Activist hedge funds play a large role in the modern marketplace - we can hardly go one day without hearing the phrases "strategic alternatives" or "maximize shareholder value" mentioned in 13D filings with the SEC! The sheer number of leveraged buyouts, private equity buyouts, corporate takeovers, proxy battles, restructurings, liquidations and other shareholder-led corporate activity has increased dramatically during the past few years and shows no signs of slowing. As a result, it is becoming increasingly important for individual investors to learn the many players involved with these types of deals in order to know how to react when their portfolio companies are affected by these groups.

The SEC Investor will begin profiling several hedge funds during the coming weeks in order to reveal who exactly is behind each funds, what types of investments they are involved with, and most importantly, where to find information about their investments and objectives within SEC filings. Armed with this information, investors can not only be more secure in their own investments, but also find new opportunities to quickly profit in today's market.

Here is a shortlist of the funds that we will be profiling:

• Appaloosa Management
• Bulldog Investors
• Cannell Capital
• Carlos Slim Helu
• Cevian Capital
• Children's Investment Fund Management
• ESL Partners (Mr. Lampert)
• Harold Simmons
• Icahn, CCI (Mr. Icahn)
  
• Liberation Investment Group
• Pardus Capital Management
• Perry Corp
• Pershing Square Capital Management
• Relational Investors
• Richard Blum
• Schultze Asset Management
• Steel Partners
• Third Point
• Tracinda Corp (Mr. Kerkorian)
• Trian Group

* Note that this list represents a mere fraction of the number of activist hedge funds in existence; however, these are the funds that typically target the largest companies (affecting the most shareholders).