David Ellison's Paramount Has some Breathing Room in Its Quest to Buy WBD Despite a Pressing Deadline
Paramount Skydance, led by David Ellison, is still courting Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) even though a shareholder vote is set for March 20. Netflix, the rival bidder, gave WBD a one‑week waiver on exclusivity, allowing direct talks with Paramount but not forcing an immediate final offer. Paramount’s current proposal values WBD at $30 per share, higher than Netflix’s all‑cash $27.75 offer, and includes the cable network assets. The deal hinges on whether Ellison can secure enough shareholder support before the March 20 vote and navigate potential employee exits and regulatory scrutiny.
Dallas Apartment Tower Sells To Kushner Cos.: The DFW Deal Sheet
Kushner Cos., the family firm of Jared Kushner, purchased the 28‑story, 330‑unit Eastline Residences luxury apartment tower in Dallas from Convexity Properties. The high‑rise has sustained roughly 95% occupancy since its 2021 delivery and posted about 4% rent growth over...
Pure Storage Snaps up 1touch in Data Management Pivot
Pure Storage announced the acquisition of data‑intelligence firm 1Touch and a corporate rebrand to Everpure, signaling a strategic pivot from pure flash hardware to comprehensive data‑management solutions. The deal will embed 1Touch’s orchestration capabilities into Pure’s Enterprise Data Cloud (EDC)...
Frazier Healthcare-Backed RevSpring Acquires Healthcare Tech Firm TrustCommerce
RevSpring, a revenue‑cycle management platform backed by Frazier Healthcare, announced the acquisition of healthcare‑technology firm TrustCommerce. The deal was sourced from Waud Capital Partners, which acted as the seller. TrustCommerce brings a robust payment‑processing suite that complements RevSpring's existing billing...
Evercore Taps Adams Street Partners for New APAC Secondaries Head
Evercore has appointed a senior executive from Adams Street Partners to lead its Asia‑Pacific secondary market advisory team. The move comes after the departure of Shane Gong, who had headed the APAC private‑capital advisory practice until January 2025. Adams Street...
White Cap Completes Acquisition of Colony Hardware
White Cap, a leading distributor of specialty construction supplies, completed its acquisition of Colony Hardware on February 6, 2026. Colony adds over 60 locations across 20 Eastern and Central states, expanding White Cap’s geographic footprint. The deal merges Colony’s same‑day delivery and...
BDO Adds Most New SEC Clients in Q4
BDO USA secured the most new SEC audit clients in Q4 2025, largely thanks to its November 2025 acquisition of Mississippi‑based Horne. Nine of the Top 10 Firm’s ten new engagements originated from Horne, propelling BDO ahead of peers. CBIZ followed...
2026 FleetOwner 500: For-Hire List
FleetOwner’s 2026 FO500 for‑hire ranking shows little movement at the top, with Schneider National edging past TFI International to claim the sixth spot while the top‑ten list remains unchanged. Growth among lower‑ranked carriers is driven largely by mergers and acquisitions,...
Broadridge Eyes Synergy, Client Focus After Acquiring CQG
A record influx of Designated Contract Market applications is straining an already depleted CFTC staff, marking the fastest cadence of new exchange filings in modern history. Meanwhile, the London Stock Exchange completed its first transaction under the new PISCES framework,...
Zim Takeover Raises Questions for Transpac Shippers – and MSC
Hapag‑Lloyd’s pending acquisition of Zim will reshape the Asia‑US east‑coast trade, especially the five vessel‑sharing services currently run with MSC. The carrier can either keep Zim’s premium, time‑sensitive strings separate or fold them into the Gemini alliance, each option raising...
Gilead Shows Belief in Its Partner’s Cancer Treatment with $7.8 Billion Buyout
Gilead Sciences agreed to acquire the remaining shares of Arcellx for an equity value of $7.8 billion, paying $115 per share—a 79.4% premium to the prior close. The deal secures full rights to Arcellx’s BCMA‑directed CAR‑T therapy anito‑cel, which is in...
Fazer Looks to M&A After “Record” 2025 Sales
Finland's Fazer Group reported record €1.19 bn sales in 2025, up from €1.18 bn, despite a 2.5% dip in comparable EBITDA to €137.8 m. CEO Christoph Vitzthum signaled openness to M&A to reinforce growth, especially after strong confectionery performance and easing cocoa prices....
LDC / Green Label Merger Inquiry
The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has opened Phase 1 of its review into the proposed merger between LDC and Green Label, issuing an invitation to comment that runs from 23 February to 9 March 2026. An initial enforcement order was served on...
Side Letter: Gating-Gate
Blue Owl’s recent sale of semi‑liquid assets has put the niche asset class front‑and‑center for investors. Partners Group is actively addressing growing investor anxiety around artificial‑intelligence‑driven strategies. Meanwhile, Gridiron Capital signals its return to deal‑making after a quiet period. The...
KKR Weighs Sale of BMC Helix at up to $1.5bn
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...
Estée Lauder Eyes M&A Opportunities to Help Turnaround, CEO Says
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...
Etsy Sells Depop To EBay For $1.2 Billion
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....
