China’s Zijin Clears Canadian National Security Review Around Allied Gold Acquisition – by Niall McGee (Globe and Mail – April...
China’s Zijin Gold International has secured approval for its $5.5 billion takeover of Canadian miner Allied Gold after the 45‑day national‑security review window lapsed, effectively granting automatic clearance. The approval removes the last regulatory hurdle, allowing the deal to move toward closing. Allied’s shareholders voted overwhelmingly in favor, signaling confidence in the transaction. The acquisition will give Zijin a larger foothold in North America’s gold mining landscape.
Reports Suggest Sazerac in Talks With Brown-Forman Following Rumors of Pernod Merger
Sazerac has entered talks with Brown‑Forman after rumors of a merger between Brown‑Forman and Pernod Ricard surfaced. The news sent Brown‑Forman’s stock up more than 11 percent, mirroring the reaction to earlier reports of discussions with Pernod. Brown‑Forman, valued at roughly...
Terra Quantum Eyes Public Markets Through $3.25B SPAC Deal
Terra Quantum AG announced a non‑binding LOI to merge with Mountain Lake Acquisition Corp. II in a SPAC transaction that values the Swiss quantum‑technology firm at $3.25 billion. The deal would list Terra Quantum on Nasdaq, giving it direct access to public...
Constellation Acquisition Corp. I (CSTAF) to Combine with US Elemental in $571M Deal
Constellation Acquisition Corp. I (ticker CSTAF) announced a definitive agreement to combine with US Elemental, a provider of AI‑driven data solutions. The merger values US Elemental at roughly $571 million, converting the private firm into a publicly traded entity via the...
ITE Investment Takes over Tank Container Specialist CS Leasing
ITE Investment, a US transport‑focused investment fund, has completed the acquisition of CS Leasing, a specialist lessor of tank and dry freight special containers. CS Leasing operates roughly 55,000 units across four continents, serving the global liquid‑cargo market. The deal...
Unilever Is Acquiring Grüns
Unilever announced it is acquiring Grüns, the fast‑growing greens supplement brand that hit roughly $300 million in revenue within two years. The company has become the #1 greens supplement on Amazon and in U.S. retail, with 80% of users taking it...
Acquihires and Antitrust: When Buying the Team Isn’t Buying the Company
The FTC and DOJ are signaling heightened scrutiny of "acquihire" deals, fearing they may be used to sidestep Hart‑Scott‑Rodino merger reporting. Senators Warren and Blumenthal have called for investigations into "reverse acquihires" like Nvidia’s $20 billion licensing‑and‑hire arrangement with Groq. The...
Horizon Quantum Will Acquire a 256-Qubit Trapped-Ion System From IonQ
Horizon Quantum announced the acquisition of IonQ’s 256‑qubit trapped‑ion system, a platform that delivers 99.99% gate fidelity and all‑to‑all qubit connectivity. The hardware will complement Horizon’s existing superconducting processor, creating a rare multi‑modality quantum testbed. Integration into the company’s Triple...
Ares Real Estate Funds to Acquire Whitestone REIT in a $1.7 Billion Cash Deal
Ares Real Estate Funds announced a $1.7 billion all‑cash acquisition of Whitestone REIT, offering $19 per share—a 12.16% premium to the prior close. Whitestone, which owns 56 open‑air retail centers across Sunbelt cities, will be bought at 24.94 times its adjusted funds...
Disney To Lay Off Staff Ahead Of Disney+ & Hulu Merger
Disney announced it will combine Hulu with Disney+ in the United States later this year, creating a single streaming hub that mirrors its international model. The consolidation will trigger the elimination of roughly 1,000 positions across the company, including the...
L&H M&A Transactions Stay Stable but Total Value Nearly Doubles
The Milliman report shows that global life‑and‑health (L&H) M&A activity held steady at 85 announced deals in 2025, while total deal value surged 150% to $53.9 billion. Fourteen megadeals exceeding $1 billion were recorded, up from just four the prior year, with...
InsideArbitrage Event Driven Monitor – April 9, 2026
The InsideArbitrage April 9 roundup spotlights several high‑profile M&A moves, including Garda Therapeutics’ $18‑per‑share cash tender for Assertio (a 2.23% discount) and the completion of Air Lease’s $2.3 billion acquisition by a consortium of Sumitomo, SMBC Aviation, Apollo and Brookfield after 218...
