Youth Sports Is the Safest Investment in the World—Or Is It?
Youth sports is often portrayed as recession‑proof, yet costs have surged 46% while U.S. births fell about 15%, shrinking the entry pool. A modest 3% annual decline in new participants compounds to roughly a 30% reduction in the base cohort over ten years, inflating per‑player facility costs. The Future Legends Complex in Colorado, built on high‑volume assumptions, filed Chapter 11 after failing to achieve needed utilization. Investors must rethink the assumption that participation automatically replenishes.
Hong Kong’s 2nd Richest Man Li Ka-Shing to Sell UK Electricity Operator for $14B
Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka‑shing's CK Infrastructure Group agreed to sell UK Power Networks to French utility Engie for £10.5 billion (about $14.2 billion). The deal, slated for mid‑2026, is part of a sweeping portfolio overhaul that includes potential divestments of ports and...
PARAMOUNT Wins US $110B Battle for Warner Bros, Pays NETFLIX Exit Fee
Paramount has agreed to acquire Warner Bros Discovery for $31 per share, valuing the combined enterprise at roughly $110 billion including debt. The deal also covers Netflix’s $2.8 billion termination fee, clearing the rival’s exit from the bidding war. If regulators approve,...
PTT Eyes Partners Across Value Chain
Thai state‑owned energy group PTT Plc announced it will seek external partners across its value chain, aiming to sell stakes in its oil‑refining and petrochemical subsidiaries—Thai Oil, PTT Global Chemical and IRPC—to global investors. The company also plans to attract...
Ocean of Capital Chasing Trains
The rail industry is experiencing a wave of liquidity as infrastructure funds, insurance companies, and private‑equity firms pour billions into railcar and locomotive financing. Traditional tax‑leveraged leases are being replaced by long‑horizon passive capital and CDO‑structured debt, reshaping the capital...
#58453
Monroe Capital Corporation’s listed options will be adjusted following its proposed merger with Horizon Technology Finance Corporation. The OCC will change the option symbol from MRCC to HRZN1 and increase the contract multiplier from 1 to 100, meaning each contract...
A Major MVPD Merger Is Done: FCC OKs Charter-Cox Deal
The FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau approved Charter Communications’ $34.5 billion acquisition of Cox Enterprises’ residential cable, fiber, and managed‑IT businesses. The deal, signed in May 2025, will rebrand the combined consumer offering under the Spectrum name while adopting the Cox corporate...
Botkeeper Infinite Acquired by Xendoo, Platform Will Live Again
Botkeeper Infinite has been revived after Xendoo acquired its AI assets and re‑established the platform as a distinct division. The acquisition follows a brief shutdown announced by CEO Enrico Palmerino, but the software remained live to give customers time to...
Chicago Industrial Is Having A Moment — Some Investors Want In
Chicago’s industrial market is demonstrating steady fundamentals, with vacancy holding at 4.6% in 2025 and leasing activity climbing to 40.5 million sq ft, while rents rose 4.6% to $8.97 per sq ft. Mid‑market investors Matterhorn and SparrowHawk each secured $300 million in equity, giving Matterhorn...
Co-CEO: Permian Resources Sees Opportunity in Expected Divestiture Wave
Permian Resources Corp. says a wave of asset divestitures is looming as large oil‑and‑gas players unwind recent mega‑deals, and the Midland‑based operator is ready to act. The company can comfortably spend up to $3 billion on acquisitions through 2027 without stretching...
First Brands to Sell Units That Produce Parts for Ford
First Brands Group, currently in a multi‑billion‑dollar bankruptcy, has identified four prospective buyers for its auto‑parts factories, three of which supply components to Ford Motor Co. Ford is prepaying for parts and administrative expenses, a move described by its counsel...
HVS Europe Hotel Transactions Bulletin Week Ending 20 February 2026
The HVS Europe Hotel Transactions Bulletin for the week ending 20 February 2026 lists a series of high‑profile hotel deals across the continent. Indian conglomerate SanRaj, via Clearsense Ventures, bought three Accor‑branded hotels in the UK (478 rooms) from Ares and EQ....
TEGNA Board OKs Dividend Ahead of Q4 Release
The TEGNA Board of Directors approved a regular quarterly cash dividend as the company prepares to release its Q4 and full‑year 2025 results. The decision comes while TEGNA and Nexstar Media Group await final regulatory clearance from the FCC and...
