Today's Finance Pulse
Autodesk to acquire MaintainX for $3.6B, expanding into operations software
Autodesk announced a $3.6 billion purchase of MaintainX, a leader in operational‑phase software for the built environment. The deal extends Autodesk’s portfolio from design and manufacturing into ongoing building operation, creating an end‑to‑end data loop. CEO Andrew Anagnost said the acquisition unlocks a $40 billion total addressable market.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Pemberton Asset Management closes $3.7B fourth vintage fund
Aon Advises on Pension Risk Settlement for Mouchel Business Services Scheme
Aon acted as lead adviser on a risk‑settlement transaction for the Mouchel Business Services Money Purchase scheme, protecting the retirement benefits of its 220 members. The scheme combined a defined contribution plan with a defined benefit underpin, creating insurance‑coverage challenges that required benefit reshaping. A partnership with Just Group and the Smart Pension Master Trust will deliver a fully administered solution, while members were offered independent financial advice throughout the process. The deal demonstrates an innovative approach to insuring complex hybrid pension arrangements.
Hedge Fund Rubric Capital Warns of ‘Enron-Like’ Accounting Risks in Private Credit
Rubric Capital, a $3 billion hedge fund, warned that certain business development companies are temporarily shifting debt off their balance sheets at quarter‑end, making leverage appear lower than it truly is. The firm described the practice as “Enron‑like” accounting, using short‑term...
PayPal, Rainforest Join Forces
PayPal announced a partnership with Atlanta‑based Rainforest to embed PayPal, Venmo and buy‑now‑pay‑later services directly into Rainforest’s software platform. The integration is designed to accelerate merchant payouts, cut late‑payment incidents and shift transaction volume away from cash and checks. Rainforest,...
Why the Concern over Capital Flows
The Reserve Bank of India introduced tighter rules on external commercial borrowings to curb volatility in the capital account, even as the current account remains stable. While gross foreign direct investment (FDI) has averaged $78 billion annually, equity repatriation has surged,...
Has the Market Misjudged Relx?
Relx’s shares have slumped about 40% over the past year as investors worry about new AI competition from Anthropic. The company, however, retains a unique advantage through its massive, meticulously curated legal and scientific data sets, especially within LexisNexis, which...
Businesses Anticipate Obstacles Ahead: Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada’s Q1 2026 Business Conditions survey shows 59.2% of firms expect cost‑related obstacles, down slightly from Q4 2025, while optimism rises to 73.1% for the next year. Inflation remains the top concern, cited by 40.8% of businesses, especially in...
On the Move: CRI Launches Capital Markets Practice
Carr, Riggs & Ingram (CRI) announced the launch of a dedicated capital‑markets practice focused on IPO readiness, SEC reporting, PCAOB‑compliant audits, and private‑equity accounting for small‑cap and middle‑market firms. Brent Leslie was named partner‑in‑charge, with Michael Corkery, Elizabeth Marks and...
Private Credit BDCs Plunge From Premium to Deep Discount
In just 12 months, private credit went from red hot to ice cold One year ago, the average BDC traded at a +6.2% premium to NAV Now, the average BDC trades at nearly a -20% discount to NAV, a level only exceeded...
OpenAI Poised for $10 B Infusion, $850 B Valuation
As noted in Axios Pro Rata: OpenAI expected to add another $10 billion to the round, which would bring it to $120b at an $850b post-money valuation. Would be from sovereigns and other fin investors (including existings). https://t.co/xDMSkiZRiR
Marqeta Flags Cash App Hit
Marqeta warned that Block’s revised Cash App pricing will compress its 2026 earnings, projecting a modest $10 million net income – the first profit since 2024. Block now represents about 45% of Marqeta’s revenue after falling from 68% in 2023, and the...
Audit Committees Rethink Risk Oversight: Governing Amid Uncertainty with an Opportunity Focus
Audit committees are shifting from periodic risk updates to a portfolio‑driven, scenario‑based oversight model that ties risk directly to strategy. Boards are intensifying focus on AI and cyber risk, with AI disclosures nearly tripling and 48% of Fortune 100 firms assigning...
