* New holdings also include Alcon, Intercontinental Exchange ( ICE )

and S&P Global ( SPGI )

* Ackman says shares were acquired from second quarter for

funds including Pershing Square USA ( PSUS )

* Believes new additions are set for strong growth

By Svea Herbst-Bayliss

NEW YORK, Aug 13 (Reuters) - Bill Ackman unveiled six new

holdings, including Netflix ( NFLX ), Visa and Mastercard ( MA )

, marking the billionaire investor's biggest portfolio

overhaul in years.

Ackman said on Thursday he acquired shares starting in the

second quarter that will be held in his investment funds,

including his newest offering Pershing Square USA ( PSUS ),

which was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in April.

Along with Netflix ( NFLX ), which Ackman held briefly in 2022 before

selling at a loss, his funds are also investing in eye care firm

Alcon, exchange operator Intercontinental Exchange ( ICE )

and financial data provider S&P Global ( SPGI ).

Ackman said he believes the firms' earnings are poised for

strong growth, which he views as the greatest driver of

investment value over time.

Shares of the firms were mostly higher on Thursday morning on a

broad up day for U.S. stocks. Netflix ( NFLX ) rose 3.3%, S&P Global ( SPGI )

added 1.1% and others were mostly modestly higher. Pershing

Square USA ( PSUS ) shares were up 1.7% following the investment

disclosures and second-quarter earnings released on Wednesday

evening.

Ackman, whose stock picks are closely tracked by professional

investors and his 2.7 million followers on social media platform

X, added Microsoft to the portfolio this year after its stock

price dropped following an earnings report, arguing that the

software company would rebound when investors acknowledged its

investments in AI. Microsoft has since bounced back, thanks in

part to outsize gains following its latest earnings report.

RECENT CHALLENGES

The new additions mark the biggest overhaul in years for

Ackman's portfolio, which traditionally owns no more than a

dozen companies.

Ackman's funds have performed strongly over the long haul but

have faced challenges recently. Through July, Pershing Square

USA ( PSUS ) was down 3.5% for the year and London-listed Pershing Square

Holdings was down 9.2%, compared with a 10% gain for

the S&P 500 total return index, which includes dividends.

In addition to Microsoft, Ackman's portfolio includes Uber

Technologies, Meta Platforms, Amazon.com, Fannie Mae and Freddie

Mac, among others.

Ackman was slated to discuss the investments on an analyst

call later on Thursday.

On Friday, the new names will likely show up in 13F filings,

required by the Securities and Exchange Commission of fund

managers with ownership stakes in U.S. companies at the end of

the previous quarter. The reports are closely tracked by

investors for hints on trends.

This has been a busy year for Ackman. The fund manager

listed both his hedge fund and his new stock-picking fund

Pershing Square USA ( PSUS ) on the New York Stock Exchange, exited his

estimated $1.5 billion position in Universal Music Group after

the company that represents Taylor Swift and Bad Bunny rejected

his $65 billion takeover bid -- and turned 60 years old.

While Ackman began as one of Wall Street's most vocal

activists, pushing for improved performance at companies ranging

from Canadian Pacific Railway to Chipotle Mexican Grill, he

prefers to be known as a value investor who has good ideas that

corporate management teams want to hear about.

Four years ago Ackman said he was retiring his noisy tactics

and adopting a quieter approach, characterized by cordial

interactions with management teams.