Activist Takes 1.5% Stake In Bank Of New York Mellon Corp

Bank of New York Mellon Corp BK spiked briefly Thursday on news that an activist hedge fund took a 1.5 percent stake during the recent quarter.

Richard T. McGuire III's Marcato Capital Management L.P., acquired 17.76 million of the bank's 1.13 billion shares, according to the fund's Form 13F regulatory filing Thursday.

The investment was acquired for $688.1 million, but its dwarfed by the $1.05 billion held by Nelson Peltz's Trian Fund Management LP and disclosed in June.

Peltz, whose investment equaled a 2.5 percent stake in the bank, may demand the spin-off Bank of New York's asset management business, according to a rumor reported last month by Fox Business News.

Peltz is noted recently for his activist stakes in snack makers Mondelēz International, Inc. and PepsiCo, Inc.

Bank of New York traded recently at $39.35, down about 1 percent. Earlier Thursday, it spiked to $39.79.