Know What's Happening in M&A
Know What's Happening in M&A
Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) is weighing a sale of BMC Helix, its AI‑driven IT service‑management platform, for up to $1.5 billion. The potential transaction would be one of the larger exits in a market where private‑equity distributions have slipped to near‑2008 lows. KKR’s move follows a series of recent deals, including a $1.3 billion acquisition of education firm XCL and heightened interest in clean‑energy assets. The sale could help KKR replenish capital as exit opportunities tighten across the sector.
In this episode, Jacob Oros interviews serial entrepreneur James Gardner about his experience selling a manufacturing business and staying on as part of the acquiring company—a situation he describes as "golden handcuffs." Gardner shares how the post‑sale transition felt restrictive,...
Estée Lauder’s new CEO Stéphane de La Faverie says the company is actively exploring acquisitions to accelerate its turnaround. The strategy includes scaling emerging brands, shedding under‑performing assets, and leveraging strong early‑year fragrance sales in China. While the stock has risen over 50 percent...
eBay announced a $1.2 billion acquisition of Depop, the mobile‑first fashion resale platform, to deepen its reach with Gen Z shoppers. Depop reported roughly $1 billion in gross merchandise volume last year, growing 60% year‑over‑year, and now serves 7 million buyers and 3 million sellers....
The episode dissects Tripadvisor’s shocking Q4 FY25 results, which sent the stock tumbling below $10—a historic low—following a 2025 merger that eliminated a controlling shareholder. Host examines activist investor Jeff Smith’s aggressive push for strategic change, highlighted by his pointed...
Gilead Sciences announced a $7.8 billion acquisition of Arcellx, pricing the deal at $115 per share—a 79% premium to the prior close. The agreement includes an additional $5 per share contingent on future sales milestones. Central to the transaction is anito‑cel,...
Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group co‑chairs Pam Abdy and Mike De Luca celebrated a landmark year in which their 2025 slate generated over $4 billion at the box office and earned three Best Picture nominations – a feat not seen since...
The debut episode of the Exited Founder Podcast introduces the show's mission to share the stories of founders who have successfully exited their companies and now serve as M&A advisors. Hosted by ExitWise, the series will feature these entrepreneurs discussing...
The InsideArbitrage Event Driven Monitor reports several key regulatory and corporate developments on February 23, 2026. Paramount Pictures cleared the 10‑day HSR waiting period and secured German approval for its bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, while the FTC terminated...
Netflix co‑CEO Ted Sarandos dismissed former President Donald Trump’s demand that Netflix fire board member Susan Rice, emphasizing that the pending Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition is a purely business transaction. He highlighted Netflix’s $83 billion vertical merger proposal, contrasting it with...
The Legal Cheek podcast delves into the day‑to‑day reality of corporate lawyers, highlighting their role in negotiating deal terms, drafting agreements, and conducting due‑diligence. Hosts Julia Szaniszlo and Ryan Scott discuss the massive document reviews trainees face under tight deadlines....
Industry readers view Hapag‑Lloyd’s potential acquisition of ZIM Integrated Shipping Services as a strategic upgrade rather than mere consolidation. The deal would blend Hapag‑Lloyd’s global scale with ZIM’s strong Transpacific and niche trade exposure, enhancing network depth and fleet flexibility....
Blackstone Infrastructure’s $11.5 billion acquisition of TXNM Energy has received FERC approval, clearing a major regulatory hurdle. The commission concluded the deal serves the public interest and will not harm rates, competition, or oversight, while noting existing ring‑fencing protections for Blackstone’s...
Modella Capital, which bought Hobbycraft from Bridgepoint in 2024, is reportedly preparing to explore a sale after receiving interest from an undisclosed buyer. The retailer posted a 6.3% revenue increase in the six weeks to 28 December, helped by a partnership...
In this episode, M&A expert Sebastian H. Amieva explains how he acquired four businesses without using his own cash by leveraging seller financing, senior debt, and equity partners. He emphasizes the importance of early preparation—defining clear acquisition criteria, cultivating lender...
