Financial software firm BILL jumps after FT report on activist Elliott's stake

** Shares of financial automation software company BILL Holdings BILL.N jump 4.7% to $53.31 in extended trading

** Activist hedge fund Elliott Management has built at least a 5% stake in the company, Financial Times reported, citing two people familiar with the matter

** FT report follows a Reuters report last week, which stated that activist investor Starboard Value had acquired an 8% stake in BILL

** Elliott's investment predates Starboard's going public with its stake, FT added

** BILL, which has a market value of nearly $5.1 billion, has seen its stock price decline by nearly half from January highs

** Twelve of 25 brokerages rate the stock "buy" or higher and 13 rate "hold"; with a median PT of $55, according to data compiled by LSEG

** Including session moves, BILL shares down ~40% YTD