Larry Robbins closed out the 2017 Sohn Conference with stock picks on companies he said have benefited from deal-making in a tough environment.
His three picks: DXC, FMC and Quintiles IMS Holdings.
The head of Glenview Capital Management said a number of stocks have been held in limbo over the past several years as they were stuck in the middle of deals that weren't getting completed.
His picks Monday differed from his preference for beaten-down shares in that all have rallied lately, but he thinks they can go even higher.
"A lot of stocks were left for dead because they were in regulatory purgatory," Robbins said. "Even though deals get blocked sometimes, they come back in different form."
While the stocks look expensive by some metrics, Robbins is focused on the companies' ability to grow through synergies created in their mergers.
He singled out the management team of DXC, which used to be CSC. FMC has been involved in deals with Dow and DuPont, while the IMS-Quintiles deal happened about a year ago.
"Leadership matters. First, we've got to invest in the right company," he said. "It's always good to know that you're betting on winners."
More from the Sohn Conference:
Jeff Gundlach makes bets against U.S. stocks, for emerging markets
