Ancora Holdings Group, with $10 billion in assets, reported acquiring a 0.18% stake in the Pittsburgh company. It said Monday that U.S. Steel CEO David Burritt and the company’s board have prioritized a sale to Nippon because they stand to receive more than $100 million if it goes forward.

Activist investor Ancora Holdings is waging a proxy battle at U.S. Steel and wants the company to turn the page from its failed marriage with Nippon Steel. Ancora unveiled a plan that would rally shareholders around a plan to oust U.

Activist investor Ancora has nominated nine candidates to U.S. Steel's board of directors, as it looks to oust company CEO David Burritt and push the American steelmaker to back out of a $14.9 billion merger deal with Japan's Nippon Steel.