Exact Sciences Corp (EXAS) Stock: D E Shaw Slightly Lowers Its Stake

According to a recent 13G filing with the SEC, D E Shaw, founded by billionaire David E. Shaw, has slightly lowered its stake in Exact Sciences Corp (NASDAQ:EXAS), as it now holds 5.41 million common shares of the company, which account for 5% of its float. The current stake has been lowered from 5.44 million shares owned on August 15, which represented 5% of the company’s outstanding stock, as reported in the fund’s previous 13G filing on the company.

Exact Sciences is a molecular diagnostics company with a focus on the early detection and prevention of various types of cancer. Over the past 12 months, the company’s shares have increased by an eye-popping 129.09%. For the second quarter of 2016, Exact Sciences disclosed a loss per share of $0.46 and revenue of $21.19 million, both topping analysts’ estimates, which had called for a loss per share of $0.55 and revenue of $18.54 million.

D. E. Shaw

The number of hedge funds long Exact Sciences (NASDAQ:EXAS) stood at 16 at the end of June among those in our database, same as a quarter earlier. Some of the bullish investors included Mark Coe’s Coe Capital Management, which held a position worth $829.17 million, Spencer M. Waxman’s Shannon River Fund Management, with a position valued at $14.09 million, Steve Cohen’s Point72 Asset Management, Charles Paquelet’s Skylands Capital, and Ken Griffin’s Citadel Investment Group.

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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 5,402,130 0 5,410,030 5,410,030 5.0%
David E. Shaw 0 5,402,130 0 5,410,030 5,410,030 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)

 

 

September 27, 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

5,402,130

7.

Sole Dispositive Power

-0-

8.

Shared Dispositive Power

5,410,030

9.

Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person

5,410,030

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

5,402,130

7.

Sole Dispositive Power

-0-

8.

Shared Dispositive Power

5,410,030

9.

Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person

5,410,030

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 September 27, 2016:

(a) Amount beneficially owned:

D. E. Shaw & Co., L.P.:

5,410,030 shares

This is composed of (i) 3,130,570 shares in the name of D. E. Shaw
Valence Portfolios, L.L.C., (ii) 57,100 shares that D. E. Shaw Valence Portfolios, L.L.C. has the right to acquire through the
exercise of listed call options, (iii) 2,162,850 shares in the name of D. E. Shaw Oculus Portfolios, L.L.C., (iv) 26
shares in the name of D. E. Shaw Asymptote Portfolios, L.L.C., and (v) 59,484 shares under the management of D. E. Shaw
Investment Management, L.L.C.

David E. Shaw:

5,410,030 shares

This is composed of (i) 3,130,570 shares in the name of D. E.
Shaw Valence Portfolios, L.L.C., (ii) 57,100 shares that D. E. Shaw Valence Portfolios, L.L.C. has the right to acquire through
the exercise of listed call options, (iii) 2,162,850 shares in the name of D. E. Shaw Oculus Portfolios, L.L.C., (iv) 26 shares
in the name of D. E. Shaw Asymptote Portfolios, L.L.C., and (v) 59,484 shares under the management of D. E. Shaw Investment Management,
L.L.C.

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Page 5 of 6 – SEC Filing

(b) Percent of class:
D. E. Shaw & Co., L.P.: 5.0%
David E. Shaw: 5.0%
(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.: 5,402,130 shares     
David E. Shaw: 5,402,130 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.: 5,410,030 shares   
David E. Shaw: 5,410,030 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 (i) D. E. Shaw Investment Management, L.L.C. and (ii)
D. E. Shaw Advisor, L.L.C., which in turn is the investment adviser of D. E. Shaw Asymptote Portfolios, 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. and the managing
member of D. E. Shaw Manager, L.L.C., which in turn is the manager of D. E. Shaw Asymptote Portfolios, L.L.C., David E. Shaw may
be deemed to have the shared power to vote or direct the vote of 5,402,130 shares, and the shared power to dispose or direct the
disposition of 5,410,030 shares, the 5,410,030 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 5,410,030 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: October 7, 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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