National Pizza Chain Closing Hundreds of Locations After Brutal Drop in Sales
Papa John’s announced plans to shutter roughly 300 underperforming U.S. restaurants by the end of 2027, with about 200 closures slated for this year. The move follows a 5.4% drop in same‑store sales across North America and a broader flat‑lining...
NetApp Q3 FY2026 Earnings Summary
NetApp reported third‑quarter FY2026 net revenues of $1.71 billion, a 4% year‑over‑year increase, and posted record non‑GAAP earnings per share of $2.12. Billings rose 10% to $1.89 billion, driven by an 11% jump in all‑flash array revenue to $1 billion. The Hybrid Cloud...
One Month in, Can Honduras’ New President Put the Country on the Path to Lasting Economic Gains?
Honduras’ new president Nasry Asfura has launched a suite of early reforms focused on fiscal austerity, expanding the Temporary Import Regime and re‑joining the World Bank’s ICSID to boost investor confidence. His administration secured a meeting with former President Donald...
High Liner Foods Reports Financial Results for Q4 and 2025
High Liner Foods reported Q4 2025 and full‑year 2025 results ending January 3 2026. Sales grew 15% in the quarter to $270.2 million and 7% for the year to $1.03 billion, while volume increased modestly. Adjusted EBITDA fell 19% in Q4 and 11% year‑over‑year,...
Deal Masks Circular Financing, Smells Like Ponzi
It’s not actual cash raised, this deal adds to the thicket of circular financing from the biggest companies in the worlds. A whiff of Ponzi.
AWU by Salesforce: A Shiny New Metric that Tells CIOs Little of Value
Salesforce introduced the Agentic Work Unit (AWU) metric on its earnings call, positioning it as a way for CIOs to quantify the output of AI‑driven agents. The metric pairs the number of discrete actions performed with token consumption to suggest...
It's Not a People Problem Anymore
Accounting firms have long grappled with a talent pipeline that can’t keep up with demand, turning the shortage of CPAs into a strategic crisis. The industry is shifting its perspective from a pure "people problem" to a broader capacity challenge,...
The ERC Trap: Closed Claims and Ticking Clocks
The IRS announced it closed all non‑examined Employee Retention Credit (ERC) claims on Dec. 31, 2025, yet roughly 41,000 claims remain in examination or appeal stages, many stalled without resolution. Appeals is severely backlogged, and the two‑year statutory deadline to sue for...
AICPA Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Updates to Attestation Standards
The AICPA Auditing Standards Board has opened a public comment period on an exposure draft that updates attestation standards and introduces new sections for sustainability reporting. The draft adds AT‑C 325 and AT‑C 330 to cover examinations and reviews of...
The Compliance Illusion: Why Passing an Audit Doesn’t Mean You’re Secure
PayPal’s Working Capital loan system exposed personal data for six months despite holding PCI‑DSS, SOC 2, and ISO 27001 certifications. The breach underscores that passing audits confirms controls at a point in time, not continuous security resilience. Author Dharmesh Acharya argues compliance...
Tax Season Ramps up with Client Questions, Capacity Issues
Tax season 2024 is seeing a surge in early client inquiries as new legislation, notably the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), reshapes deductions and credits. Preparers are intensifying outreach through blogs, webinars, and newsletters to clarify misconceptions, yet many clients still repeat...
Earnings Summary: Highlights of Calumet’s (CLMT) Q4 2025 Earnings Report
Calumet Inc. posted fourth‑quarter fiscal 2025 sales of $1.04 billion, a 9% increase over the same period last year. The company narrowed its net loss to $37.3 million, or $0.43 per share, compared with a $40.7 million loss a year earlier. Adjusted EBITDA...
SeaWorld, Busch Gardens Report Lower Attendance, Revenue in Q4 and Full-Year Results
United Parks & Resorts, operator of SeaWorld and Busch Gardens, reported declines in both attendance and revenue for fiscal 2025. Full‑year attendance slipped 1.8% to 21.2 million guests, while revenue fell 3.6% to $1.7 billion and net income dropped 26% to $168.4 million....