Reservoir Receives Unsolicited $1.2B Bid From Activist Investor Irenic Capital (Report)
Activist fund Irenic Capital Management has lodged an unsolicited takeover offer for Reservoir Media, valuing the Nasdaq‑listed music rights company at $1.1‑$1.2 billion, or $10‑$11 per share. Irenic, which owns roughly 9.2% of Reservoir, triggered a 15% surge in the stock...
Fonterra Sale Once-in-a-Generation Opportunity for Balance – Nick Stewart
Fonterra’s Mainland Group sale has been cleared, unlocking a $3.2 billion capital return for New Zealand dairy farmers. The average payout will be $392,000 per farm, with larger operations slated to receive $2‑3 million. Settlement is slated for the end of March 2026,...
Evernorth Confirms Full Ownership of CarepathRx
Evernorth, Cigna’s health‑services arm, has confirmed it now fully owns CarepathRx after completing the acquisition last year. CarepathRx provides home and ambulatory infusion solutions to roughly 10% of U.S. hospitals, strengthening Evernorth’s specialty pharmacy footprint. The deal builds on a...
‘Goldman Handful’ and the Zombie Apocalypse: Takeaways From NEXUS
The NEXUS conference highlighted a tightening deal pipeline at Goldman Sachs, dubbed the “Goldman handful,” as the firm scales back mid‑market transactions. Speakers warned that a wave of “zombie” companies—firms surviving on low‑interest debt—could strain private‑equity exits. Market participants noted...
Falfurrias-Backed Woven Solutions Acquires Government Consultancy Valence
Woven Solutions, a Reston‑based software provider for the national security community, announced the acquisition of Valence, a government consultancy. The deal is backed by private‑equity firm Falfurrias Capital Partners, which has been fueling Woven's expansion. Valence brings deep advisory expertise...
Primary Wave in Talks to Potentially Acquire Kobalt Music Group
Primary Wave is in advanced talks to acquire Kobalt Music Group, with a potential valuation north of $1.5 billion—roughly double the price paid by private‑equity owner Francisco Partners in 2022. The deal would merge Primary Wave’s $6 billion catalog portfolio with Kobalt’s...
The Future of Japan’s Regional Banks: Demographics, Mergers, and a Tight Market
Japan’s regional banks, once pillars of local growth, now face shrinking deposits and borrowers as the nation records its 16th consecutive year of population decline. Consolidation is accelerating, highlighted by the 2025 Aomori Bank‑Michinoku Bank merger that now controls about...
Week in Review: Netflix Drops Its WBD Bid, Premier League Plans a Streaming App, and CTV Fuels Ad Tech Growth
Netflix has withdrawn its $83 billion bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery’s studio and streaming assets, paving the way for Paramount Skydance’s $111 billion hostile offer, which the board has deemed superior. Paramount’s proposal, backed by Larry Ellison, now awaits regulatory clearance...
Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery Reshape Streaming?s Power Balance
Paramount Skydance Global and Warner Bros. Discovery have announced a $111 billion merger that would unite two major studios and their extensive content libraries. The combined entity would blend HBO’s premium brand with Paramount’s franchises such as Star Trekk, Mission: Impossible, Transformers and...
As 'Shockwaves And Shenanigans' Recede, Investors Move Fast To Snap Up UK Retail Bargains
UK retail property is re‑emerging as a high‑yield asset class, with prime shopping centre yields near 8% and secondary assets offering double‑digit returns. Transaction volumes in 2025 were modest at £5.83 bn, but the market saw a flurry of marquee deals,...
Netflix Dropping Its Bid for Warner Bros. Will Spur Big Gains for the Streaming Giant, Analysts Say
Netflix walked away from its proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, letting the bid lapse as Paramount Skydance raised its offer to $31 per share. The decision erased a major overhang, sending Netflix stock up about 8% in pre‑market trading while Warner Bros. Discovery slipped...
Searchlight and Abry to Take IoT Company Kore Private for $726m
Searchlight Capital Partners and Abry Partners announced a joint acquisition of IoT platform provider Kore, taking the company private for approximately $726 million. The deal values Kore at $9.25 per share, covering all outstanding shares not already owned by the investors....
