Is Carl Icahn Secretly Net Short Apple? (AAPL)

has

told the press that he thinks

is "

." He recently purchased more shares of the stock, and is rumored to own

worth of Apple. Now he is expected to meet with Apple CEO Tim Cook on Monday, September 30 to

the company's buyback program. While this news has been getting a lot of attention in the press, Global Equities Research analyst Trip Chowdhry thinks that investors should turn their attention to other matters. "I think investors should not be focused on anything to do with Carl Icahn because there is no certainty that he is net long," Chowdhry told Benzinga. "There is the perception that he may be net short. He may own shares but he may also have a net short position." Chowdhry said that it is unusual for Apple to have a meeting with a major investor during its quiet period before earnings. "Why should we not be able to not call up Apple during the quiet period, whereas here they are having a special meeting during the quiet period?" Chowdhry questioned. "That is completely counter to Reg FD." Regulation FD (Full Disclosure) was

by the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 15, 2000. The rule was created to promote full and fair disclosure. Under Regulation FD, when an issuer discloses material non-public information to certain individuals or entities (analysts, select shareholders, etc.), the issuer

publicly disclose that information.

As of this writing, Icahn has not

confirming that he will meet with Tim Cook. But during the summer he

announce that he was planning a dinner with Cook in September.

Disclosure: