5-13-08 In a 13D filing on MSC.Software (Nasdaq: MSCS), Elliott Associates, L.P. disclosed a 5.5% stake (2,477,465 shares) in the company. (9.2% collectively with Elliott, Elliott International and EICA). Elliott Associates has communicated to the company their belief that they should consider exploring strategic alternatives, including a sale. MSC.Software Corporation and its subsidiaries engage in the development, marketing, and support of simulation software and related services. Elliott Associates is a $9.8 billion New York-based hedge fund founded by Paul Singer. The fund has beaten the S&P 500 for 30 years.

5-07-08 In an amended 13D filing (#4) earlier today on Motorola (NYSE: MOT), Carl Icahn disclosed he raised his stake in the company to 7.6%, or 172,176,804 shares. This is up from the 6.4% stake (144,562,000 share) Icahn disclosed in a past filing. In April, MOT entered into an agreement with Icahn to avoid a proxy fight. Under the agreement William R. Hambrecht, founder, chairman and chief executive officer of WR Hambrecht + Co. and co-founder of Hambrecht & Quist, and Keith Meister, a managing director of the Icahn investment funds and principal executive officer of Icahn Enterprises, will be nominated for election to Motorola's Board of Directors at the 2008 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and included in the Company's 2008 proxy statement. In addition, Mr. Meister has been appointed to serve on the Board, effective immediately.

5-05-08 In a 13D filing on Symmetry Medical, Inc. (NYSE: SMA), Blum Capital disclosed an 8.6% stake (3,059,404 shares) in the company. The firm held 1,659,404 shares at the quarter ended 12/31/07. In a pretty standard disclosure, Blum Capital did not make any direct requests on Symmetry Medical, but said they will monitor their investment and may enter discussions with management, the Board of Directors or others. Blum may discuss ideas that, if effected may result in any of the following: the acquisition by persons of additional Common Stock of the Issuer, an extraordinary corporate transaction involving the Issuer, and/or changes in the board of directors or management of the Issuer. Blum Capital Partners is a $2.8 billion investment firm based in San Francisco. The firm makes strategic block and control investments in public and private transactions. The firm's investment strategy combines the private equity process applied to the public markets along with an ability to play a constructive and active role in unlocking value from portfolio companies through the implementation of financial, operational and governance initiatives.

4-28-08 In a 13D filing after the close Friday on Applied Biosystems (NYSE: ABI), Steven Cohen's SAC Capital disclosed a 5.1% stake (8,604,018 shares) in the company. SAC showd a 222,357 share stake at the quarter ended 12/31/07. In the filing, SAC disclosed that in March 2008 they sent a letter to the company's non-management directors expressing its continued support for the separation of the company's Celera Group. SAC also encouraged the Board of Directors to take action to ensure that (1) excess costs associated with the Applera parent company and the Norwalk, Connecticut headquarters are eliminated instead of being absorbed by the Issuer's Applied Biosystems Group, (2) the Issuer's current Chairman and Chief Executive Officer ceases to be an officer or director of the Applied Biosystems Group, and (3) all strategic alternatives are fully explored, including the sale of the Applied Biosystems Group. In the filing, SAC also noted that in July 2007 they notified the company that they intended to nominate certain individuals to the board of directors. SAC and the company reached an agreement, and the company agreed to include Dr. Mardis in its slate of nominees to stand for election at the 2007 annual meeting. SAC also said they have not determined whether to seek to nominate individuals to stand for election to the company's Board of Directors at the 2008 annual meeting of stockholders, but reserve the right to do so. SAC paid approximately $276.2 million for the position, or about $32 per share (current price of $30.24).