MedImmune Inc. (NDAQ:MEDI) shares moved up $4.75, or 12.55%, to $42.59 after the company announced that they hired Goldman Sachs to explore strategic alternatives. The company noted that indications of interest by major pharmaceutical companies, coupled with recent expressions by certain stockholders of dissatisfaction with the company's short-term stock price performance, have led to the board to authorize management to gather information regarding a possible strategic interest in acquiring the company. This dissatisfaction was expressed by 1.2% holder Carl Icahn who holds almost 2.8 million shares in the company. The move again demonstrates the increasing power that activist shareholders can have in unlocking value within a company! Investors should also watch MEDI closely as any buyout would likely come at a healthy premium!

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