Larger corporations targeted by activists who seek to pressure companies to divest divisions or sell themselves often seek to make big transformative acquisitions as a poison pill on the insurgent fund's efforts to have them broken up. It is very possible that the private activist agitations was a key contributor, pushing United Technologies CEO Gregory Hayes to buy the cockpit gear maker. In addition, activists also often target companies that have rejected acquisition offers, based on the prospect that such a rejection may have raised the ire of shareholders at the target company. Last year, Hayes successfully defended UTX against a $90 billion hostile takeover offer by Honeywell International Inc. (HON). More of What's Trending on TheStreet : Stick with TheStreet for updated storm coverage as Hurricane Irma moves the market: At the time, the company suggested that a United-Honeywell combination would not pass antitrust muster.