STAT+: Gilead to Buy Arcellx in Nearly $8B Deal
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. Film Chiefs Break Down Their Dominant Year: 'Everything Was Original Once'
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...
Ted Sarandos Responds to Donald Trump’s Call to Fire Board Member Susan Rice: ‘He Likes to Do a Lot of...
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...
What Does a Corporate Lawyer Actually Do?
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....
FERC Approves Blackstone’s Acquisition of TXNM Energy
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...
Hobbycraft Owner Explores Potential Sale of the Business
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...
Private Equity Has Entered a Hyper-Competitive Era – Bain Report
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...
AS Watson Parent Mulls Bid for Collapsed Australian Pharmacy Group’s Assets
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...
BJC Moves to Snap up MM Mega Market Vietnam in $720m Deal
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...
Keysight Technologies Inc (KEYS) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
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...
BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc (BMRN) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
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...
Primoris Services Corp (PRIM) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
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...
ConocoPhillips Explores $2-Billion Sale of Permian Basin Assets
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...
German Defense Firm Said to Be Weighing Bid for Mynaric
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...
Hollywood Merger Threatens Movie Theatres Just as They Recover
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...
Chariot to Raise $20 Million to Fund Offshore Angola Oil Production Stake
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....
First Citizens Seeks New Mergers to Cross Growth Threshold
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...
Why Creators Are Ditching Ad Revenue for Chocolate Bars and Fintech Acquisitions
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...
The DOJ Expands Its Investigation of The Warner Bros. Discovery Sale to Netflix
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 Adds Alabama Firm
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...
Hapag-Lloyd Set to Grow Its Intra-Asia Network Through Zim’s Gold Star Line
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,...
Downtown Music Completes Merger with Virgin Music
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...
How M&A Could Reshape K-12 in 2026
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....
14 Months Later, UMG’s Virgin Officially Wraps Its Downtown Buyout — Pieter Van Rijn Shifts to COO, Justin Kalifowitz Steps...
Universal Music Group’s Virgin Music Group has completed its $775 million acquisition of Downtown Music Group, finalizing the deal 14 months after announcement and shortly after EU approval. Pieter van Rijn, former Downtown head, is appointed COO of Virgin Music, reporting...
Sinclair Given FCC OK To Buy Three SSA Partner Stations
Sinclair Broadcast Group has received Federal Communications Commission approval to acquire three stations it already operates under shared services agreements. The transactions include the Howard Stirk Holdings NBC affiliate in Flint, Michigan, a Cunningham Broadcasting station in Traverse City, Michigan,...
Lone View-Backed CargoSprint Acquires Dray Dog
Atlanta‑based CargoSprint, a cargo‑industry software provider, announced the acquisition of Dray Dog, a drayage‑focused platform. The deal is backed by Lone View, the venture firm that previously funded CargoSprint. By combining Dray Dog’s real‑time drayage capabilities with CargoSprint’s broader freight...
Stellantis Takes $26B Write-Down over EVs, Sells Stake in Battery JV for $100
Stellantis announced a €22.2 billion ($26 billion) write‑down tied to its electric‑vehicle strategy and sold its 49 % stake in the NextStar Energy battery JV to LG Energy Solution for a nominal $100. The charge reflects cancelled EV platforms, supply‑chain resizing and quality‑related...
Howard Hughes Holding’s Earnings Wobble as Ackman Asks For More Time
Bill Ackman's Pershing Square bought Howard Hughes Holdings for $900 million in May 2025 and is reshaping the commercial‑real‑estate firm into a diversified holding company. The firm announced a $2.1 billion acquisition of Vantage Group’s insurance business, slated to close this quarter....
How an LP and a GP Are Approaching the Slower Exit Environment
In the inaugural episode of PEI Group’s "Commitment Issues" podcast, Children’s Health’s Yangge Seaman and Hg’s Steven Batchelor examine how limited partners (LPs) and general partners (GPs) are adapting to a slower private‑equity exit market. Both guests highlight a growing...
How Getting Building Data Early in an M&A Deal Can Add Value
Facilities managers are often left out of M&A due diligence, yet early access to building data can dramatically increase deal value. By collaborating with finance teams, they can inventory leases, square footage, occupancy, and technology stacks before the transaction closes....
BlackRock to Merge Two Investment Trusts Following Saba Backing
BlackRock announced the merger of two of its UK investment trusts, a move supported by activist investor Saba Capital. The consolidation will combine assets worth over £X billion, aiming to enhance scale and reduce operating costs. By streamlining the trusts, BlackRock...
Virgin Music Group Completes Downtown Acquisition; Pieter Van Rijn Named COO as Downtown Founder Justin Kalifowitz Steps Away
Virgin Music Group (VMG) completed its acquisition of Downtown Music Holdings on February 20, 2026, after the European Commission cleared the deal pending the divestiture of Downtown’s Curve royalty‑accounting unit. The transaction brings Downtown’s 5,000 business clients, four million creators and...
Virgin Music Group Completes Downtown Music Holdings Acquisition
Virgin Music Group, the Universal Music Group subsidiary, closed its $775 million acquisition of Downtown Music Holdings after securing European Commission approval. The deal elevates VMG’s footprint in the independent music services market, adding Downtown’s 5,000 business clients and four million...