Citi Eyes Regional Bank Deal as Fraser Turns to Next Chapter
Citigroup executives are quietly evaluating a purchase of a major U.S. regional bank to dramatically boost deposits, a stark departure from CEO Jane Fraser’s recent focus on organic growth. Potential targets such as Truist and PNC each hold roughly $500 billion in assets and market caps above $50 billion. The talks have reached regulators, who appear open, but Citi remains bound by consent orders that require approval before any acquisition. Bloomberg’s report sent Citi’s shares down 3.8% in early trading.
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Janus Henderson Group plc will hold a shareholder vote on April 16, 2026, to approve a merger with a Jupiter subsidiary owned by funds linked to Trian Fund Management and General Catalyst. If approved, each JHG share converts to a...
Sax Acquires CoMetrics
Sax Advisory Group announced the acquisition of CoMetrics Partners, a boutique consulting and technology firm, expanding its turnaround, profit‑optimization and performance‑analytics services. The deal brings three CoMetrics partners and the entire staff into Sax’s Parsippany, New Jersey headquarters, though financial terms...
Unilever Closer to Mega Food Spin‑off as McCormick Talks Advance
Unilever is advancing talks with McCormick to spin off its Foods division, valued at roughly $33 billion, using a reverse Morris trust that sidesteps capital‑gains tax. McCormick, worth about $14.5 billion, would acquire the unit and grant Unilever shareholders a majority stake...
From the Supreme Court’s Cox Ruling to Primary Wave’s Kobalt Deal… It’s MBW’s Weekly Round-Up
Primary Wave Music announced a definitive agreement to acquire Kobalt, with Brookfield joining as a strategic investor, creating a sizable independent publishing alternative. The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that ISP Cox Communications cannot be held liable for subscriber piracy,...
Nestlé Moves Forward with Billion-Dollar Deal: Private Equity Firms Eye Perrier and San Pellegrino
Nestlé is advancing the sale of a 50% stake in its European water division, which includes premium brands such as Perrier, San Pellegrino and Acqua Panna. The transaction is expected to value the division at roughly €5 billion (about $5.45 billion). Private‑equity heavyweight...
Top 20 Private Equity Firms Leading Cross-Border Investments
An analysis of private‑equity cross‑border activity from 2020 through 2026 shows U.S. firms executed 2,973 platform investments abroad while international firms made 1,330 platform deals in the United States. The report ranks the top ten U.S.‑based PE firms, led by...
AnaptysBio Spins Out Biotech Operations; Affibody's Data in Hidradenitis Suppurativa
AnaptysBio announced the spin‑out of its biotech operations into a newly formed independent public company, First Tracks Biotherapeutics. The separation isolates AnaptysBio’s early‑stage pipeline, giving First Tracks a focused platform to advance its candidates. The announcement also highlighted promising data...
Exclusive: UAE CFDs Broker Amana Sells UK Arm to Max Koretskiy’s 11:FS
UAE‑based CFDs broker Amana, through its Dubai holding 180 Capital, has sold its FCA‑licensed UK subsidiary to 11:FS Holdings, a partnership between David Brear and Max Koretskiy. The UK operation will be rebranded as Kinsworth Investments Ltd and will expand...
Telenor, GlobalConnect Fibre Deal Facing Hurdles
Norway’s competition authority has raised red flags over Telenor’s planned purchase of GlobalConnect’s fibre business, warning that the deal could lift broadband prices and degrade service quality by curbing competition. Regulators highlighted that many households might be left with only...
Lone Star Completes Acquisition of Alliance Ground International
Lone Star Funds has completed its acquisition of Alliance Ground International (AGI), a Miami‑based airport services provider operating at more than 60 North American airports. The deal, announced after a definitive agreement in January, brings AGI’s 12,000‑strong workforce under Lone...
Unity to Shut Down IronSource Ads Network and Explore Supersonic Sale as Revenue Beats Guidance
Unity reported first‑quarter revenue of $505‑$508 million, comfortably beating its $480‑$490 million guidance, and forecast adjusted EBITDA up to $135 million, a 58% year‑over‑year increase. The company announced it will shut down the IronSource Ads Network by April 30 2026 and is actively seeking a...