February 2026: Top Five Fintech M&A Stories of the Month
In February 2026, fintech M&A activity highlighted five marquee deals reshaping banking, asset management, digital payments, and wealth services. Santander agreed to acquire Webster Bank for $12.2 billion, positioning itself among the top‑ten U.S. retail banks. Nuveen’s £9.9 billion purchase of Schroders will...
Built For Retail
In 2024 paddlesports retailer Todd Frank bought inflatable canoe maker SOAR Inflatables, merging his 50‑year retail background with manufacturing. Frank leveraged his own Trail Head River Sports as the first outlet and has added three more retailers after showcasing at...
Exclusive: Astorg’s Mid-Cap Co-Head Edouard Pillot to Leave Firm
Astorg announced that Edouard Pillot, co‑head of its mid‑cap private‑equity team, will depart the firm. Lionel de Posson, Pillot’s fellow co‑head, will assume sole leadership of the mid‑cap unit. The change follows an internal restructuring aimed at streamlining decision‑making. Astorg...
PE Eyes Growth in Hospice Care Platforms: 5 Deals
Private equity firms are intensifying focus on hospice care platforms, with five notable deals reported this quarter. Kinderhook, Renovus and Revelstoke are among the investors leading the charge, targeting fragmented providers to build scalable platforms. The surge reflects broader demographic...
Athena Gold Plans Acquisition of Forester Gold Project in Ontario
Athena Gold announced an all‑share acquisition of the 4,900‑hectare Forester Gold Project in north‑western Ontario, securing a full interest while inheriting a 2% net smelter return royalty that can be repurchased for $2 million. The project sits less than 30 km from...
The Tale of Two Spin-Offs: What the Kellogg Breakup Really Achieved
Kellogg’s 2023 split produced two stand‑alone companies—Kellanova, a global snacking platform, and WK Kellogg, a North‑American cereal specialist. Both entities quickly attracted strategic buyers, with Mars acquiring Kellanova for roughly $36 bn and Ferrero purchasing WK Kellogg for $3.1 bn. The spin‑offs...
CPP Investments, Equinix Ink $4bn Deal for Nordic Data Center Platform atNorth
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments) and global data‑center operator Equinix have signed a $4 billion agreement to develop the atNorth platform across the Nordics. The partnership will fund the construction of multiple hyperscale facilities, targeting the region’s growing demand...
Colorado Multi-Site Behavioral Health Platform
Prime exits® and American HealthCare Capital are offering a fully licensed behavioral health platform in Northern Colorado, comprising two ready‑to‑operate outpatient facilities. The business currently generates no revenue but retains all licenses, accreditation, EMR, billing systems and payer contracts, dramatically...
$16 Million Revenue National Healthcare Staffing Firm Specializing in HIT & Travel Nursing
A national healthcare staffing firm generated roughly $16.4 million in 2025 revenue and $3.7 million gross profit while operating two divisions—Health Information Technology (HIT) and travel nursing/allied health. The company leverages a proprietary database of over 174,000 clinicians and HIT professionals and...
Paramount-WBD Pact Is ‘Not a Done Deal,’ California AG Teases ‘Vigorous’ Investigation
California Attorney General Rob Bonta warned that the Paramount‑Warner Bros. Discovery merger is not finalized, citing an open state investigation. Paramount’s $31‑per‑share offer has been deemed superior, prompting Netflix to step aside. Regulators must still clear the deal amid concerns...
CNN’s Jake Tapper Breaks News of Paramount Buying Network’s Parent Company WBD Live on Air: ‘It Affects Everybody I’m Looking...
Paramount Skydance announced a presumptive offer to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent of CNN, after Netflix withdrew its competing bid. The announcement was made live on CNN’s "The Lead" by Jake Tapper, highlighting immediate relevance to the network’s staff. Political figures, including former...
Some of Warner Bros. Games' 'Biggest Franchises' To Return Starting Next Year, Netflix Backs Out of Bidding War with Paramount
Warner Bros. Discovery announced that its gaming division will refocus on its flagship franchises—Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, DC and Mortal Kombat—with new releases expected in 2027‑28. The company described 2025 as a reset year after shutting down MultiVersus and...
