Know What's Happening in M&A
Know What's Happening in M&A
Stylus Medicine entered the cell‑therapy arena in May 2025 with an in‑vivo CAR‑T platform that delivers a lipid nanoparticle‑encapsulated recombinase to engineer T cells inside patients. The move comes after major pharma acquisitions—BMS buying Orbital Therapeutics for $1.5 billion and Gilead acquiring Arcellx for $7.8 billion—signaling renewed confidence in CAR‑T despite earlier asset divestitures by Takeda and Novo Nordisk. Stylus aims to simplify manufacturing, lower costs, and accelerate timelines, initially targeting oncology before expanding to immune and autoimmune diseases. The company reports strong interest from large pharma partners seeking early‑stage collaborations.
Telefónica, the owner of Virgin Media, says it will consider further broadband takeovers to bolster Virgin Media O2 against Openreach. The joint venture recently agreed a £2 bn acquisition of Netomnia, which will be folded into the Nexfibre platform alongside InfraVia...
The March 10, 2026 SPAC Insider roundup offers a curated snapshot of today’s special‑purpose acquisition company landscape, bundling headline stories, Intel‑related updates, and broader market movements. Access to the full content is gated behind a paid monthly subscription, underscoring the platform’s premium...
OpenAI announced the acquisition of Promptfoo, a fast‑growing platform that automates testing and validation of large‑language‑model prompts. The deal, terms undisclosed, brings Promptfoo’s open‑source tooling and enterprise‑grade safety features under OpenAI’s product umbrella. By integrating Promptfoo, OpenAI aims to streamline...
Henkel announced the acquisition of Not Your Mother’s, a U.S. hair‑care brand, along with its parent DeMert Brands, from private‑equity firm Main Post Partners. The move bolsters Henkel’s portfolio that already includes Schwarzkopf, Authentic Beauty Concept and Got2Be, targeting stronger...
Shell PLC announced the sale of its Jiffy Lube International unit, including the Premium Velocity Auto franchise, to Monomoy Capital Partners for roughly $1.3 billion. The transaction covers more than 2,000 service locations across the U.S. and Canada and represents about 6.5%...
Searchlight Capital’s Euclid fund achieved a $4 billion distribution to its limited partners, defying a generally sluggish private‑equity exit environment. The performance was driven by a series of recent portfolio company sales that leveraged the firm’s revenue‑weighted investment (RWI) methodology. By...
Private equity firm EQT is exploring a potential divestiture of Linux‑software maker SUSE, aiming for a valuation near $6 billion. The firm has retained advisory shop Arma Partners to gauge interest from other private‑equity investors, though the process remains preliminary and...
Ardian announced the acquisition of an Italian self‑storage business, adding it to its pan‑European platform. The deal gives the platform operations in Italy, complementing existing assets in France and the UK. Meanwhile, Bridgepoint’s portfolio company Fera Science, which provides scientific...
Beazley announced the acquisition of U.S. renewable‑energy MGA kWh Analytics, embedding the firm into its Marine, Accident & Political (MAP) Risks team. CEO Jason Kaminsky will report to MAP head Tim Turner, reinforcing Beazley's transition‑underwriting strategy. The deal adds kWh’s...
OpenAI announced it will acquire Promptfoo, an AI testing startup whose tools detect adversarial prompts, jailbreak attempts, and safety violations in large language model applications. Promptfoo’s technology, already deployed by more than a quarter of Fortune 500 firms, will be integrated...
Private equity firm Ardian has acquired a majority stake in Casaforte, one of Italy’s leading self‑storage operators. The transaction brings Ardian’s cumulative investment in self‑storage assets across Italy and France to more than €300 million. Casaforte’s portfolio includes over 30 facilities...
Securing AI agents is becoming its own industry. OpenAI is acquiring cybersecurity startup Promptfoo to strengthen defenses around how AI systems behave and interact. As agents gain autonomy, protecting them may become as important as building them. https://t.co/JsM6H105Ic @cnbc @JonathanVanian
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John Wood Group’s distressed merger arbitration has concluded with the acquisition finalized and a 30 pence per share payout slated within two weeks. The company’s shares were suspended on the FCA’s Official List and the London Stock Exchange, with a formal...
Anglo American slashed De Beers' balance‑sheet value to $2.3 bn, intensifying a sale that has lingered for two years. The diamond market is under pressure from lab‑grown stones, now accounting for up to 25% of jewellery sales and half of engagement rings....
