Today's Finance Pulse
Buy‑Side Commercial Due Diligence Gains Spotlight as Buyers Seek Holistic Insights
Buy‑side commercial due diligence is a multi‑disciplinary evaluation that goes beyond financial statements to assess market dynamics, customer relationships, operational capabilities and regulatory compliance before an acquisition. The process follows five stages, starting with target screening, to deliver a realistic view of future performance.
Also developing:
10 Things About Berkshire Hathaway's 10-Q
Berkshire Hathaway closed Q1 2026 with a staggering $380.2 billion cash reserve, largely parked in Treasury bills. The conglomerate’s share repurchase program stalled after an initial $235 million buyback, leaving total buybacks for the quarter minimal. Its equity portfolio sits at $288 billion, with the five largest holdings accounting for 61% of value, while operating earnings rose 7.2% year‑over‑year to $11.3 billion after foreign‑exchange adjustments. Insurance underwriting generated $1.7 billion profit and float expanded to $176.9 billion, underscoring Berkshire’s capital‑intensive yet resilient business model.
Mundane Businesses Can Become Multi‑billion Roll‑up Successes
Did you know that Chicago accountant Larry Gies bought his first company by maxing out 10 credit cards and borrowing $50,000 from a high school friend? He eventually built Madison Industries into a platform generating more than $5B in revenue by...
The Man Who Put a Big Smile on Johann Rupert’s Face
Vodacom paid R12.642 billion for a 30% stake in Maziv, the fibre‑to‑home and fibre‑to‑site leader owned by Remgro’s CIVH. The transaction generated R6.282 billion of goodwill, effectively paying twice the fair value of Maziv’s identifiable net assets. Maziv, which includes Vumatel, Herotel...
Celestica: Fiscal 1Q26 Financial Results
Celestica reported Q1 2026 revenue of $4.05 billion, up 53% year‑over‑year and 11% quarter‑over‑quarter. GAAP earnings per share climbed to $1.83, while non‑GAAP adjusted EPS rose to $2.16, reflecting an adjusted operating margin of 8.0%, a new company high. The firm...
Acquisition Breaks the Revenue Ceiling and Expands Growth
the single unit ceiling is real: – revenue plateaus at a point – growth requires more personal effort – margins face consistent pressure – exit options remain limited acquisition is one way to address the ceiling structurally
Where International Finance Meets Development: The Role of Currency Risk
Currency volatility in African markets is reshaping development outcomes by dictating who can access capital and on what terms. Firms in shallow financial systems must choose between expensive foreign‑currency loans or scarce local‑currency financing, while households face higher remittance costs...
As Payment Partnerships Proliferate, Here's How Bank Risks Are Changing
Banks are deepening partnerships with fintechs for payments, buy‑now/pay‑later, international transfers, stablecoins and other crypto services, but regulators are tightening oversight. A 2024 Alloy report shows 80% of sponsor banks struggle with compliance and 39% incurred losses of $250,000 or...
Columbia University, Moving Past Trump Administration Attacks, Sells Bonds
Columbia University is launching a $487 million bond program, split into a $200 million taxable series maturing in 2031‑33 and a $286.9 million tax‑exempt revenue series funding capital projects. The bonds are underwritten by Goldman Sachs, BofA Securities and J.P. Morgan, and the university...
World’s Best Banks: Asia-Pacific
The 2025 Asia‑Pacific banking review highlights a split in net interest margins as central banks diverged in policy. Japan’s rate hikes boosted NIMs, enabling MUFG to post a 30% profit surge to about $12 billion, while China’s cuts drove NIMs to...
SEC Audit Oversight Push Renews Questions for Enron-Era Watchdog
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission announced plans to create a specialized unit staffed with additional auditors to hunt down audit lapses, a move framed as a response to “fundamental” failures in financial reporting. The initiative revives debate over the...
Diversify via Acquisition to Spread Business Risks
the consequence of staying at one business: – one income stream – one bad year from real trouble – one buyer at exit – modest multiple – their terms acquisition distributes every one of those risks
Advisors Say More Clients Are Seeking to 'Headline-Proof' Their Portfolios
Wealth‑management advisors report a surge in client requests for "news‑proof" portfolios that can weather daily headline turbulence without prompting emotional trades. Advisors like Rex Berger are deploying option collars, private‑market allocations, and structured products to create buffers and reduce mark‑to‑market...
OpenAI's Internal Share Sale Minted Roughly 75 Multimillionaires Who Each Cashed Out the $30 Million Cap
OpenAI completed a $6.6 billion internal share sale in October 2025, allowing more than 600 current and former employees to cash out. About 75 participants each hit the $30 million cap, turning them into multimillionaires. The per‑person limit was tripled from $10 million at...
Compliance Frameworks Miss Invisible Forces, but They Matter the Most
Strategic consultant Sean Blair argues that most compliance frameworks focus on visible rules while ignoring the invisible forces—mental models, cultural pressures, and reward structures—that truly drive employee behavior. He illustrates how rapid growth can create hidden incentives that undermine safety...
Moody’s Cuts Wabash Rating Third Time in a Year, Execs Eye ‘27 Rebound
Moody’s cut Wabash National’s corporate family rating to B3 on May 5, marking the third downgrade within a year and placing the trailer maker six notches below investment‑grade. The downgrade follows a steep decline in trailer shipments—5,378 units in Q1 2026 versus...
Henkel’s Q1 2026 Group Sales Declined as M&A Activity Impacts Bottom Line
Henkel’s Q1 2026 group sales dropped 5.5% to about $5.3 bn, hit by a 5.2% foreign‑exchange drag and the accounting impact of recent acquisitions. The €1.6 bn (≈$1.74 bn) purchases of Olaplex and Not Your Mother’s lowered headline sales but added premium hair‑care...
World’s Best Banks 2026: Central & Eastern Europe
In 2025 Central and Eastern European (CEE) banks posted stronger fortunes despite war in Ukraine, a fragile euro‑zone recovery and falling rates, with larger institutions better weathering the environment. State‑driven bank taxes, especially in Hungary, could shave roughly 8% off...
Cura Wealth Advisors Sells $3 Million of Blackstone Mortgage Trust Amid Office‑Space Stress
Chicago‑based Cura Wealth Advisors disclosed a $2.99 million sale of 155,210 Blackstone Mortgage Trust shares, reducing its stake to 0.28% of assets. The move reflects growing caution over office‑linked commercial real‑estate risk, a theme echoed by a simultaneous $4 million trim of...
Tesla Beats Rivian on Margins but Rivian’s R2 Sparks Growth‑Stock Debate
Tesla’s first‑quarter earnings showed a 52% jump in adjusted EPS and a margin rebound, while the company announced a $25 bn capital‑expenditure plan for 2026. Rivian reported a modest revenue rise but a widening loss and a higher‑priced R2 SUV, leaving...
Solo 401(k) Auto‑Enrollment Credit Can Add Up to $1,500 to Small‑Biz Retirement Funds
Solo 401(k) sponsors can now claim a $500 annual tax credit for adding an Eligible Automatic Contribution Arrangement (EACA) to their plans, totaling $1,500 over three years. The credit, created by SECURE 2.0 and effective Jan. 1, 2025, targets one‑person and spouse‑run businesses...
Paramount‑Warner $111 B Merger Stumbles Amid Trump‑Era Political Allegations and Hollywood Protest
Paramount Global's $111 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery is under fire after a legal filing alleges the company promised former President Donald Trump editorial cuts at CNN for regulatory leniency. Simultaneously, actor Mark Ruffalo leads a 4,000‑plus artist campaign demanding...
Lime Files for $2 Billion IPO, Facing $846 Million Debt Cliff
Lime Inc. filed an S‑1 on May 8, 2026, targeting a roughly $2 billion valuation on Nasdaq. The filing reveals $1 billion in current liabilities, with $846 million due within a year, forcing the company to seek public‑market capital. The move revives a high‑profile...
Emaar Properties Posts 23% Revenue Rise, Hotel Segment Drives Q1 Growth
Emaar Properties PJSC announced a 23% increase in first‑quarter revenue to AED 12.4 billion ($3.4 billion) and a 16% rise in property sales, helped by solid performance in its hospitality portfolio. The results underscore robust demand for hotels and real‑estate in Dubai...
KIC Ventures CFO Aditya Humad Steps Down to Lead Investment Strategy and Capital Formation
KIC announced that Aditya Humad will relinquish his President and CFO duties at KIC Ventures effective immediately, shifting his focus to investment strategy, capital formation and artificial‑intelligence projects at the parent firm. The move follows a 15‑year tenure during which...
