Carl Icahn on Friday known as Illumina’s first-quarter outcomes “very disappointing” and slammed the DNA sequencing firm’s new plans to chop prices. 

The activist investor, who owns a 1.4% stake in Illumina, is in a heated proxy battle with the corporate over its 2021 acquisition of most cancers check developer Grail.

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Icahn and Illumina have been buying and selling jabs for greater than a month. 

Icahn is searching for seats on Illumina’s board of administrators and pushing the corporate to unwind the Grail acquisition. He’s additionally calling for the San Diego-based firm to oust CEO Francis deSouza “instantly.”

Illumina on Tuesday reported quarterly income and earnings that topped Wall Road’s expectations.

However the firm additionally posted internet earnings of $3 million for the quarter, which was down greater than 96% from the $86 million it raked in throughout the identical interval a yr in the past. 

In an open letter Friday to Illumina shareholders, Icahn accused deSouza of “desperately, hilariously and, most of all, unsuccessfully” making an attempt to spin the “decidedly mediocre” quarterly outcomes throughout a press tour this week.

Icahn pointed to deSouza’s interview on CNBC’s “Squawk Field” on Wednesday, when the CEO touted robust demand for Illumina’s diagnostic testing companies.  

“Illumina CEO Francis deSouza appears to consider that he can idiot all the folks all the time,” Icahn wrote. 

“These not expert in deciphering doublespeak would possibly really get the impression that Illumina was doing effectively!” he added.

Icahn additionally mentioned that the value of Illumina shares fell the extra its CEO throughout this week, “clearly signaling dissatisfaction with the earnings report and dissatisfaction with Mr. deSouza’s clear try to put lipstick on a pig.” 

Illumina’s inventory is down greater than 10% for the reason that firm reported earnings. Shares closed largely flat Friday after Icahn launched his letter.

In that missive, Icahn additionally took photographs at cost-cutting plans Illumina unveiled to enhance its shrinking margins. He known as these measures “imprecise” and “terribly unambitious.”

The corporate on Tuesday mentioned it should allow unnamed “actions” in less expensive areas of the world and can use its new NovaSeq X sequencing system to speed up genomic discoveries, amongst different efforts. 

These plans will assist Illumina attain its adjusted working margin targets of 24% in 2024 and 27% in 2025, the corporate mentioned in its earnings launch. 

Icahn known as these margin targets “lower than modest.” And he argued that they may “take years to comprehend, if they’re achieved in any respect.” 

The corporate has projected an estimated 22% working margin for 2023, down from the 23.8% it reported in 2022.

Illumina reported a adverse working margin of 5.7% for the quarter, down from 15% throughout the identical interval a yr in the past. The corporate’s gross margins for the interval fell to 60.3%, down from 66.6% within the first quarter of 2022.

Illumina didn’t instantly reply to a request for touch upon Icahn’s letter.

Elsewhere in his letter, Icahn slammed deSouza’s constructive remarks this week about Illumina’s $7.1 billion acquisition of Grail.

DeSouza had informed CNBC the deal “is smart” as a result of Illumina can considerably increase the marketplace for Grail’s early screening check for several types of most cancers.

The CEO additionally touted Grail’s 100% income development throughout the quarter in contrast with the identical interval a yr in the past. 

However Icahn mentioned the deSouza failed to inform the general public about an opinion issued earlier this month by the Federal Commerce Fee, which mentioned that the deal would stifle competitors and innovation. 

The FTC additionally ordered Illumina to divest itself of the acquisition over these issues. 

The European Fee, the manager physique of the European Union, additionally blocked the deal final yr over comparable issues.   

Illumina is interesting each orders and expects closing choices in late 2023 or early 2024.

Final week, a U.S. federal appeals courtroom mentioned that it should fast-track its evaluation of Illumina’s problem of the FTC order.

Icahn’s resistance to the acquisition stems from Illumina’s resolution to shut the deal with out getting approval from these antitrust regulators.

Earlier this month he strongly criticized Illumina and its administration for finalizing the “reckless deal,” calling it “a brand new low in company governance.” 

Illumina has urged shareholders to reject Icahn’s three board nominees throughout its annual shareholder assembly scheduled for Could 25.