NEW YORK- influential hedge fund manager David Einhorn called on Chief Executive Steve Ballmer of Microsoft to resign, while the famous short-seller Jim Chanos threw cold water on replacement during the annual energy companies Ira Sohn investment research Conference on Wednesday.
Ballmer, who succeeded co-founder Bill Gates in 2000, is "stuck in the past" and has become the largest overhang on Microsoft stock, said Einhorn, that accesses the fame to perform a prescient call on disorders of accounting of Lehman Brothers' before the collapse of the company.
Following his comments, Microsoft Corp shares traded as high as $24,40 after normal hours, 0.86% higher than the closure Wednesday of $24.19. Einhorn of Greenlight Capital holds approximately 9 million Microsoft shares or 0.11% of the outstanding shares of the company, according to Thomson Reuters data.
In another top of conference time, Jim Chanos recommended investors short business energy solar and wind power as first solar Inc. and Vestas Wind Systems.
In a presentation that prompted rare laughter of the audience, he acknowledged that his idea of the investment would disappoint "greenies" and the ruling elites.
Below is a compilation of ideas floated major investment at the Conference:
JIM CHANOS, KYNIKOS ASSOCIATES
IDEA: manufacturer of wind turbines put short Vestas and first solar solar company.
Milkfish stated why he thinks that renewables are not the panacea and do not create jobs administration Obama predicted - a contrarian idea to many investors.
Some analysts are skeptical that Vestas, which posted a loss in the first quarter, will meet its forecasts due to weak demand in the United States and sales of all of Europe.
Vestas said last October, it would cut 3,000 jobs and close five plants. Its shares fell 45% in the past year and are down approximately 12% through 2011.
Vestas shares, which are traded on the stock exchange Copenhagen, closed to 154.60 DKr before milkfish comments. The actions of the first solar 2.64% Wednesday.
DAVID EINHORN, GREENLIGHT CAPITAL
IDEA: buy Dutch insurer Delta Lloyd NV
Einhorn also sent higher Microsoft stock after normal business hours after he recommended the company's Board to replace its Chief Executive Steve Ballmer. "His presence is the largest overhang on Microsoft stock," said Einhorn. He particularly criticized Microsoft, saying research enterprise: it is time that the company considers strategic options in this area.
BILL ACKMAN, PERSHING SQUARE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT
IDEA: buy Family Dollar Stores Inc.
Ackman said Family Dollar, which has more than 6,880 discount stores in 44 U.S. States has succeeded in reducing the gap with its main competitor, which should translate into "outperformance very useful" for the company.
He also said that the company could become an interesting target for debt.
Shares of Dollar of the family, which closed Wednesday at $54.82, increased by 1.4 percent in comments of after hours following commercial Ackman.
DINAKAR SINGH, AXON TPG CAPITAL
IDEA: buy Sprint Nextel and Orkla Asa.
Singh said the Sprint Nextel are cheap and sees a head of 40 to 70% for them. He said that much investment in society is underway, he believes that the Government is "designed to ensure that sprint remains a viable competitor" after the merger between AT & T and T-Mobile.
Shares of sprint closed 0.51% greater than $5.87.
It is also positive about the Group Norwegian conglomerate Orkla, whose line of product lines from food metals.
PHILIP FALCONE, HARBINGER CAPITAL PARTNERS
IDEA: buy Crosstex Energy
The actions of the pipeline operator rose by 11.3% to close to $10.16 after Falcone said they could rise to $ $18-20.
Falcone, the Harbinger capital which has approximately 9.8% of Crosstex, expects earnings of the company before interests, taxes and amortization to climb to at least $ 230 million this year of $ 182 million in 2010.
He also said he expects the company to Lightsquared wireless broadband to make public in the future.
BOB HOWARD, KKR & CO
IDEA: buy WABCO Holdings Inc. and HSN Inc..
WABCO Holdings shares, a provider of security and control of commercial vehicle systems, enriched by more than 3 percent after Howard said that they are worth almost $100. They close 3.12% higher to $68.
Shares of HSN, a teleshopping and e-commerce operator, ended 5.14% higher at $32.71 following his comments.
JEFF ARONSON, CENTERBRIDGE PARTNERS
IDEA: buy CIT Group Inc.
12 Billion in cash, the business lender company led by former Merrill Lynch Director General John Train could buy traditional bank or become a target of acquisition, says Aronson, citing HSBC and Wells Fargo as "logical purchasers."
CIT shares closed 1.9 percent higher at $41.64.
STEVE EISMAN, FRONTPOINT FINANCIAL SERVICES
IDEA: buy stocks of property-casualty, insurance brokers and major reinsurers.
ACTIVIST INVESTOR CARL ICAHN
Connected Icahn Icahn Enterprises LP. The billionaire investor says he would like to keep taking more companies and it would have a user-friendly manner.
(Reported by Svea Herbst-Bayliss and Matthew Goldstein, compiled by Walter Brandimarte; editing by Matthew Lewis and Andre Grenon)