Four Stocks That Have Investors Buzzing Today

Valeant Pharmaceuticals Intl Inc (NYSE:VRX) is determined not to give in to the panic that ensued after the stock plummeted and is set to offer more shares and cash to employees in order to avoid an exodus of key figures. The company had been using stock to compensate its employees, but the recent crash in its stock price has seen the value of the remuneration decrease drastically. Compensation packages for some employees have already been boosted and the company plans to extend the incentives to a larger number of its employees. “In the U.S., definitely there has been some anxiety. Through this turmoil, we definitely don’t want to see an exodus,” said Laurie Little, head of investor relations. The news has had a positive impact on the stock, currently up by roughly 8%.

Although the number of elite funds holding Valeant Pharmaceuticals Intl Inc (NYSE:VRX) at the end of September decreased to 88 from 98 that held it at the end of the second quarter, the stock has remained in the top 25 stocks that hedge funds are betting heavily on. Bill Ackman and Jeffrey Ubben have fought the urge to cut losses and kept their holdings intact during the third quarter. Stephen Mandel, on the other hand, used the opportunity to buy the stock on the cheap, boosting his investment by 40% to 7.46 million shares valued at $1.33 billion.

Keurig Green Mountain Inc (NASDAQ:GMCR)’s stock has been hit by a caffeine rush this morning, rising by nearly 25% after a better-than-expected earnings report. The specialty coffee maker posted a profit of $94.6 million, which translates into $0.61 per share. When adjusted for asset impairment and non-recurring costs, earnings stand at $0.85 per share, beating the Street’s expectations of $0.70 per share. Revenues came in at $1.04 billion, above estimates of $1.02 billion. The good news didn’t stop there, as Keurig’s management announced a 13% increase to its annual dividend, to $1.30 per share.

Hedge funds have drastically reduced their presence as shareholders of Keurig Green Mountain Inc (NASDAQ:GMCR), with only 16 funds having reported a long position in the stock at the end of the third quarter, down from 29 at the end of June. Their combined investments account for just 5.8% of the company’s outstanding stock. Ricky Sandler is still bullish on Keurig Green Mountain, having further increased his investment during the third quarter. His fund, Eminence Capital, holds 3.72 million shares, up by 244% from the end of June.

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