Fursa Alternative Strategies sent a letter to ASM's board outlining a new business plan for the semiconductor-equipment maker and reiterating its desire to discuss possibilities to enhance shareholder value. If discussions with the board do not progress within a reasonable time, Fursa said it would consider other ways to make necessary changes, including an exchange offer for the company. Fursa owns 5,568,396 common shares (10.3% of the total outstanding).

A group including Monarch Activist Partners wants the communications transmission company to "amicably resolve" Discovery Equity Partners' request to appoint two nominees to its board. In mid-February, Discovery said it wanted to nominate candidates for election to the board at the 2008 annual meeting. Monarch said the nominees, Daniel Donoghue and Michael Murphy, would support the exploration of strategic alternatives. Monarch said that if the "process is open and fair, the board and shareholders can only gain by appointing Discovery's nominees." The Monarch group holds less than a 5% stake in Radyne.

nominated five candidates for election to the company's 12-person board at the 2008 annual meeting and made a shareholder proposal to remove each member of the board other than the five he nominated. Wattles said he nominated the slate after being rebuffed in attempts to meet with Circuit City executives, whom he criticized for worsening the company's financial picture. He said executives have "lost the faith" of employees and investors, and says an election of his slate would help lead to a new management team.

OSS Capital Management will nominate three candidates for election to the board at the 2008 annual meeting after composite material company indicated it would consider only one of its nominees. OSS Capital said it had no alternative but to proceed with a proxy contest to elect all three of its nominees. OSS Capital, which has been pushing Hexcel to explore strategic alternatives, said the appointment of only one of its nominees wouldn't provide sufficient change in the board. OSS Capital currently has 5,285,900 shares (5%).

Investor Lawrence Seidman filed a lawsuit against Massbank over its board election. Seidman, who has nominated himself and two other candidates for election to the board, said the company attempted to "impede an open and fair election." Seidman, who runs Seidman and Associates, is an activist investor in small regional banking companies. Seidman owns 319,814 shares (7.54%).

SCSF Equities has made a "non-binding proposal" to acquire all the furniture company's shares for a "substantial premium" to its recent stock price of $10.18 a share. SCSF said its "strong preference" is to retain management under the private-equity firm's ownership, "although the proposal is not contingent or predicated on management's participation." SCSF didn't detail the exact terms of the proposal, but said it is interested in acquiring the company for cash. SCSF has 4.58 million shares (9.45%).

Bel Fuse (BELFB) reported ownership of 4.37 million shares (5%) in the power conversion and management company. It bought them from Feb. 8 to 22 at $2.19 to $2.50 each.

GungHo Online Entertainment said it held 3,640,619 shares (52.4%), following a purchase agreement on Feb. 13 at the equivalent of $2.56 a share.