Global Stocks: Barclays Shares Fall as Collapse of UK Specialist Mortgage Lender Revives Wider Worries
Barclays shares slipped 1.6% after reports it faces roughly £600 million exposure to the collapsed UK specialist mortgage lender Market Financial Solutions (MFS). The fallout also highlighted potential losses for Santander and Jefferies, underscoring broader concerns about the fast‑growing private‑credit market....
Braddick to Take the Helm at the UK’s Banking Watchdog
Katharine Braddick has been appointed Deputy Governor for Prudential Regulation and Chief Executive of the PRA, effective 1 July, for a five‑year term. She moves from Barclays, where she served as Group Head of Strategic Policy, bringing rare private‑sector banking experience...
Il Makiage Owner Oddity Tech Shares Plummet Despite ‘Record’ 2025 Performance
Oddity Tech posted a record 2025, with revenue climbing 25% to $810 million and adjusted EBITDA reaching $163 million, driven by Il Makiage, SpoiledChild and the new MethodIQ launch. The fourth quarter saw revenue up 24% to $153 million and gross profit rising 20%,...
Banks Need to Rethink How They Train Staff to Fight Financial Crime
Banks are confronting a financial‑crime threat that evolves faster than their compliance training cycles. The profession suffers from a thin talent pipeline, with most hires arriving mid‑career and no standardized academic path. Current training is static, annual, and siloed, while...
GIFT City’s First-Ever IPO to Open on March 6
XED Executive Development Ltd is launching the International Financial Services Centre’s first equity IPO from GIFT City, opening on March 6 and closing on March 18. The $12 million, dollar‑denominated offering will list on NSE International Exchange and India‑INX, with a price band...
Add Inventory to Valuation only if Working Capital Requires It
When valuing a business using a cashflow multiple (SDE or EBITDA), do you ADD inventory on top of that price? Answer: Sometimes yes. Sometimes no. It depends on how the working capital actually functions.
Banks Need to Choose Carefully Between Public and Private Blockchains
Stellar’s CEO warns banks that choosing between private and public blockchain infrastructures will create lasting path dependencies. With the tokenized real‑world‑asset market valued around $33 billion, banks are already piloting blockchain‑based settlement and fund tokenization. The article outlines three critical questions—who...
Exclusive: Astorg’s Mid-Cap Co-Head Edouard Pillot to Leave Firm
Astorg announced that Edouard Pillot, co‑head of its mid‑cap private‑equity team, will depart the firm. Lionel de Posson, Pillot’s fellow co‑head, will assume sole leadership of the mid‑cap unit. The change follows an internal restructuring aimed at streamlining decision‑making. Astorg...
Fat Brands Says that Bond Investors Knew What They Were Getting Into
Fat Brands, the parent of Fazoli's and 15 other restaurant chains, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January 2024. Lenders have pushed for a court‑appointed trustee, alleging CEO Andy Wiederhorn misused company funds for personal loans, bonuses, and an unauthorized stock...
PE Eyes Growth in Hospice Care Platforms: 5 Deals
Private equity firms are intensifying focus on hospice care platforms, with five notable deals reported this quarter. Kinderhook, Renovus and Revelstoke are among the investors leading the charge, targeting fragmented providers to build scalable platforms. The surge reflects broader demographic...
Apollo Marks Down Credit Fund as Loan Stress Emerges
Apollo Global Management has taken a significant write‑down on its flagship credit fund as loan‑level stress surfaces across its portfolio. The move mirrors similar distress signals from KKR’s FSK fund and Blackstone’s private‑credit vehicle, which also marked down troubled loans....
BrightSpring Health Services, Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Financial Results and Provides Full Year 2026 Guidance
BrightSpring Health Services reported a strong fourth‑quarter and full‑year 2025, with net revenue climbing 28% to $12.9 billion and adjusted EBITDA rising 34% to $618 million. The company turned a net loss in 2024 into a $104.8 million profit for the year and...