Lotte Chemical Posts Q1 Profit as Sales Rise 1.8%
Lotte Chemical Corp. reported a net attributable profit of KRW 49.59 billion in Q1 2026, reversing a KRW 190.83 billion loss from a year earlier. Sales climbed 1.8% to KRW 4.99 trillion and the shares jumped 6.6% on the Korea Stock Exchange.
Diageo Commits €400 Million to Expand Kildare Brewery, Boosting Irish Beer Output
Diageo announced a €400 million (about $430 million) investment to build a second brewery at its Littleconnell site in County Kildare. The expansion, unveiled by CEO Sir Dave Lewis and Taoiseach Micheál Martin, will double the plant’s capacity and underlines the company’s growth...
China's CPI Jumps to 1.2% in April, Fueling Yuan Weakness
China's National Bureau of Statistics reported that consumer price inflation accelerated to 1.2% in April, outpacing expectations and pushing factory‑gate inflation to a 45‑month high. The data has heightened market worries that the People's Bank of China may tighten policy,...
Wells Fargo Raises CoreWeave Price Target to $155 on $100B AI Backlog
Wells Fargo analyst Michael Turrin lifted CoreWeave's price target to $155 from $135, citing a $99.4 billion revenue backlog and expanding hyperscale capacity. The move follows the AI‑infrastructure firm’s Q1 revenue beat but a softer Q2 outlook, highlighting the market’s focus...
Amazon Prepares Its First Swiss Franc Bond in Six-Part AI-Capex Push
Amazon is preparing its first Swiss franc bond issuance, a six‑tranche program spanning 3‑ to 25‑year maturities, marking its entry into the CHF market. The move follows a broader multi‑currency funding push, after a $37 bn dollar bond and €14.5 bn euro...
Musashino Bank Posts 17% Earnings Rise, Revenue Up 25% in FY2025
Musashino Bank Ltd announced full‑year net earnings of ¥15.412 billion, a 17% increase from the prior year, while revenue climbed 25.7% to ¥105.684 billion. The results highlight robust growth in both retail and commercial banking segments amid a tightening Japanese deposit market.
Minnesota Attorney General Sues Nonprofit Over $6.5 Million Fraud
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison filed a civil lawsuit accusing the violence‑prevention charity We Push for Peace and its former leaders of diverting $6.5 million in charitable funds to personal luxuries, a private liquor store and bogus for‑profit entities. The complaint...
Digital Gold and Silver Players Form Self Regulatory Body DPMACI
India’s digital precious‑metals market has launched a self‑regulatory council, the Digital Precious Metals Assurance Council of India (DPMACI). The body brings together nine leading players such as MMTC‑PAMP, SafeGold, PhonePe and CRED to set common governance, audit and custody standards....
Daiichi Sankyo Forecasts $1.7B Net Income on Surge in Enhertu, Datroway Sales
Japanese drugmaker Daiichi Sankyo said it expects a net income of about ¥260 billion ($1.7 billion) for the year ending March 2027, driven by higher sales of its oncology drugs Enhertu and Datroway. The outlook reflects a broader shift in cancer‑treatment markets, where...
Esk Secures £2.6m to Accelerate Its Live Entertainment Business
Edinburgh‑based entertainment‑tech firm Esk has closed a £2.6 million (≈$3.3 million) funding round led by Maven Capital Partners and backed by the British Business Bank’s Investment Fund for Scotland. The capital will be used to scale its international business development, marketing, and...
Devsisters Reports Q1 Loss of ₩17.4 Billion, Announces Company-Wide Voluntary Retirement Program
South Korean mobile game maker Devsisters reported a Q1 2026 revenue of $45 million, a 34% year‑over‑year decline, and posted an operating loss of $13.4 million. The loss was driven by weaker performance of the CookieRun: Kingdom 5th‑anniversary update and higher investment...
Capital B Raises $17.8M to Expand Its Bitcoin Treasury
Capital B, a France‑listed Bitcoin treasury firm, secured €15.2 million ($17.8 million) from strategic investors such as Blockstream CEO Adam Back and asset manager TOBAM. The private placement includes four warrants per share at $0.78, giving the company the option to raise...
InsideArbitrage Event Driven Monitor – May 11, 2026
The May 11 InsideArbitrage roundup highlights several high‑profile merger arbitrage moves, including Two Harbors raising its cash offer to $12 per share for CrossCountry Mortgage and SkyWater shareholders approving a merger with quantum‑computing firm IonQ. Deal completions this week feature General...