Bain & Co’s Global Private Equity Report 2026 warns that the industry has entered a hyper‑competitive era. General partners now face heightened deal competition, tighter exit windows, and stronger investor demands for cash generation. To succeed, firms must boost cash‑flow...
Hong Kong‑based AS Watson, majority‑owned by CK Hutchison, is weighing a bid for 92 Priceline pharmacies in Australia that were placed in receivership after Infinity Pharmacy Group’s collapse. The assets, franchised from Wesfarmers‑owned Priceline, are being sold by administrator Teneo with a...
Berli Jucker (BJC) announced a US$720 million acquisition of MM Mega Market Vietnam, buying 921.8 million shares of TCC Land International through its Singapore subsidiary C‑Distribution Asia. The deal, valued at 22.5 billion baht, targets completion in the second quarter pending shareholder and...
While it seems likely that next 24 hours will see news on Paramount - WBD - Netflix, the Monday deadline is the negotiating window between Paramount and WBD. It is not a deadline for an offer so in the unlikely...
Paramount Is Expected to Raise Price of Warner Bros. Discovery Bid. Will Netflix Walk Away? https://t.co/rRAxVO21Ls via @variety
Keysight Technologies reported Q4 fiscal 2025 revenue of $1.419 billion, a 10% year‑over‑year rise, and full‑year revenue of $5.375 billion, up 8%. The company posted record free cash flow of $1.3 billion, returned $375 million via share buybacks and announced a fresh $1.5 billion repurchase...
$LIS.V merger arb worked out just as expected. Despite vocal retail opposition, shareholder approval passed easily. The spread narrowed from 19% to 3% in exactly two months following the post on SSI. https://t.co/UWBmq2fWGx
BioMarin Pharmaceutical raised its fiscal 2025 total revenue guidance, now starting at $3.15 billion, and reaffirmed Voxzogo revenue between $900 million and $935 million. The company lifted non‑GAAP operating margin guidance to 26‑27% and lifted diluted EPS guidance to $3.50‑$3.60. A $221 million IPR&D...
Palomar closed 2025 with a record $2 billion in gross written premium, up 32% year‑over‑year, and delivered adjusted net income of $216.1 million, a 62% increase that exceeded guidance. The company posted a 25.9% adjusted return on equity and a combined ratio...
Wall Street analysts are circulating a theory that Netflix’s primary goal in the Warner Bros. deal is not to acquire the studio but to block Paramount Skydance from obtaining it. The speculation hinges on Netflix’s willingness to spend billions, potentially triggering...
ConocoPhillips is weighing a $2 billion sale of Permian basin assets located in the Delaware basin, assets it acquired through deals with Concho Resources and Shell. The move is part of a broader portfolio streamlining that followed its $17 billion Marathon Oil...
Rheinmetall, Germany's largest defence contractor, is weighing a bid for Munich‑based laser‑communications maker Mynaric, potentially derailing Rocket Lab's announced $150 million acquisition. The move reflects Europe’s push to keep critical aerospace and optical‑link technology under domestic control amid heightened scrutiny of...
Netflix is pursuing a takeover of Warner Bros Discovery, a move that could reshape theatrical release windows just as cinemas rebound from pandemic‑induced losses. Analysts warn that a shorter exclusive‑theatre period would erode box‑office revenues for operators like AMC, Cinemark...
Donald Trump’s vow to stay out of the WB sale lasted all of a couple weeks. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-02-21/trump-threatens-netflix-with-consequences-over-rice-board-seat?taid=699a45d18e21f400010da132&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_content=business&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter
This question by @MarkRuffalo is critical. Right now there's an attempt to force people to pick either Paramount or Netflix as the right acquirer, but both are wrong answers. An acquisition by either firm would consolidate the market and is...
The SPAC IPO Terms Tracker for the week ending February 20, 2026 shows a modest rebound in special‑purpose acquisition company listings, with 12 new SPACs raising approximately $1.8 billion in aggregate. Median IPO size slipped to $150 million, down from $165 million the...