In this episode, Kevin Appleby talks with Stevie Arroyo, founder of The Brand Exit, about the often‑overlooked asset of brand equity in M&A transactions. Stevie explains how brand equity—customers’ preference beyond product features—can be quantified using ISO 10668, which translates...
Former Twitter attorney Martin Korman testified that Musk's lawyer warned a forced completion would be "World War III to the end of time." He also disclosed attempts to resolve the bot‑account dispute, including offers for joint data‑science analysis that Musk...
Global Infrastructure Partners and EQT, backed by CalPERS and Qatar Investment Authority, have agreed to acquire AES Corp in an all‑cash deal valuing equity at $10.7 bn and enterprise value around $33.4 bn, offering shareholders $15 per share—a 40.3% premium. Meanwhile, Volkswagen’s...
$XPOF setup is getting interesting - Voss Capital (19%) pushing for a sale - Boutique fitness franchisor trading at ~6x EBITDA vs peers in the mid-teens - If sold, this could easily be a 2x+ - Key issue is the staggered board + insiders...
Scale Computing is an Austin-based edge computing and managed network solutions provider backed by Oaktree Capital Management, and has now acquired Adaptiv Networks, a cloud-native SD-WAN and SASE vendor headquartered in Canada. The deal brings together two channel-driven businesses with...
Life Electric Vehicles completed the purchase of Rad Power Bikes' assets for $13.3 million, a price roughly 99% below the e‑bike maker’s $1.6 billion peak valuation. The deal, finalized after Rad’s Chapter 11 filing, allows Life EV to retain the Rad brand in...
The question isn’t what the Ellisons will do with Paramount and WBD, but who will acquire those assets at fire-sale prices when their AI synergy narrative can no longer provide cloud cover for their pair of overleveraged legacy media companies.
$DSX isn’t giving up on acquiring $GNK - New bid at $23.50/shr (~14% above the rejected offer) - Spread ~7% - DSX (owns 14.5%) brought in $SBLK as a deal partner - Might be interesting at these levels - But keep in mind management...
Advent is weighing a roughly $4 billion divestiture of Ultra Maritime, the naval‑defense arm that specializes in anti‑submarine warfare technologies such as sonar, sonobuoys and torpedo countermeasures. The private‑equity firm acquired the business through its purchases of Cobham and Ultra Electronics...
February 2026 saw a record 42 cybersecurity M&A announcements, highlighting intensified consolidation across the sector. Major deals include Arctic Wolf’s acquisition of Sevco Security, Check Point’s three AI‑driven purchases, and Palo Alto Networks’ $400 million buy of endpoint‑security firm Koi. Other...
Climb Global Solutions announced the acquisition of Greek cloud distributor Interworks.cloud for roughly $9.4 million, adding over 600 managed service providers to its platform and extending its footprint into southeastern Europe. The deal fills a long‑standing gap in Climb’s cloud marketplace...
A former New Mountain Capital executive attempted to acquire five of the firm’s portfolio assets, but the bid collapsed after negotiations stalled. The breakdown highlights the growing importance of baseline economics in pricing trophy‑level private‑equity assets. Investors now treat valuation...
Morinaga & Co., the Japanese maker of Hi‑Chew, announced an agreement to acquire My/Mochi, the United States' largest mochi‑ice‑cream brand, for an undisclosed sum. The deal gives Morinaga a full‑scale foothold in the fast‑growing U.S. frozen‑dessert market, leveraging My/Mochi’s $80 million...
Episode 57 of the Special Situations Report podcast discusses four headline stories. Salesforce announced a $50 billion stock buyback, the largest ever for the company. The show also covers a bidding war for Reservoir Media, insider sales at Warner Bros. Discovery, and Elliott...
The article examines the Union Pacific‑Norfolk Southern merger, describing it as a 1,550‑pound “gorilla” that will dominate U.S. rail markets. It estimates that 25% of 2 million truckloads—about 500,000 units—could shift to rail over 7‑10 years if rates justify the switch,...
British culture minister Lisa Nandy announced a review of Axel Springer’s £575 million purchase of the Telegraph Media Group under the UK’s public‑interest and foreign‑state‑influence media‑mergers regime. The EU is set to sign defence partnerships with Australia, Iceland and Ghana, while France...
Voss Capital, a 13.2% shareholder in Par Technology, has urged the point‑of‑sale software firm to explore strategic alternatives, including a sale. The call comes as Par’s stock has tumbled roughly 70% over the past year, eroding its ability to use...