‘$1 Trillion Gap’ Attracts Private Equity to Women’s Health, Says Kearney’s Paula Bellostas Muguerza; Astorg, Cinven, Nordic Target Pathology Assets
Private equity firms are flocking to women’s health, drawn by a projected $1 trillion spend gap that creates lucrative growth opportunities. Dealmakers such as Astorg, Cinven and Nordic Capital are also targeting pathology assets, citing rising demand for diagnostic services and...
Recordati Gets €10.9bn Takeover Bid From Private Equity Firm
Italian pharma group Recordati has received a €10.9 billion (≈ $12.5 billion) unsolicited takeover proposal from private‑equity firm CVC Capital Partners, which would take the company private and delist it from the Milan exchange. CVC already controls roughly 47% of Recordati’s shares, having...
Guardian CEO Shares Plans for Advisor Channel After Desjardins Deal Closes
Guardian Capital Group completed a $1.67 billion take‑private transaction with Desjardins, becoming part of Desjardins Global Asset Management. CEO George Mavroudis, now also president of Desjardins’ asset‑management arm, outlined a plan to accelerate growth in the advisor channel, emphasizing long‑term product...
Advent to Sell Hair Care Brand Olaplex to Henkel for $1.4bn
Advent International is selling its hair‑care brand Olaplex to German conglomerate Henkel for $1.4 billion, ending Olaplex’s Nasdaq listing and Advent’s ownership. The deal values Olaplex at roughly $1.4 billion, reflecting its strong consumer base and premium pricing. Henkel will integrate Olaplex’s...
Nippon Cargo Airlines and ANA Cargo to Merge Sales and Warehousing
ANA Holdings is consolidating the sales and warehousing functions of its recent acquisition, Nippon Cargo Airlines (NCA), with its ANA Cargo unit starting 1 April. The move creates a single global sales point and merges domestic warehouses at Chubu Centrair and...
FGS Reps Brown-Forman as It Talks Merger
Brown‑Forman, represented by FGS Global, announced it is in merger discussions with French liquor giant Pernod Ricard. Both companies describe the potential deal as a merger of equals that would create a global spirits leader with a balanced geographic footprint. Pernod Ricard...
Novartis to Spend up to $2B on Excellergy and Its Next-Gen Xolair Candidate
Novartis announced it will pay up to $2 billion upfront to acquire Excellergy Inc., securing the biotech’s next‑generation anti‑IgE candidate. The move comes as Xolair, Novartis’ blockbuster allergy drug, prepares for imminent biosimilar competition that could erode its market share. By...
Deadline for Simba Telecom's M1 Acquisition Pushed Back
Keppel and Simba Telecom have agreed to push back the long‑stop date for Simba's acquisition of M1's telecom business to May 21 2026, after the Infocomm Media Development Authority extended its regulatory review. The transaction, announced in August 2025, values M1's enterprise...
Tenneco Clean Air Eyes Acquisitions, Ramps up R&D to Drive Next Growth Phase
Tenneco Clean Air India, a subsidiary of the $17 billion U.S. Tenneco group, is gearing up for a new growth phase that includes a potential first acquisition, a new manufacturing plant in Haryana and a $2 million boost to its R&D centre....
PE Targets Pathology Assets: 5 Deals
A group of five private‑equity firms—Astorg, Cinven, Nordic Capital, Consonance and Pike Street—are actively pursuing acquisitions of pathology assets. Their coordinated interest highlights the growing attractiveness of diagnostic services as a stable, cash‑generating sector. The firms aim to consolidate a...
Etu Energias to Acquire Azule Energy’s Stakes in Angola’s Offshore Blocks
Portuguese‑based Etu Energias has signed a sale‑and‑purchase agreement to acquire Azule Energy’s 20% stake in Block 14 and 10% stake in Block 14K, offshore Angola. The deal, valued at up to $310 million including $115 million in contingent payments, replaces a previously aborted consortium...
Suzano / Kimberly-Clark JV Merger Inquiry
The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched a Phase 1 merger inquiry on 27 March 2026 into the joint venture between Brazil’s Suzano and consumer‑goods giant Kimberly‑Clark. The inquiry invites written comments from interested parties until the statutory deadline of 28 May 2026, after...
Pernod Ricard Wants to Acquire Jack Daniel’s
French spirits giant Pernod Ricard and U.S. producer Brown‑Forman are in advanced talks to merge, which would combine Pernod’s €15 billion (≈$16.2 billion) valuation with Brown‑Forman’s $12 billion market cap. The combined entity would own a broad portfolio including Absolut Vodka, Havana Club rum,...
