VENTURE CAPITAL POST

Activist investor Daniel Loeb said Fanuc Corp's plan to boost investments was not enough to fix its "blatant capital inefficiency", stepping up calls for the Japanese industrial robot maker to reward shareholders through major buybacks.

Top U.S. hedge fund management firms, including David Einhorn's Greenlight Capital and Philippe Laffont's Coatue Management, reduced their stakes in Apple Inc during the fourth quarter, ahead of the iPhone maker's strong rally in 2015, according to regulatory filings.

Amgen Inc (AMGN.O), one of the world's largest biotechnology companies, will unveil next week its first strategy update since early 2013, but few expect a major shift like the split-up recently proposed by Daniel Loeb's Third Point hedge fund.

German sportswear maker Adidas, facing investor discontent over its underperforming share price, announced on Wednesday plans to return to shareholders as much as 1.5 billion euros ($1.9 billion) over the next three years.

Activist investor Starboard Value LP said on Friday it has acquired a "significant" stake in Yahoo Inc YHOO.O and urged the Internet company to explore a merger with AOL Inc AOL.N.

With its 25.2% gain, activist investor Daniel Loeb's Third Point beat rivals in 2013, Reuters reported. Loeb's hedge fund stayed in line with the Standard & Poor's 500 Index which rose 29.6% in the same period.

Auction house Sotheby's named Tom Ford International Chairman and former Gucci head Domenico De Sole as its lead independent director amid criticism from activist investor Daniel Loeb.

Sony Entertainment sought the advice of consultancy firm Bain & Company to help identify more than USD100 million in cost cuts. The Japanese conglomerate reportedly suffered a USD181 million operating loss in the second quarter.

When companies see activist investors as a threat before, a Reuters article said companies are now treating these types of investors as a catalyst for corporate change.

Sotheby's would adopt its shareholders right plan after Daniel Loeb's Third Point hedge fund planned to increase its stake in the company and pushed to shakeup the company's management team, said a Reuters report.

Third Point announced they want to put up around US$322.20 million in its IPO to bolster its underwriting capacity.

Activist hedge fund Third Point LLC decided to sell back 40 million worth of shares to Yahoo Inc.

Yahoo has purchased 40 million shares owned by Third Point at US$29.11 per share.

Sony's Kazuo Hirai: His priority for the company would be consumer electronics.

Ceptaris Therapeutics, Inc has raised $10 million through a Series D-1 private placement of preferred stock.