Calumet Inc (CLMT) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Calumet Specialty Products Partners reported Q4 2019 adjusted EBITDA of $49.9 million and full‑year adjusted EBITDA of $262.8 million, driven by a 24% rise in specialty segment earnings to $207.9 million. The company reduced debt by $391 million, bringing leverage down to 4.0 times EBITDA...
Camber Property Group Sells Rent-Stabilized Portfolio For $80M
Camber Property Group sold a rent‑stabilized Brooklyn portfolio for $79.9 million, nearly matching its 2020 purchase price of $81.5 million. The eight pre‑war buildings comprise 387 units and benefit from a Section 610 rent‑subsidy amendment and a 40‑year Article XI tax abatement. The deal...
Private Equity’s Expanding Playbook: Accounting and Consulting Firms
Private equity firms are increasingly targeting the fragmented accounting and consulting sector, where tens of thousands of CPA practices present a ripe consolidation landscape. Investors aim to roll up these firms into national platforms that can leverage scale, technology, and...
Pat McGrath Labs Still Looking for Buyers
Pat McGrath Labs has entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy and is being marketed to potential buyers by investment bank Gordian Group. The sale follows private‑equity firm GDA Luma’s recent acquisition of a controlling stake in the brand. Any transaction must settle over $60 million in debtor‑in‑possession...
Nexstar Expects Tegna Purchase To Close By End Of Q2
Nexstar Media Group expects its $2.5 billion acquisition of Tegna to close by the end of the second quarter, aligning with the anticipated surge in political advertising ahead of the 2026 election cycle. The company reported Q4 net revenue of $1.29 billion,...
Butterfly Equity Changes Control After Partner Dispute
Butterfly Equity, a private‑equity manager with roughly $7 billion in assets under management, has undergone a control shift following an internal partner dispute. Co‑founder Adam Waglay has emerged as the sole decision‑maker, consolidating ownership previously shared among partners. The restructuring resolves...
Augmentum Fintech Accepts £186m Cash Takeover Offer
Augmentum Fintech has agreed to a £185.7 million cash takeover by Norwegian buyout firm Verdane, representing a 27 % premium at 111 pence per share. The board unanimously recommended the offer, targeting completion in the second quarter. Augmentum’s portfolio includes 27 fintechs such...
Money Wins Again, as Netflix Drops Its Warner Bros. Acquisition Dreams
Netflix has formally withdrawn its bid to acquire part of Warner Bros. Discovery after Paramount raised its offer to $31 per share, valuing the deal around $77 billion. Netflix’s own proposal, previously estimated at $72 billion, was deemed too costly, and the...
Healthcare Deals 2025: Notable Mergers & Acquisitions Activity
Healthcare M&A activity surged in 2025, with financial distress driving a record 43% of transactions. Regulatory scrutiny intensified, highlighted by California’s new law tightening oversight of private‑equity deals. Major deals included UnitedHealth’s $3.3 billion acquisition of Amedisys, Baptist Memorial’s $55 million purchase of...
New Bill Would Impose Shot Clocks on FCC Merger Reviews
Two bipartisan lawmakers introduced the Keep It Moving Act to impose strict shot clocks on Federal Communications Commission merger reviews, formalizing the agency's informal 180‑day deadline. If the FCC exceeds the timeline, applicants could seek a court order to compel...
Cascades Targeting $100M in Additional Divestitures for 2026
Cascades announced a $100 million target for additional divestitures by mid‑2026 as it exits honeycomb and partition packaging segments and shuts three plants. The company sold its Richmond corrugated plant for $69 million, boosting cash flow and helping meet its $120 million asset‑sale...
International Paper CEO Pulls Back the Curtain on Planned Geographic Split
International Paper announced it will separate into two independent companies—one focused on North America and the other on Europe—after CEO Andy Silvernail highlighted regional strengths at the BofA 2026 Global Agriculture and Materials Conference. The split follows the $1.5 billion sale...
COMvergence: 2025 Marcom M&A Volume Grew Slightly
Marcom M&A activity in 2025 edged higher to 55 deals, reflecting a modest rise from 2024 but still far below the 2016 peak. The sector’s focus has shifted from expansion‑driven roll‑ups to infrastructure‑led consolidation centered on AI, cloud, and data...