Pernod Ricard and Brown-Forman in Merger Talks
Pernod Ricard and Brown‑Forman have entered exclusive talks about a merger‑of‑equals that would combine two of the world’s largest premium‑spirits producers. Both companies are similarly sized, with Brown‑Forman valued at $11.8 billion and Pernod Ricard at roughly $11.8 billion (≈€15.6 billion). The combined entity would...
Farewell but Not Goodbye to ‘GlenTinto’, Analysts Say
The $240 billion proposed merger between Rio Tinto and Glencore fell apart in February, with both sides unable to agree on valuation splits. While Australian shareholders celebrated the breakup, rising thermal coal prices—up roughly 25% to about $130‑$150 per tonne—have revived...
Novartis Agrees to Acquire Excellergy, Building on Allergy Leadership With Next-Generation Anti-Ige Innovation
Novartis announced a definitive agreement to acquire Excellergy, a private biotech developing next‑generation anti‑IgE therapies. The deal values Excellergy at up to $2 billion in upfront and milestone payments, with closing targeted for the second half of 2026. Exl‑111, Excellergy’s lead...
Serica Completes TotalEnergies Asset Deal, Establishes West of Shetland Gas Hub
Serica Energy has completed the acquisition of a 40% operated interest in TotalEnergies' Greater Laggan Area assets, adding roughly 5,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boed) to its portfolio. The deal gives Serica operatorship of the Shetland Gas Plant,...
Helios Consortium Offer for CAB
On 12 February 2026 the Helios Consortium announced a cash offer to acquire all outstanding CAB Payments shares at US$1.15 per share. The offer is now backed by shareholders controlling roughly 52.7% of CAB’s capital, making it the only firm, deliverable bid...
Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd. – Falcon Provides Update on Transaction with Tamboran
Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd. announced that the British Columbia Supreme Court approved the final order needed to complete its pending transaction with Tamboran Resources, subject to amendments addressing shareholders under sanctions. The court’s decision follows shareholder Lamesa Holding’s opposition...
‘The Processes Are Continuing Forward’: Advertising’s Dealmakers Press on with M&A Despite Iran Uncertainty
Advertising M&A remains active despite the Iran‑related geopolitical shock, with advisors reporting no immediate slowdown in deal flow. Executives note that while negotiations are proceeding, larger transactions are being approached more cautiously due to heightened risk perception. Private‑equity firms are...
UpGrad to Acquire Unacademy in All-Stock Deal?
upGrad has signed a term sheet to acquire Unacademy in a 100% share‑swap transaction, creating a combined edtech powerhouse valued at roughly $2.25 billion. The deal follows upGrad’s February acquisition of Internshala and includes a break‑fee to lock in both parties....
Carr Defends Nexstar/Tegna Merger, Provides Details on Disney-Owned Station Enforcement Action
FCC Chair Brendan Carr defended the FCC’s approval of the $6.2 billion Nexstar‑Tegna merger, arguing it supports a healthy, thriving local broadcast TV market. He also detailed an ongoing enforcement action against Disney’s ABC station for not filing the required equal‑time...
Berkadia Completes Kansas City Seniors Housing Portfolio Sale
Berkadia has finalized the sale of six senior‑living communities in the Kansas City metropolitan area, comprising 413 assisted‑living and memory‑care units. The assets were sold on behalf of a joint venture between Hunt Midwest and Principal Senior Living. At closing,...
Lottery.com SPAC Fraud Unravels as Three Former Executives Plead Guilty
Lottery.com’s SPAC merger unraveled after executives fabricated revenue to secure a deal, leading to a 97% stock collapse. Three former officers—former CEO Vadim Komissarov and two senior executives—pleaded guilty to federal securities fraud. The SEC has imposed permanent injunctions and...
Arizona Sets Pacing Amid ‘Cautious Optimism’ for PE Landscape
Arizona’s state pension fund is adopting a more aggressive stance toward private equity, citing “cautious optimism” about an improving M&A environment. The fund plans to allocate additional capital to capture opportunities in what it describes as a bifurcated market, where...
Dissent Discontent: FCC’s Gomez Shares Anti-Nexstar Statement
Anna M. Gómez, the sole Democratic FCC commissioner, issued a public dissent on the Nexstar Media Group‑TEGNA merger after Media Bureau Chief Erin Boone approved the deal with rule waivers. Gómez criticized Chairman Brendan Carr and the Trump‑era leadership for politicizing...
