Exact Sciences Corp (EXAS): Billionaire David E. Shaw’s D E Shaw Ups Its Stake

Billionaire David E. Shaw‘s D. E. Shaw & Co. recently filed a Form 13G with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, in which it reported holding 5.44 million shares of Exact Sciences Corp (NASDAQ:EXAS), which amass 5.0% of the company’s outstanding stock. This represents an increase in the stake without a change in the percentage of ownership as the fund previously held 4.93 million shares, which also amassed 5.0% of the outstanding stock, according to its last 13G filing.

Exact Sciences is a molecular diagnostics company engaged in the early discovery and prevention of colorectal cancer. Year-to-date, the company’s stock is up by 106.39%. For the second quarter of 2016, Exact Sciences reported a revenue of $21.2 million, and a loss per share of $0.46, compared to a revenue of $8.1 million, and a loss per share of $0.44 in the same period a year earlier. Recently, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. boosted its price target to $18 from $16, with a ‘Neutral’ rating on Exact Sciences’ stock, Roth Capital reiterated its ‘Hold’ rating on it, and increased its price target to $15 from $11, Robert W Baird reiterated its ‘Outperform’ rating with a price target of $18, and BTIG Research reiterated its ‘Buy’ rating on the stock, with a price target of $20.

D. E. Shaw

The number of smart money investors long  Exact Sciences Corp (NASDAQ:EXAS) from our database hasn’t changed recently, hence there were still 16 hedge funds with positions in this company at the end the second quarter. Among them were Mark Coe’s Coe Capital Management, with a position worth around $829.17 million, Spencer M. Waxman’s Shannon River Fund Management, which held a position valued at $14.09 million, Charles Paquelet’s Skylands Capital, and Ken Griffin’s Citadel Investment Group.

Among investors who sold off its positions in Exact Sciences Corp (NASDAQ:EXAS) during the second quarter, were Jim Simons’ Renaissance Technologies, which dumped a position valued at the end of March at $1.42 million, Patrick Hughes And Loren Katzovitz’ Deimos Asset Management, which said goodbye to $337,000 worth a position,  Mike Vranos’ Ellington, and Eli Casdin’s Casdin Capital.

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You can access the original SEC filing by clicking here.

Ownership Summary Table

Name Sole Voting Power Shared Voting Power Sole Dispositive Power Shared Dispositive Power Aggregate Amount Owned Power Percent of Class
D. E. Shaw Co. 0 5,437,812 0 5,440,212 5,440,212 5.0%
David E. Shaw 0 5,437,812 0 5,440,212 5,440,212 5.0%

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Page 1 of 6 – SEC Filing

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

 

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

SCHEDULE 13G

 

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Exact Sciences Corporation

(Name of Issuer)

Common stock, par value $0.01

(Title of Class of Securities)

 

 

30063P105

(CUSIP Number)

 

 

August 15, 2016

(Date of Event Which Requires Filing of
this Statement)

Check the following box to designate the rule pursuant to which
the Schedule is filed:

¨ Rule 13d-1(b)
x Rule 13d-1(c)
¨ Rule 13d-1(d)

*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a
reporting person’s initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment
containing information which would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page
shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”)
or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however,
see the Notes).

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Page 2 of 6 – SEC Filing

CUSIP No. 30063P105

1.

Names of Reporting Persons

I.R.S. Identification Nos. of above persons (entities only)

D. E. Shaw & Co., L.P.

13-3695715

2. Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions)
(a) ¨

(b)

¨
3.

SEC Use Only

4.

Citizenship or Place of Organization

Delaware

Number of

Shares

Beneficially

Owned by

Each

Reporting

Person With

5.

Sole Voting Power

-0-

6.

Shared Voting Power

5,437,812

7.

Sole Dispositive Power

-0-

8.

Shared Dispositive Power

5,440,212

9.

Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person

5,440,212

10.

Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain
Shares (See Instructions) ¨

11.

Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)

5.0%

12.

Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)

IA, PN

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Page 3 of 6 – SEC Filing

CUSIP No. 30063P105

1.

Names of Reporting Persons

I.R.S. Identification Nos. of above persons (entities only)

David E. Shaw

2. Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions)
(a) ¨

(b)

¨
3.

SEC Use Only

4.

Citizenship or Place of Organization

United States

Number of

Shares

Beneficially

Owned by

Each

Reporting

Person With

5.

Sole Voting Power

-0-

6.

Shared Voting Power

5,437,812

7.

Sole Dispositive Power

-0-

8.

Shared Dispositive Power

5,440,212

9.

Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person

5,440,212

10.

Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain
Shares (See Instructions) ¨

11.

Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)

5.0%

12.

Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)

IN

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Page 4 of 6 – SEC Filing

Item 1.
(a) Name of Issuer
Exact Sciences Corporation
(b) Address of Issuer’s Principal Executive Offices

441 Charmany Drive

Madison, WI 53719

Item 2.
(a) Name of Person Filing

D. E. Shaw & Co., L.P.

David E. Shaw

(b) Address of Principal Business Office or, if none, Residence

The business address for each
reporting person is:

1166 Avenue of the Americas,
9th Floor

New York, NY 10036

(c) Citizenship

D. E. Shaw & Co., L.P. is
a limited partnership organized under the laws of the state of Delaware.

David E. Shaw is a citizen of
the United States of America.

(d) Title of Class of Securities

Common stock, par value $0.01

(e) CUSIP Number

30063P105

Item 3.

If this statement is filed
pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b) or 13d-2(b) or (c), check whether the person filing is a:

Not Applicable

Item 4.

Ownership

As of August 15, 2016:

(a) Amount beneficially owned:

D. E. Shaw & Co., L.P.:

5,440,212 shares

This is composed of (i) 3,306,923 shares in the name of D. E. Shaw
Valence Portfolios, L.L.C., (ii) 2,069,789 shares in the name of D. E. Shaw Oculus Portfolios, L.L.C., and (iii) 63,500
shares under the management of D. E. Shaw Investment Management, L.L.C.

David E. Shaw:

5,440,212 shares

This is composed of (i) 3,306,923 shares in the name of D. E.
Shaw Valence Portfolios, L.L.C., (ii) 2,069,789 shares in the name of D. E. Shaw Oculus Portfolios, L.L.C., and (iii) 63,500 shares
under the management of D. E. Shaw Investment Management, L.L.C.

(b) Percent of class:
D. E. Shaw & Co., L.P.: 5.0%
David E. Shaw: 5.0%

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Page 5 of 6 – SEC Filing

(c) Number of shares to which the person has:
(i) Sole power to vote or to direct the vote:
D. E. Shaw & Co., L.P.: -0- shares
David E. Shaw: -0- shares   
(ii) Shared power to vote or to direct the vote:
D. E. Shaw & Co., L.P.: 5,437,812 shares     
David E. Shaw: 5,437,812 shares   
(iii) Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of:
D. E. Shaw & Co., L.P.: -0- shares   
David E. Shaw: -0- shares   
(iv) Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition
of:
D. E. Shaw & Co., L.P.: 5,440,212 shares   
David E. Shaw: 5,440,212 shares   

David E. Shaw does not own any shares directly. By virtue of
David E. Shaw’s position as President and sole shareholder of D. E. Shaw & Co., Inc., which is the general partner of
D. E. Shaw & Co., L.P., which in turn is the manager and investment adviser of D. E. Shaw Valence Portfolios, L.L.C., the investment
adviser of D. E. Shaw Oculus Portfolios, L.L.C., and the managing member of D. E. Shaw Investment Management, L.L.C., and by virtue
of David E. Shaw’s position as President and sole shareholder of D. E. Shaw & Co. II, Inc., which is the managing member
of D. E. Shaw & Co., L.L.C., which in turn is the manager of D. E. Shaw Oculus Portfolios, L.L.C., David E. Shaw
may be deemed to have the shared power to vote or direct the vote of 5,437,812 shares, and the shared power to dispose or direct
the disposition of 5,440,212 shares, the 5,440,212 shares as described above constituting 5.0% of the outstanding shares and, therefore,
David E. Shaw may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of such shares. David E. Shaw disclaims beneficial ownership of
such 5,440,212 shares.

Item 5. Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class

Not Applicable

Item 6. Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person.

Not Applicable

Item 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding Company or Control Person.

Not Applicable

Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members of the Group

Not Applicable

Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group

Not Applicable

Item 10. Certification

By signing below, each of D. E. Shaw & Co., L.P.
and David E. Shaw certify that, to the best of such reporting person’s knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above
were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of
the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having such purposes
or effect.

 

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Page 6 of 6 – SEC Filing

SIGNATURE

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of their knowledge
and belief, the undersigned certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct. A Power of
Attorney, dated December 16, 2014, granted by David E. Shaw in favor of Nathan Thomas, is attached hereto.

Dated: August 25, 2016

D. E. Shaw & Co., L.P.
By: /s/ Nathan Thomas
Nathan Thomas
Chief Compliance Officer
David E. Shaw
By: /s/ Nathan Thomas
Nathan Thomas
Attorney-in-Fact for David E. Shaw

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