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Sunday, November 8, 
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A peek inside Icahn's portfolio

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Thanks to the power of the SEC's Edgar database, the public can peer into the portfolio of billionaire and activist investor Carl Icahn, who's made some notable moves in the third quarter.

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According to a Schedule 13F filing released Wednesday, Icahn's investments in companies involved in deals include new stakes in Genzyme Corp., which recently acquired Bioenvision Inc., and Harrah's Entertainment Inc., which is amid a leveraged buyout. Meanwhile, he increased his stake in BEA System Inc., which turned down Oracle Corp.'s $6.7 billion approach.

Additionally, he sold his stakes in Kraft Foods Inc., which is amid a restructuring that includes selling its cereal business, and Clear Channel Communications Inc., which is amid a leveraged buyout. Interestingly, he sold off his stake in aluminum producers Alcoa Inc. and Alcan Inc., which had a brief tango earlier in the year.

A first for Icahn is his investment in a video game publisher: the always embattled Take-Two Interactive Software Inc., which earlier in the year was taken over by a group of activist investors led by Hollywood dealmaker Strauss Zelnick. Another troubled company that Icahn has placed a new bet on is Children's Place Retail Stores Inc., which, depending upon sources, is either a buyer or a target.

He's also added new stakes in stalwarts of his portfolio, medical companies as well as gas and oil companies (see list below). Finally, he increased his stakes in Motorola  Inc., Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Anadarko Petroleum Corp.

Obviously not all of the companies will attract an activist campaign from Icahn. After all, he may have his hands full with just BEA and Motorola, which he's already targeted for changes. — Matthew Wurtzel

Biotech investments:

MGI Pharma Inc.
Cyberonics Inc.
Acorda Therapeutics Inc.
Celera Group
Applera Corp.
Life Sciences Research Inc.

Gas & Oil Cos.:

Core Molding Technologies Inc.
Talisman Energy Inc.

See Icahn Capital Management LP filing from SEC
See TheDeal.com: Kraft makes cereal mix
See TheDeal.com: Bioenvision OKs Genzyme buyout
See Dealscape: Oracle's Ellison: A new BEA offer would be lower
See TheDeal.com: TPG, Apollo win Harrah's




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