Hedge Fund and Insider Trading News: Paul Singer, Leon Cooperman, Citadel, S&W Seed Company (SANW), Mastercard Inc (MA), and More

Elliott and Mediapro Discussed Italian Soccer-Rights Deal (Bloomberg)
Paul Singer’s Elliott Management Corp. and Mediapro have discussed the possibility of the U.S. hedge fund backing the Spanish TV and film producer’s investment in broadcast rights to Italy’s top soccer league, according to people familiar with the matter. Officials for New York-based Elliott met Mediapro head and co-founder Jaume Roures twice this month in Milan, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the talks are private. The discussions are preliminary and may not lead to a deal, the people added. The fund’s eventual role could be to provide financing, they said. One person said Elliott has decided not to move ahead for now.

Leon Cooperman: Two Changes that Could Help Fix What is Wrong with Our Regulatory Process (CNBC)
First and foremost, I am neither soliciting, nor deserve, anyone’s pity. I have lived and prospered from the American Dream. A first-generation American, I was raised in a South Bronx walk-up by my Polish immigrant parents, attended New York City public schools through college, and graduated from Columbia Business School in 1967 with a negative net worth and a young child at home. I rose through the ranks at Goldman, Sachs & Co., which I left in late 1991 to launch Omega Advisors, Inc., the hedge fund firm where I, together with 32 colleagues, still work.

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Exclusive: Citadel Securities Ups ETF Game as Part of Growth Push (Reuters)
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Citadel Securities LLC has entered the lead market making business with a small list of exchange-traded funds, and is doubling down on hiring and analytics in 2018 to keep an edge over rival electronic trading firms, according to sources and an internal memo. A bout of volatility early this year after a two-year lull fueled record trading revenue for the privately held firm in February. Chief Executive Peng Zhao told employees in an early March memo seen by Reuters that Citadel plans to focus on adding expertise in existing and new businesses including ETFs, arbitrage, options, fixed income, currencies and commodities and low-latency trading. Founded in 2002 by Ken Griffin, who also runs $27 billion hedge fund Citadel, the Chicago-based firm trades around one-fifth of U.S. equity options and ETF volume, and has more than 500 institutional clients in fixed income, currencies and commodities.

How this Business Owner Landed a Job at Berkshire Hathaway from Warren Buffett’s Famous Charity Lunch (CNBC)
For nearly 20 years, as a fundraiser for anti-poverty non-profit The Glide Foundation, billionaire and investing legend Warren Buffett has been auctioning off a lunch date with himself. The bids for breaking bread with Buffett have soared in price: Last year’s winner shelled out $2,679,001. In total, the coveted meals have raised over $26 million for the organization and given Buffett disciples the chance to glean wisdom from the 87-year-old over a steak, an order of hash browns and a cherry coke. But for one former Virginia hedge-fund manager, winning the auction proved much more valuable than just scoring a chance to exchange ideas with Buffett.

Insider Buying: S&w Seed (NASDAQ:SANW) Insider Acquires 132,000 Shares of Stock (RegistrarJournal.com)
S&W Seed Company (NASDAQ:SANW) insider Mfp Partners Lp acquired 132,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 11th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $3.49 per share, with a total value of $460,680.00. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC.

Insider Selling: Mastercard (NYSE:MA) Insider Sells 17,496 Shares of Stock (MaconDaily.com)
Mastercard Inc (NYSE:MA) Director Jay S. Nydick acquired 15,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 10th. The stock was bought at an average price of $17.94 per share, with a total value of $269,100.00. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC.

Insider Selling: Spectrum Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:SPPI) Director Sells 24,014 Shares of Stock (WeekHerald)
Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:SPPI) Director Rajesh C. Md Shrotriya sold 24,014 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $18.38, for a total transaction of $441,377.32. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 200,652 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,687,983.76. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website.

Insider Buying: Extreme Networks (NASDAQ:EXTR) Director Purchases 20,000 Shares of Stock (MaconDaily.com)
Extreme Networks, Inc (NASDAQ:EXTR) Director John C. Shoemaker acquired 20,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, May 11th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $8.40 per share, with a total value of $168,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 62,920 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $528,528. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Insider Buying: Safety (NYSE:SAFE) Director Purchases 15,000 Shares of Stock (RegistrarJournal.com)
Safety Income & Growth Inc (NYSE:SAFE) Director Jay S. Nydick acquired 15,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 10th. The stock was bought at an average price of $17.94 per share, with a total value of $269,100.00. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC.