Carl Icahn and son say Apple will still introduce TV, car: CNBC

(Reuters) - Billionaire activist investor Carl Icahn and Brett Icahn, his son and portfolio manager, on Tuesday stuck to their views that Apple Inc would introduce a television set and a car. The elder Icahn, in an interview with cable business channel CNBC, also said his disagreement with the technology giant was over the company not doing bigger share buybacks. "I believe they will do a TV," Icahn said, added that "the one thing that I disagree with the company on is not buying a great deal more stock." Brett Icahn said: "We believe they're going to do a car." Carl Icahn owned about 53 million Apple shares at the end of the first quarter, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. In an open letter to Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook on his website on Monday, Icahn said Apple should be trading at $240, nearly double its current price, and he believed the company was poised to enter the television market by 2016 and the automobile market by 2020. The Wall Street Journal, citing sources familiar with the matter, reported Monday that Apple had scrapped plans to introduce an ultra-high-definition television set more than a year ago. Icahn portfolio manager David Schechter said: "It is dangerous to assume that they’re not going to introduce new products in new categories in the future." Icahn, who has pushed Apple to boost buybacks since announcing his stake in the company in August 2013, said his prodding had helped the company. Apple boosted its repurchase programme in April to $140 billion from $90 billion announced last year. "I think I helped the company, I think I did, and I think few could deny that some of my influence, maybe some, helped them to buy more stock, and that’s all I’m trying to do again," Icahn said. Apple shares added 0.4 percent at $130.67. Icahn also said ride-sharing firm Lyft Inc was "growing in a compelling way" and that, if rival Uber was worth $50 billion, Lyft was worth far more than $2 billion. He said his Lyft investment of $100 million was "risky." Icahn also said the failed proxy battle by Nelson Peltz of Trian Fund Management against U.S. chemical conglomerate DuPont was a "shame," and proof "the system is dysfunctional." Icahn was not immediately available for comment. (Reporting by Sam Forgione in New York; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)