Gigaclear Lenders Take Control of Indebted Altnet
Gigaclear, the UK’s largest rural fibre altnet serving about 160,000 customers across 26 counties, has been taken over by its lenders after its debt neared £1 billion (≈$1.25 billion). The National Wealth Fund now holds the biggest share, alongside NatWest and Lloyds,...
Assertio Holdings to Be Acquired by Garda Therapeutics in a $125.1 Million Deal
Garda Therapeutics announced a definitive agreement to acquire specialty‑pharma firm Assertio Holdings for $125.1 million. The tender offer will pay $18 in cash per share—a 2.23% discount to the prior close—and includes a non‑tradeable contingent value right tied to future Sprix...
Australia’s Competition Regulator Is Reviewing eBay’s $1.2B Depop Acquisition with a Decision Expected by May 19
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has opened a public review of eBay’s $1.2 billion acquisition of Depop, seeking input from buyers, sellers and rival platforms on its effect on Australia’s pre‑owned fashion market. The review is complicated by eBay’s...
Podcast Frenzy: ‘Everyone’s for Sale’ After ‘TBPN’ Shocker
The podcast market is in the midst of a buying frenzy after TBPN’s sale to OpenAI for a low‑hundred‑million‑dollar price tag. The deal has ignited a wave of interest from legacy media, tech firms, and private investors seeking to own...
Is Ziff Davis Inc (ZD) One of the Best Performing Cybersecurity Stocks in 2025?
Ziff Davis Inc. announced on March 3 that it will sell its Connectivity division—including Ookla, Speedtest and Downdetector—to Accenture for roughly $1.2 billion. The unit generated $231 million in 2025 revenue, about 16% of the company’s total sales. Proceeds are slated for corporate...
Leidos Holdings (LDOS) Sees Big Boost From Entrust Purchase
Leidos Holdings completed its $2.4 billion acquisition of Entrust Solutions on March 30, adding more than 3,100 engineers and doubling its presence in the energy‑infrastructure market. The deal expands Leidos’ utility customer base across 40 North American sites and broadens its capabilities...
The 10 Most Valuable Artist Music Catalogs (for Now)
The music‑rights market is in a catalog acquisition gold rush, with streaming and sync licensing turning iconic song collections into high‑yield assets. Sony Music Group alone spent $1.27 billion on Queen and $600 million for a 50% stake in Michael Jackson, setting record‑breaking...
Fifth Era Acquisition Corp. I (FERA) to Combine with Miotal
Fifth Era Acquisition Corp. I (FERA), a publicly listed SPAC, has signed a definitive agreement to combine with Miotal, an artificial‑intelligence data‑analytics firm. The merger will take Miotal public, providing the company with capital to scale its AI platform across...
Paramount And WB Are Competing For The Same Audience — And That Audience Is Stretched Thin
Paramount Skydance’s planned acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery seeks to unite two streaming platforms that already share 17.7 million U.S. adults. Those dual subscribers are financially constrained—59% have household net worth under $50,000—and are also subscribed to Hulu and Netflix, stretching...
Pershing Square's UMG Takeover Bid Includes $879M for Artists
Pershing Square, led by Bill Ackman, has submitted an unsolicited $64.4 billion takeover bid for Universal Music Group. The proposal hinges on cashing out UMG's $3.1 billion Spotify stake, which would generate roughly $1.75 billion after taxes. Of that, $879 million is earmarked for...
FTC and DOJ Open Inquiry That Could Rewrite HSR Merger Filing Practice
The FTC and DOJ have launched a joint public inquiry into the Hart‑Scott‑Rodino pre‑merger notification form, signaling a possible overhaul of the HSR filing process. Regulators are questioning whether the current form provides sufficient data to evaluate modern transactions efficiently....
A Delaware Take-Private Suit and Controller Buyout D&O Risk
A Delaware Chancery Court complaint filed by Detroit’s Police and Fire Retirement System alleges that the 2025 take‑private of Skechers by 3G Capital was driven by the Greenberg founders, who control roughly 60% of voting power, and that the deal...
Blackstone and TPG Finalize Hologic Acquisition:
Blackstone and TPG have completed the acquisition of Hologic at $79 per share, including contingent value rights, marking one of the largest med‑tech buyouts of the year. The deal signals a resurgence of mega‑cap private‑equity activity after a period of...
