Mario Gabelli, GAMCO’s Activist Moves In Superior Industries International Inc. (SUP), Griffin Land & Nurseries, Inc. (GRIF) & Telephone & Data Systems, Inc. (TDS)

Mario Gabelli‘s GAMCO Investors has filed several amended forms with the Securities and Exchange Commission, in which they disclosed information regarding their negotiations with the management of Superior Industries International Inc. (NYSE:SUP), Griffin Land & Nurseries, Inc. (NASDAQ:GRIF), and Telephone & Data Systems, Inc. (NYSE:TDS).

In the first filing, GAMCO disclosed a letter sent to Mr. Kerry A. Shiba, CFO of Superior Industries International Inc. (NYSE:SUP). GAMCO, which holds around 2.3 million shares of the company, equal to 8.5% of the common stock, requested that the board should include in the next year meeting of the company’s shareholders the proposal to vote the authorization of a “Dutch Auction” tender offer. Earlier in November, the fund sent another letter to the company stating that the board should consider initiating a share buyback program.

In the second letter, sent to the board of  Griffin Land & Nurseries, Inc. (NASDAQ:GRIF), GAMCO insisted that the shareholders should vote on the next meeting regarding the attribution of the REIT or MLP status to Griffin. The fund has discussed the same issue in a previous letter sent in November. GAMCO and Gabelli hold in aggregate around 1.7 million shares of Griffin, which represent 32.91% of the Griffin Land & Nurseries, Inc. (NASDAQ:GRIF)’ common stock. GAMCO alone owns around 1.0 million shares, equal to 20.23% of the stock.

The fund has also stated, in a letter sent to Telephone & Data Systems, Inc. (NYSE:TDS) that it is considering proposing one, or several candidates to be nominated for the company’s board. GAMCO also slightly reduced its holding in the company, according to the filing, currently owning around 4.8 million shares. In the latest 13F, the fund disclosed ownership of almost 5.0 million shares. The stake held by GAMCO amasses 4.74% of the common stock. All the funds controlled by Mr. Gabelli, in aggregate, hold 8.3 million shares of the company, the position amassing 8.21% of the company’s common stock.

Disclosure: none

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