Did Hedge Funds Anticipate These M&A Deals?

Microsoft’s Acquisition of LinkedIn

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)’s acquisition of LinkedIn Corp (NYSE:LNKD) is one of the latest and, perhaps, the most notable buyout deal announced during the second quarter of 2016. LinkedIn agreed to be acquired by Microsoft for $196 per share in an all-cash transaction valued at $26.2 billion, the largest ever acquisition conducted by Microsoft. The deal would provide Microsoft with a large social user base and a platform to integrate and expand its core services. The deal will require antitrust approvals in the European Union, Canada, and Brazil. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is one of the most popular stocks among the funds tracked by Insider Monkey as of March 31, with 144 funds bullish on the company, including Jeffrey Ubben’s ValueAct Capital, which held 56.62 million shares. On the other hand, 41 hedge funds from our database were long LinkedIn Corp (NYSE:LNKD) at the end of March, down by seven funds over the quarter.

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