The Music Business Has a Problem. Bill Ackman Just Pounced
Bill Ackman's Pershing Square Capital Management has submitted a $64 billion offer to acquire Universal Music Group, representing a 77% premium over the current share price. Ackman, who holds a 4.7% stake and previously served on UMG’s board, plans to relocate...
JomBoy Meets World
Major League Baseball has taken an equity stake in viral video creator James “JomBoy” O’Brien’s YouTube channel, allowing the 37‑year‑old to incorporate official MLB footage into his content. The partnership is part of MLB’s broader push to win over Gen Z...
Over the Hills and Farfetch Away
Farfetch, the luxury‑focused e‑commerce platform founded by José Neves, completed a rescue takeover by South Korean e‑commerce leader Coupang after being delisted from the NYSE in late 2023. The deal gave Coupang a controlling stake, enabling a sweeping cost‑cutting program and...
Universal Should Say No to Bill Ackman
Pershing Square, led by activist investor Bill Ackman, has tabled a $64 billion offer to acquire Universal Music Group, the world’s largest recorded‑music company. The proposal, announced in early April 2026, would merge two of the industry’s biggest catalog owners and...
Bill Ackman Wants to Buy Universal Music and Put “Psychopath” Epstein Associate Michael Ovitz in Charge
Bill Ackman’s Pershing Square SPARC Holdings has lodged a takeover bid for Universal Music, valuing the label at €55 billion (≈$60 billion) – a 78% premium to the pre‑offer price. The offer of €30.40 per share (≈$33) includes only €5.05 ($5.5) in...
Om Malik and Ben Thompson on OpenAI Buying TBPN
OpenAI has acquired the Technology Business Programming Network (TBPN), a niche tech‑talk show that generated about $5 million in revenue and 58,000 YouTube subscribers last year. The buy comes weeks before OpenAI’s planned public offering and places TBPN under the company’s...
Sivetz Expands Into Electric Heat with Peachey Roasters
Oregon‑based Sivetz Roasting Machines and Kansas‑based Peachey Roasters have merged under the Sivetz brand, re‑introducing electric‑heat fluid‑bed coffee roasters. The unified lineup adds 4‑kg and 9‑kg electric models alongside the flagship SRM15 gas‑fired roaster, all sharing common PLC control and...
Nano Dimension Sells AME and Fabrica Lines, Streamlining Focus to Markforged
Nano Dimension announced the sale of its Additively Manufactured Electronics (AME) and Fabrica product lines to Israeli med‑tech company Inspira Technologies OXY B.H.N. Ltd. The transaction removes about $10 million of annual operating loss and leaves Nano Dimension with only the...
Research Pipeline Session #15: 2 Transformative Acquisitions, and an EBITDA Inflection
A micro‑cap firm closed two back‑to‑back acquisitions that could shift its revenue from irregular, lumpy streams to a steadier, technology‑driven model anchored by its proprietary automation platform. The platform is already delivering 60‑70% efficiency gains at one of the newly...
A Peek Into the Latest Merger
Google’s fiber arm, now rebranded GFiber, announced a merger with Astound Broadband, a conglomerate of former cable operators. The combined entity will serve roughly 2 million broadband customers across 7.1 million passings, positioning it as the seventh‑largest ISP in the United States....
South Africa: Kholo Capital and Tensai Private Equity Back Isambane Mining MBO
Kholo Capital’s Mezzanine Debt Fund I and Tensai Private Equity are providing R275 million (≈ $16.4 million) in mezzanine financing to back a management buy‑out of Isambane Mining, a mid‑tier South African mining contractor. The package is split with R200 million (≈ $11.9 million) from Kholo...
Mercer’s Strategic Acquisition of AltamarCAM: Consolidation in Alternatives:
Mercer announced the acquisition of AltamarCAM, a private‑markets specialist managing roughly $22 billion in assets. The deal expands Mercer's outsourced chief investment officer (OCIO) platform, adding deep expertise in private equity, credit, infrastructure and real assets. By integrating AltamarCAM, Mercer aims...
Pharmaceutical Executive Daily: Neurocrine Biosciences Agrees to Acquire Soleno Therapeutics
Neurocrine Biosciences announced a $2.9 billion cash acquisition of Soleno Therapeutics, paying $53 per share—a 34% premium to Soleno’s closing price and 51% premium to its 30‑day VWAP. The deal brings Vykat XR, the only FDA‑approved therapy for hyperphagia in Prader‑Willi syndrome,...