Memory Maker Micron Weighs Buying Shuttered Japan Display Plant
Micron Technology is in talks to purchase Japan Display's shuttered LCD production plant in Chiba, Japan. The U.S. memory maker plans to repurpose the facility for semiconductor chip assembly and testing rather than display manufacturing. Acquiring the site would give...
Everybody Loves Languages Corp. Shareholders Approve Amalgamation with ELL Ventures Ltd.
Everybody Loves Languages Corp. (ELL) announced that shareholders approved its amalgamation with ELL Ventures Ltd., creating a new entity called Amalco. The transaction is slated for completion around April 10 2026, subject to customary conditions. Upon closing, ELL common shares will be...
After Years of Trying, Moniepoint Breaks Into Kenya with Sumac Acquisition
Moniepoint has secured a foothold in Kenya by acquiring a 78% stake in Sumac Microfinance Bank, gaining an immediate deposit‑taking licence. The acquisition follows a stalled attempt to buy Kopo Kopo and comes days after Moniepoint bought Nigerian restaurant‑software firm...
Corebridge Financial, Equitable Holdings Merge Into $1.5T AUM, AUA Behemoth
Corebridge Financial and Equitable Holdings have signed an all‑stock merger creating a $22 billion entity that will operate under the Equitable name. The combined firm will manage roughly $1.5 trillion in assets, serve 12 million customers, and expect over $5 billion in operating earnings...
Saga Metals Acquires Titanium Property From Rio Tinto
Saga Metals has purchased the 64.5 km² Garneau titanium prospect from Rio Tinto’s Canadian arm for an exploration spend of about $317,000 USD, with Rio retaining a 2% NSR royalty and reimbursing $44,000. The property sits within Quebec’s Havre‑Saint‑Pierre anorthosite complex,...
Recordati Says It's Received a $12B+ Takeover Bid
Italian pharmaceutical group Recordati announced it has received a takeover proposal valued at more than $12 billion. The bid, disclosed in a press release, comes from an undisclosed consortium of investors. Recordati, known for specialty drugs and generics, said the offer...
A Praiseworthy Deal Gives Great Plains A Big Bump
Great Plains Christian Radio Inc., owner of KJIL‑FM 99.1 in Copeland, Kansas, announced a pending purchase of nine full‑power FM stations and five translators from The Praise Network Inc. The assets span small towns across Eastern Colorado and Kansas, extending the...
Streamticker: The Biggest Streaming Mergers and Acquisitions of 2025
The 2025 Streamticker roundup chronicles a wave of high‑value mergers reshaping streaming, advertising, and infrastructure. DIRECTV’s acquisition of INVIDI strengthens addressable TV ad solutions, while Outbrain’s $1 billion purchase of Teads creates a $1.7 billion omnichannel ad platform. DAZN’s $2.2 billion buy of...
Collectly Acquires AI Automation Startup Pledge Health to Streamline Pre-Service Workflows
Collectly, an AI‑driven patient financial platform that has processed over $1 billion for more than 3,000 facilities, announced the acquisition of Y Combinator‑backed Pledge Health. The deal adds upstream pre‑service automation—coverage verification, cost estimates, and prior‑auth readiness—to Collectly’s existing post‑visit billing suite....
Blacklane: The Yin to Uber’s Yang?
Uber is reportedly close to acquiring premium chauffeur service Blacklane for roughly $1.03 bn, a move that would add a high‑margin, pre‑booked offering to its portfolio. Blacklane operates in about 500 cities across more than 50 countries, serving business and luxury...
Women’s Health Ripe for Private Equity Investments, Finds Kearney’s Paula Bellostas Muguerza
Private equity firms are increasingly targeting women's health, a sector seen as under‑capitalized and high‑growth. The $18.3 billion Blackstone‑TPG take‑private of diagnostic‑equipment maker Hologic is being cited as a bellwether transaction. Analysts at Kearney, led by Paula Bellostas Muguerza, argue that fragmented...
Sources: $37B Allworth Exploring Majority Stake Sale
Allworth Financial, a California‑based registered investment advisor with roughly $36.5 billion in client assets, is exploring a sale of its majority stake held by Lightyear Capital and the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan. The firm has hired William Blair to lead the transaction....