Attack On Dell

Icahn cited the changing of the date of the shareholder meeting as one of the major reasons he decided to end the campaign. Dell Inc. (NASDAQ:DELL) managed to postpone the meeting until September 12th, and managed to delay the annual shareholders meeting to some time after that date.

Icahn at Dell

Icahn may not have gotten all he wanted from his time at Dell Inc. (NASDAQ:DELL), but he certainly won’t leave empty handed. Icahn changed his filing on Dell Inc. (NASDAQ:DELL) from a 13D filing to a 13G filing this morning, indicating that he would no longer seek to take any kind of control at the company.

Icahn holds around 150 million shares in Dell Inc. (NASDAQ:DELL), just over 8.5% of the company. Those shares have increased in value by more than 2.5% in the last three months, though gains in the long term have been depressed by the buyout offer.

Icahn based his campaign on the belief that the buyout deal undervalued Dell Inc. (NASDAQ:DELL), and that shareholders should get more for their stake in the company. Icahn’s attempts to see the deal sweetened appear to have been ended today. What that means for shareholders will be seen after the vote on Thursday.

The consortium planning on taking Dell Inc. (NASDAQ:DELL) private have been forced to add a special dividend to the deal, along with an increase in the price paid per share. Icahn has done quite well for himself out of his campaign at Dell.

Dell buyout

Michael Dell, the founder of Dell Inc. (NASDAQ:DELL) and a private consortium are looking to take Dell private. Shareholders are expected to vote on a deal to do just that on September 12. the deal values Dell Inc. (NASDAQ:DELL) at $25 billion, or around $13.75 per share.

The attempts by Icahn and some other major Dell Inc. (NASDAQ:DELL) shareholders to increase the valuation of the company have caused many delays and problems for Mr. Dell. Icahn may not have won a total victory, but he has secured a better deal for shareholders, including himself.

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