Amazon in Talks to Acquire Globalstar For $9B – The Special Situations Report Episode 61
Amazon is reportedly in advanced talks to acquire satellite operator Globalstar for roughly $9 billion, a move that would expand its low‑Earth‑orbit (LEO) capabilities. Globalstar, which already serves IoT and maritime customers, is partially owned by Apple, adding a strategic partner...
Spartan Metals Secures the Largest U.S. Tungsten Resource as Supply Pressures Mount
Spartan Metals Corp. announced the acquisition of the Victorio project, now the largest tungsten resource in the United States. The bimetallic deposit also contains molybdenum, which could enhance project economics. With no primary U.S. tungsten production since 2015, the move...
48% of VMware Customers Plan to Reduce Usage as Competitors Gain Ground
Virtified’s inaugural Loop research reveals that 48% of VMware customers plan to shrink their virtualisation footprint by 2028, largely reacting to Broadcom’s post‑acquisition licensing changes. The survey of 450 IT professionals across 14 countries shows migration difficulty, with a quarter...
Regrow Ag and PUMA Complete Merger to Create Unified Agricultural Sourcing and Sustainability Platform
Regrow Ag and Latin American agri‑data firm PUMA have completed a merger, creating a unified enterprise platform that links field‑level data with corporate procurement and sustainability reporting. The combined system integrates Regrow’s scientific data infrastructure with PUMA’s execution network across...
Carlyle Group (CG) to Acquire Majority Stake in MAI Capital at $2.8B Valuation
The Carlyle Group announced a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in MAI Capital Management, valuing the wealth‑management firm at more than $2.8 billion. MAI, which oversees roughly $72.6 billion in assets across 40 U.S. offices, will retain a minority equity...
Apollo (APO) Funds Acquire Gatehouse Living Group From Gatehouse Bank
Apollo Global Management’s funds bought Gatehouse Living Group from Gatehouse Bank on April 1. The deal brings Gatehouse Investment Management and Ascend Properties into Apollo’s UK housing portfolio, adding a platform that owns more than 5,000 homes and manages over...
Flex (FLEX) Announces $1.1B Acquisition to Boost Power Infrastructure Capabilities
Flex Ltd. announced a definitive agreement to acquire Electrical Power Products for approximately $1.1 billion in cash. The acquired business contributes roughly $323 million of annual revenue and delivers a mid‑to‑high‑teens EBITDA margin. Flex expects the transaction to be accretive to adjusted...
Mastercard Acquires BVNK
Mastercard announced the acquisition of BVNK, a developer‑centric fintech that offers API‑driven card issuance and rapid payment‑flow integration. The deal equips Mastercard with embedded‑finance tools designed to slash merchant onboarding times and streamline consumer checkout experiences. By folding BVNK’s agile...
VICI Properties Strengthens Lease Portfolio with Canada Gaming Assets
VICI Properties announced the acquisition of Deerfoot Inn & Casino, Great Northern Casino and two nearby hotels in Alberta for CAD 200.6 million (≈US 144.4 million). The assets will be folded into VICI’s existing triple‑net lease with PURE, adding CAD 16.1 million (≈US 11.6 million) of annual rent...
Franklin Resources Bets on Active Crypto, Acquires 250 Digital
Franklin Resources (NYSE:BEN) announced it will acquire crypto‑asset manager 250 Digital, creating a new Franklin Crypto unit. The transaction, slated to close in the second quarter, will be partially paid with BENJI tokens tied to its blockchain‑based mutual fund. By...
Startup CPG Newswire: The Neighborhood Beverage Company, Parent Company of Once Upon A Coconut, Acquires Punch’d Energy, Expanding Its Better-For-You...
The Neighborhood Beverage Company (NBC), parent of Once Upon a Coconut, announced the acquisition of Punch’d Energy, a natural‑caffeine gummy brand. The deal adds a patented green‑coffee‑bean formula to NBC’s better‑for‑you lineup, expanding its reach into the functional energy category....
Consortium Led by CEO Max Wygod to Take Forian Private for $68 Million
On April 3 2026, Forian Inc. agreed to be taken private by a consortium led by CEO Max Wygod for $68 million. Shareholders will receive $2.17 per share, a 3.33 percent premium, valuing the company at 2.16 times its annual sales. The deal will close...