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Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN) represented Viking’s Global’s largest position, the investor holding 8.29 million shares of the company valued at $1.53 billion at the end of 2014. The stock, however, hasn’t performed as well as others during the first three months, appreciating by 0.6%. Mr. Halvorsen initiated a stake in Illumina during the fourth quarter of 2013 and the stock has returned over 70% since the beginning of last year. Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN) is a $28 billion company that is engaged in array-based solutions for genetic analysis, with applications in DNA exploration, as well as the development of maps of gene variations. Viking owns the largest stake in Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN) among the funds that we track, followed by Samuel Isaly‘s Orbimed Advisors, which owns 1.48 million shares as of the end of 2014.
In the pharmaceutical retailer Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (NASDAQ:WBA), Viking disclosed a $1.44 billion position that contains 18.93 million shares. The stock of Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (NASDAQ:WBA) returned 11.6% during the first quarter, fueled by strong financial results reported for the first time since Walgreens merged with Alliance Boots. The company has also maintained its guidance for the current year and investors like the benefits that arise from the combination of both companies. Overall 70 funds reported long positions in Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (NASDAQ:WBA) in the previous round of 13F filings, including Barry Rosenstein’s JANA Partners, John Griffin’s Blue Ridge Capital, and Stephen Mandel’s Lone Pine Capital.
Valeant Pharmaceuticals Intl Inc (NYSE:VRX) posted the most impressive returns among Viking’s largest picks, jumping by 38% during the January-March period, mainly on the back of the acquisition of Salix Pharmaceuticals. The fund also benefited from the merger by holding a long position in Salix at the end of 2014, that stock jumping by 50% before the completion of the merger. Valeant Pharmaceuticals Intl Inc (NYSE:VRX) is also one of Mr. Halvorsen’s long-term investments, Viking holding shares of the company for more than two years. At the end of last year, Viking owned 9.08 million shares of Valeant Pharmaceuticals Intl Inc (NYSE:VRX) valued at $1.30 billion, trailing Jeff Ubben’s ValueAct Capital, which owns 19.38 million shares and Bill Ackman’s Pershing Square, which disclosed a new stake in Valeant Pharmaceuticals Intl Inc (NYSE:VRX) with 19.47 million shares at the end of March.
Disclosure: None
