Carl Icahn

Carl Icahn, the renowned investor and business magnate, was born in 1234.

Carl Celian Icahn, an American businessman, investor, and philanthropist, was born in Brooklyn to an Ashkenazi Jewish family.

Carl Icahn graduated from Princeton University with an A.B. in philosophy in 1957 after completing a senior thesis titled 'The Problem of Formulating an Adequate Explication of the Empiricist Criterion of Meaning.'

In 1961, Carl Icahn established his own brokerage firm, Icahn and Company, using a $400,000 loan from his uncle.

In 1979, Carl Icahn achieved his first victory at the Tappan Company by winning a seat on the board and orchestrating the sale of the kitchen stove maker, resulting in a $3 million profit.

In 1984, Carl Icahn got involved in the battle between Pennzoil and Texaco over Getty Oil. He accumulated more than 13% of Texaco's stock but failed to take control of the board. However, he profited when the dispute was resolved, leading to an increase in Texaco's share price and bringing Icahn a significant financial gain.

In 1985, Carl Icahn acquired control of Trans World Airlines (TWA), a company previously owned by Howard Hughes. He then initiated a series of strategic moves to expand the airline's operations.

In October 1986, Carl Icahn launched an unsuccessful $8 billion hostile takeover bid for 89% of U.S. Steel, which was later dropped in January 1987.

In 1988, Carl Icahn orchestrated a $650 million stock-buyback plan to take TWA private, allowing him to recoup most of his initial investment but burdening the company with significant debt.

In June 1989, Carl Icahn sold his stake in Texaco for $2 billion, making a profit of $700 million, marking the largest share sale on the New York Stock Exchange at that time.

In 1991, Carl Icahn successfully influenced USX to spin off its steelmaking operations and concentrate on the petroleum business through Marathon Oil by utilizing his strategy of buying a significant amount of shares and nominating his own directors.

Following TWA's bankruptcy filing in 1992, Carl Icahn departed from the company in 1993, ending his tenure marked by controversial decisions and financial challenges.

In June 1997, Carl Icahn took control of Marvel Comics in a rivalry with Ronald Perelman.

In 2004, Carl Icahn began raising $3 billion to establish Icahn Partners, a hedge fund, and acquired ownership stakes in Blockbuster Video and Time Warner.

In 2005, XO Communications announced the sale of its wired business for $700 million to Icahn. The transaction aimed to pay off debts and repurchase preferred stock from Icahn, who would then own the wired business outright while retaining a 60% stake in XO.

In August 2006, Icahn purchased stock in Take-Two Interactive, a video game publisher. Over the next few years, he increased his holdings to 11.3%, making him the company's second-largest shareholder.

On February 9, 2007, Lear Corporation's board of directors approved a $2.3 billion takeover bid from Icahn, solidifying his acquisition of the company.

In March 2008, Carl Icahn sued Motorola in an attempt to gain four seats on the board and push for the sale of its mobile business.

In May 2008, Carl Icahn bought a significant amount of shares in Yahoo! and threatened a proxy fight to remove the board after they rejected a bid from Microsoft.

In October 2009, Carl Icahn resigned from the board of directors at Yahoo! and reduced his equity stake significantly by the following February.

In February 2010, Carl Icahn, through a subsidiary of his Icahn Enterprises LP, acquired the Fontainebleau Las Vegas for about $150 million.

In March 2010, Carl Icahn was part of a group of lenders who purchased Tropicana Casino & Resort Atlantic City, bringing the company out of bankruptcy for $200 million.

In May 2010, Carl Icahn announced the purchase of an 8.54% stake in Lawson Software.

In July 2010, Carl Icahn increased his stake in Mentor Graphics from 6.9% to 14% despite the company's failed retaliation with a shareholder rights plan.

In January 2011, Carl Icahn offered to buy Clorox for $10.2 billion and by February he had accumulated a 9.08% stake in the company.

In February 2011, Carl Icahn made an unsuccessful offer to buy Mentor Graphics for about $1.86 billion in cash.

In March 2011, Carl Icahn conducted a failed takeover bid for Lionsgate Films.

In October 2012, Carl Icahn reported a 10% stake in Netflix.

In November 2012, Carl Icahn tried to gain control of the board of directors of Oshkosh Corporation.

Carl Icahn, a rival of Bill Ackman, intervened in the situation by supporting Herbalife, causing the company's shares to increase in value after the initial drop triggered by Ackman's accusations.

In 2013, Carl Icahn filed a lawsuit against Dell, aiming to obstruct a takeover offer led by CEO Michael Dell.

On May 15, 2015, Carl Icahn invested $100 million in Lyft, a popular ride-sharing service, showing his interest in the tech and transportation industry.

On December 21, 2016, Carl Icahn was appointed as the Special Advisor to the President on Regulatory Reform by President Donald Trump, showcasing his influence in political circles.

An open letter criticizing Dell's offer to buy DVMT shares at a 42% discount, urging shareholders to reject the offer.

In May 2020, Carl Icahn sold his entire 39% stake in Hertz Global for 72 cents a share, resulting in a substantial loss of almost $2 billion on the investment.

Carl Icahn has urged McDonald's to require all pork suppliers to stop using crates within certain deadlines. McDonald's believes this request goes against industry standards and could impact their ability to offer quality products at affordable prices.

In February 2022, Carl Icahn, holding 200 shares of the company, nominated two people for election to McDonald's board of directors, potentially initiating a proxy fight to pressure McDonald's to improve conditions of pigs raised by its suppliers.

In April 2022, Carl Icahn accused a company of not fulfilling its promise to stop using cruel gestation crates in its supply chain. He urged McDonald's shareholders, especially ESG-focused asset managers, to support his board nominees.

In May 2022, only 1% of McDonald's shareholders voted in favor of nominees put forward by Icahn, leading to a victory against his demands for improving pig-raising conditions. McDonald's stated that they were already moving towards a more humane approach since 2012, deeming Icahn's demands unreasonable.

In May 2023, Hindenburg Research released an analysis claiming that Icahn Enterprises was over-valued due to large dividends funded by new investors. The analysis also highlighted Icahn's loans against his holdings, leading to a 20% drop in Icahn Enterprises' share price.

As of August 2023, Carl Icahn's net worth is reported to be $7.8 billion. This showcases his continued success and financial growth over the years.