Doesn't @netflix owe @warnerbros $5.8 billion if the Trump administration fails to approve their merger, Netflix board member @AmbassadorRice ? https://t.co/P0FhHvuPid
"The oil and gas holdings in question were acquired by the Houston-based company through previous transactions involving Concho Resources and Shell, according to the report," @geolsubho https://t.co/OlyZeu35Mu
Boston Scientific announced a $14.5 billion acquisition of Penumbra, re‑entering the neurovascular market and expanding its cardiovascular device portfolio. The deal, paid at a 19 % premium with a 73 % cash and 27 % stock mix, targets Penumbra’s thrombectomy and embolization technologies. Boston...
Chariot Plc announced a $20 million equity placing to help finance the acquisition of a producing oil interest offshore Angola. The deal, in partnership with Shell Trading and Etu Energias, targets Blocks 14 and 14K, which currently produce about 8,000 barrels per day....
A seller with no succession plan Is the most motivated counterparty in any negotiation on earth
Scoop: Latham poaches more partners from Wachtell in New York, in latest moves in M&A legal talent wars. https://t.co/aE9xDa5Hzk
First Citizens BancShares, sitting at $230 billion in assets, is actively scouting acquisitions to push past the $250 billion regulatory threshold that imposes stricter capital and reporting rules. The bank recently secured 138 BMO Bank branches across 11 states, adding a solid...
Scoop: NRG Buys New York’s Biggest Fossil Fueled Power Plant #energysky -- via Heatmap News https://t.co/HYXV78yUOY https://t.co/YML0FTvZNJ
Anderson Cooper, Stephen Colbert and Sean Strickland Draw Scrutiny to Paramount While Bid for Warner Plays Out https://t.co/ou55mmDguf via @variety
Vale Base Metals has sold a majority stake in its Thompson nickel mine to a consortium of Exiro Minerals, Orion Resource Partners, and the Canada Growth Fund. The new Exiro Nickel Company will operate the mine, backed by up to...
Teck Resources CEO Jonathan Price says the engineering setbacks at the QB2 mine in Chile will be resolved by the end of 2026, clearing a major operational hurdle. The company is awaiting final antitrust clearance for Anglo American's US$20 billion no‑premium...
Creators are moving beyond ad revenue, launching product lines, acquiring startups, and building tangible businesses. MrBeast’s chocolate brand now out‑earns his media arm, and his purchase of fintech startup Step illustrates the shift toward diversified revenue. The TechCrunch Equity podcast...
Logisyn Advisors’ CEO Ron Lentz warns that a $4 trillion pool of private‑equity dry‑powder is set to spark a wave of logistics M&A in 2026. He argues that specialist, operator‑led advisors outperform generalist banks by preserving the unique value of logistics...
The U.S. Justice Department has opened an antitrust probe into the $45 billion sale of Warner Bros. to Apex Media Holdings. Regulators are examining whether the deal could curtail competition for independent movie theaters by shifting distribution power toward Apex’s streaming...
Doeren Mayhew announced the acquisition of Birmingham‑based CPA firm Dent Moses and its affiliate Impact Technology Group, effective Feb. 10. The deal adds Doeren Mayhew’s first Alabama office, nine principals and roughly 65 staff, expanding its Southeast footprint. Impact Technology brings...
German carrier Hapag-Lloyd plans to leverage its $4.2 billion acquisition of Zim Integrated Shipping Services to expand its intra‑Asia footprint through Zim’s Hong Kong‑based affiliate Gold Star Line. Gold Star operates 20 liner services with a fleet of 40 vessels totaling roughly 100,000 TEU,...
The episode announces that Downtown Music Holdings has finalized its $775 million acquisition and merger with Virgin Music Group, a deal first revealed in December. Founder Justin Kalifowitz is exiting Downtown, marking a leadership transition as the combined entity positions itself...
In Episode 92 of the Tech M&A Podcast, Robin Fisk, co‑founder and CEO of Donorfy, recounts the decade‑long journey of building a bootstrapped SaaS CRM for nonprofits and its eventual acquisition by The Access Group in November 2024. He explains why they chose to...
The K‑12 education market is emerging from a turbulent five‑year period as funding streams and enrollment patterns begin to stabilize. Industry insiders report that education providers are now actively scouting merger and acquisition opportunities to capture growth and mitigate risk....
