Citing unnamed "trading sources," CNBC reported this afternoon that activist investor Carl Icahn -- who has been in the news quite a bit recently for his feud with Herbalife short Bill Ackman -- has amassed an ownership stake in computer giant Dell (DELL.DL). Buying close to 100 million shares of the stock, the report suggests that the legendary Wall Street financier could now own around 6% of the company.
Closing 1.8% higher after trading at a slight loss for most of the day, Dell has been the subject of much recent speculation regarding its future as a company. The PC maker already agreed in February to be taken private at the hands of its own founder and CEO, Michael Dell, for $13.65 per share. Today's closing price of $14.32 indicates that shareholders believe they can get a sweeter deal; reportedly, Icahn's preference is that the company leverages itself highly, and pays out a massive one-time dividend. The dividend sought by Icahn may even be as high as $9 per share.