Regnology completed its acquisition of Wolters Kluwer’s Finance, Risk & Regulatory Reporting (FRR) unit on Dec 1 2025, merging its cloud‑first regulatory reporting platform with FRR’s finance and risk analytics capabilities. The deal expands Regnology’s footprint, especially in APAC, and adds a 330‑person...
Lamb Weston, the global potato‑product supplier, is facing fresh activist pressure as Starboard Value, which now holds a sizable stake, urges a strategic review of its overseas operations. The New York‑based hedge fund recommends divesting select APAC assets and doubling...
Ari Emanuel’s TKO Group Holdings, created in 2023 by merging UFC and WWE, has rapidly expanded through $3.25 billion all‑stock acquisitions of IMG, On Location and Professional Bull Riders. The combined portfolio now reaches one billion households in 210 territories, stages...
The Generation Essentials Group, a subsidiary of AMTD Digital, acquired the Hilton Garden Inn New York/Tribeca for $69 million and rebranded it as the AMTD IDEA Tribeca Hotel. The deal, announced jointly by AMTD Group, AMTD IDEA Group and AMTD Digital,...
Hutchison Telecommunications sold its 3 Macau unit to CTM for HK$110 million, ending two decades of operations in the region. The Macau business posted a full‑year 2025 loss of HK$43 million, nearly double the prior year, contributing to an overall group loss...
Universal Health Services (UHS) announced an $835 million acquisition of virtual behavioral‑health platform Talkspace at $5.25 per share, a 10% premium. The deal brings roughly 6,000 clinicians into UHS’s network, addressing chronic staffing shortages that have limited growth in its behavioral‑health...
Paramount Skydance is pursuing the acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery’s portfolio, which includes the news network CNN. CNN projects $1.8 billion in revenue for 2026, making it a valuable asset. Critics warn that CEO David Ellison’s close relationship with former President...
EQB Inc. received Competition Bureau clearance to acquire President’s Choice Bank and related PC Financial assets from Loblaw, moving the deal closer to completion. The transaction still requires sign‑off from the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions and the...
Blackstone has engaged Citi to explore a sale of ShyaHsin Packaging, targeting a valuation of at least $1 billion. The Taiwanese‑based manufacturer supplies containers and components for colour cosmetics, skincare and fragrance brands, operating factories in China and Mexico. Blackstone bought...
Jenoptik’s Smart Mobility Solutions has acquired a Lithuanian intelligent‑transport‑system (ITS) business, integrating it with its long‑time partner Fima. The deal designates Fima’s Latvian subsidiary as a regional hub for sales, service and project management across the Baltics. The combined entity...
$RSVR buyout likely gets done with a bump - Founder-led group (own 65%) bid $10.5/sh days after Irenic (9%) floated $10–11 - Deal likely lands with the founder group at $11+, ~10% above current px - At 15.6x EBITDA, the offer looks somewhat...
$HPE buying Juniper looking smarter and smarter. Networking carrying the quarter and will continue to anchor HPE growth. Backlog looking good as well. 👏🏻
When Nvidia all-but acquired Groq for a reported $20B, it inadvertently validated the entire AI chip startup landscape (featuring commentary from @vsora_dsp @SambaNovaAI @dMatrix_AI) https://t.co/65Jk6Fe7I5
Last month, ASUR's management talked about their recent acquisitions in the US and Brazil. It seems like they are attempting to become a kind of Mexican Ferrovial with assets across the hemisphere. https://t.co/gnm07F4rPU
When Larry Ellison made the bid for Warner Discovery, his net worth was $350 billion. Today it's $200 billion. That's down $150 billion, more than the entire value of Warner. Keep that in mind as the Saudis retrench investments. https://t.co/DvJ2hRN8H1 https://t.co/Cv09NOzsS4
I did some startup advisory in exchange for shares like 5 years ago. The company got acquired and now the new company is refactoring my cut. I'm getting a total of 11 shares which means if they exit for $1B...
Today's M&A and SPAC notes $TALK to be acquired by $UHS for $5.25 cash per share, 10.3% premium, $835 million $PLMK announced a business combination with Controlled Thermal Resources $ALIS announced a business combination with GoodVision https://t.co/m3Y3HvkUbt
When the Trump administration canned DOJ antitrust chief Gail Slater, we wrote that all eyes should be on the Live Nation/Ticketmaster case -- watching to see if her ouster paved the way for a settlement. Today: Settlement.