Northam Starts Initial Work on Zondereinde Expansion
Northam Platinum has approved a R500 million capital programme to widen an existing exploratory hole at its Zondereinde mine, creating an option to boost PGM output beyond 400,000 ounces per year. The reamed shaft will reach 1.4 km depth, a technical challenge...
Capital Markets as Pillar for Vietnam S Double Digit Growth
Vietnam aims double‑digit economic growth, but banks face loan‑to‑deposit caps and high debt ratios, limiting credit expansion. Capital markets are positioned to provide long‑term funding, improve transparency, and diversify financing sources. By the end of 2025 the stock market topped...
Nurminen Logistics Reports a Financially Robust 2025 Despite Weak Markets
Nurminen Logistics posted a solid 2025 despite weak macro conditions, growing net sales 4.4% to €109.4 million and delivering €18.3 million comparable EBITA. Rail became the engine of growth, with sales climbing to €78.2 million and representing 71.5% of group revenue after the...
AI Panic Hits Wall Street: 3 Financial Stocks on Sale
Wall Street experienced a sharp AI‑related sell‑off after Altruist unveiled its Hazel tax‑planning tool and a speculative Citrini Research report warned of a 2028 intelligence crisis. The panic erased roughly $300 billion in equity value, hitting major financial names such as...
Treasury Adapts as AI and Tariffs Reshape Supply Chains
Treasury teams are confronting a new era where AI, blockchain and tariff volatility are reshaping supply‑chain finance. A Citi Institute report finds 36% of large corporates now use AI in trade, with 72% seeking working‑capital gains and liquidity release. Tariff...
Understanding the Regulatory Change of Updates to Individual Income Tax Withholding System in China
On January 23, 2026 China’s State Taxation Administration rolled out an update to the Golden Tax III Individual Income Tax Withholding System. The revision optimizes calculation rules, most notably the method for computing cumulative standard deductions on comprehensive income. Although the agency has...
KKR’s FSK Fund Sees Spike in Troubled Loans
KKR’s publicly traded credit vehicle, FS KKR Capital Corp, dropped 15% after reporting a surge in troubled loans and a cut to its dividend. The $13 billion portfolio, dominated by private‑equity‑backed mid‑market loans, is seeing rising defaults and mark‑to‑market losses, especially...
Cars24 Reports 10% Revenue Decline in FY25; Losses Rise Marginally
Cars24 India posted a 10% drop in gross revenue to Rs 6,233 crore for FY25, following a 25% growth surge in FY24. The decline was driven by an 11% fall in auction and retail sales, while net losses widened 9% to Rs 543 crore....
The Uranium Deal 10 Years in the Making (Brandon Munro)
In this episode, host Jonas interviews uranium expert Brandon Munro about Bannerman Resources' landmark deal with China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), which sees CNNC acquire a 43% stake in the Etango uranium project in Namibia. Munro explains the decade‑long journey,...
Bank of Baroda to Raise up to ₹10,000 Cr via Green Infra Bonds on March 4
State‑owned Bank of Baroda announced a green infrastructure bond issue of up to ₹10,000 crore, with a base size of ₹5,000 crore and a green‑shoe option for an additional ₹5,000 crore. The seven‑year bonds will mature on March 5 2033 and are rated AAA with...
New Start for Comptoir Des Cotonniers and Princesse tam.tam in France
The Paris Commercial Court has approved the final relaunch of Fast Retailing France, the owner of Comptoir des Cotonniers and Princesse tam.tam, ending its insolvency proceedings. The company will operate a two‑brand model designed to generate greater synergy between the labels....
Payroll Gaps Exposed as Firms Face Compliance Crunch
Payroll teams claim readiness for the UK’s Joint and Several Liability reforms, yet a Finity survey reveals significant gaps in data visibility and system capability. The new rules, effective April, give HMRC broader authority to hold multiple parties in labour...