New Points Test Expected for Australia PR in Budget 2026–27
The Australian federal budget for 2026‑27, to be delivered on 12 May 2026, is expected to overhaul the skilled‑migration points test used for permanent residency. Recent migration reviews have highlighted a gap between the current points allocation and productivity goals, prompting the...
Burberry Bets on British Heritage and Gen Z as Turnaround to Be Scrutinised
Burberry is leaning into its British heritage and Gen Z shoppers through the "Burberry Forward" plan, which includes up to 1,700 job cuts and a target of £100 million ($127 million) in annual savings by 2027. The luxury label expects FY revenue...
Why the New York Fed Created a ‘Department of Doubt’
The New York Federal Reserve created an internal Applied Critical Thinking (ACT) unit, dubbed the “Department of Doubt,” to inject systematic skepticism into its policy‑making process. Led by Meg McConnell, the team runs black‑swans simulations, documents forecasts, and forces staff to consider...
Why Inherent Risk Assessment Is Now a Strategic Tool
Financial crime risk managers are shifting inherent risk assessment from a compliance checkbox to a strategic intelligence function. Arctic Intelligence notes that evolving customer behavior, rapid fintech product cycles, and volatile geopolitics have made exposure highly contextual. Firms now need...
How to Fix AML Over-Classification in Your Firm
Muinmos and FAI Comply hosted a Compliance Café Connect session that highlighted the growing problem of AML over‑classification, where many clients are labeled high‑risk by default. The discussion, led by Muinmos CEO Remonda Kirketerp‑Møller, argued that static, periodic risk reviews...
Amazon Prepares to Sell First Swiss Franc Bond in AI Push
Amazon.com Inc. is set to launch its first-ever bond offering denominated in Swiss francs. The company has hired BNP Paribas, Deutsche Bank and JPMorgan Chase to manage a six‑part issuance covering maturities from three to 25 years. The proceeds are expected to...
Grainger Extends £540m of Core Bank Facilities to 2033
Grainger, a UK real‑estate investment trust, has extended its core bank facilities by £540 million (approximately $686 million) to 2033. The extension lifts the weighted‑average facility maturity to 4.6 years, including optional extensions that further lengthen the debt horizon. By securing longer‑term financing,...
Return on Independence: The New ROI for Modern CFOs
The CFO’s mandate has broadened from pure cost control to driving growth, risk resilience, and strategic expansion. Treasury, once a back‑office control function, is now a lever for speed and competitive advantage, prompting a debate between consolidation and orchestration. The...
Eyeo Raises €40M to Improve Imaging and Sensor Performance
Dutch nanophotonic imaging startup eyeo announced a €40 million (≈$44 million) Series A round, bringing its total capital to €55 million (≈$60 million). The round was led by Innovation Industries with participation from imec.xpand, Invest‑NL, Qbic, High‑Tech Gründerfonds and Brabant Development Agency, plus EU InvestEU...
Declining Fraud Rates Don’t Mean Declining Fraud Risk
Payment fraud attack rates dropped 14% year‑over‑year and manual reviews fell 17%, yet chargeback losses surged 56%. The decline reflects tighter AI‑driven defenses, but fraudsters are now targeting high‑value, credential‑rich accounts, leading to more costly account‑takeovers. Traditional volume‑based metrics miss...
Real DeFi Use Cases that Are Changing B2B Payments
Decentralized finance is transitioning from speculative crypto talk to a practical tool for midsize enterprises, offering programmable, direct‑to‑counterparty transactions that cut intermediaries. Smart contracts automate invoice collection and payment, reducing days‑sales‑outstanding and capturing early‑payment discounts without manual effort. DeFi liquidity...
AI in Finance: When Human-in-the-Loop Means Humans Doing the Work
The article warns that many finance AI pilots merely add a checklist layer, leaving humans to clean data, review outputs, post entries, and document actions. Without clear guardrails, AI fails to reduce workload and becomes an operational burden. Kakkar proposes...
RNWH's PWR-X Acquisition Boosts Dividend, Lowers P/E
#RNWH bought PWR-X Ltd for £1.1m, which does "specialist cable jointing services". ShareScope showing fwd p/e 12.9 falling to 12 and fwd Divvy 2.3% rising to 2.4%; decent Uptrend and worth looking at. I don't hold.