Eventbrite's New Owner Cuts Staff After Takeover
Italian tech firm Bending Spoons completed its March acquisition of Eventbrite, valuing the ticket‑selling platform at roughly $11 billion. Within weeks, the new owner cut a large portion of the U.S. workforce and rolled out product upgrades aimed at faster event creation, better creator tools, and improved reliability. Upcoming features include offline ticket access and multi‑slot scanning. Bending Spoons, which has revamped WeTransfer, Vimeo and AOL, is eyeing an IPO as early as 2026.
Hollywood Heavyweights Oppose Paramount Deal
More than 2,000 Hollywood creators signed an open letter opposing Paramount Skydance’s planned takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, warning that the merger would shrink opportunities, cut jobs, raise costs and limit audience choice. Showrunner Damon Lindelof explained a chilling effect on talent...
Apple Chooses Amazon Satellites for iPhone, Years After Rejecting Starlink Offer
Amazon announced a $11.6 billion acquisition of Globalstar and a partnership that makes it the primary satellite service provider for iPhone and Apple Watch. The deal gives Amazon access to Globalstar’s existing low‑Earth‑orbit constellation, spectrum and Mobile Satellite Service licenses. Amazon...
Amazon Stock Pops on Double Satellite Win
Amazon’s stock rose about 4% after the company announced plans to acquire Globalstar and to expand its low‑Earth‑orbit Leo satellite network. The deal will fold Globalstar’s assets into Leo and is paired with a separate agreement to provide satellite texting...
Why Amazon Stock Just Popped
Amazon announced a $11.6 billion acquisition of Globalstar, paying $90 per share – a 23% premium – to secure the satellite‑communications firm. The deal adds roughly two dozen satellites, expanding the Amazon Leo constellation by about 10% and delivering instant direct‑to‑consumer capability...
Why Theater Owners Are Balking at Hollywood's Latest Mega Deal
At CinemaCon, Cinema United announced it will actively oppose the proposed Paramount‑Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery merger, warning that the consolidation could harm exhibitors and consumers. The combined entity would inherit roughly $79 billion in debt and pledge to produce 30...
XTL: Amazon For Globalstar Is Just The Latest Catalyst
Amazon.com announced an $11.6 billion acquisition of Globalstar, a move that underscores rising demand for satellite‑based telecom services. The deal lifts Globalstar’s stock about 11% and makes the company the top holding in the State Street SPDR S&P Telecom ETF (XTL)....
JetBlue Rumors? Now American? What a United Mega-Merger Would Mean
United Airlines is reportedly weighing two mega‑merger options—first a partnership‑turned‑potential deal with JetBlue, now a more ambitious tie‑up with American Airlines. A United‑American combination would create the world’s largest carrier by capacity and revenue, commanding roughly 40% of the domestic...
Globalstar Stock Rises on Amazon Takeover. The Impact on AST SpaceMobile and Iridium.
Amazon announced a takeover of Globalstar, offering $90 per share in cash or Amazon stock at a 0.3210‑to‑1 ratio, capped at $90. The proposal values Globalstar at roughly $3.5 billion and sent its stock up 9.2%, while Amazon rose 4.0%. Competitor...
A Mid-Florida ‘Outlaw’ Finally Gets An Owner Shift
A Class B AM station serving the agricultural corridor between Sebring and Sarasota, Florida, along with its 250‑watt FM translator, is slated for an ownership change. The buyer is the station’s own “Outlaw” programming brand, effectively purchasing the facilities it already...
Would A United, American Airlines Merger Shake Up The Airline Industry?
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby pitched a merger with American Airlines during a February meeting with former President Donald Trump, sparking speculation that the two carriers could form the largest U.S. airline by fleet size. The report sent United, American...
A Golden State Deal That Returns ‘Rocking M’ Name
A six‑member Montgomery family, together with a station employee, has formed Rocking M Media Group to acquire an AM/FM combo and three additional FM stations in California. The deal is unrelated to the well‑known Monte or Doris Miller, despite the...
Amazon Buys Globalstar and Does Satellite Deal with Apple
Amazon announced it will acquire Globalstar, folding the satellite operator’s fleet, spectrum licenses, and infrastructure into its Amazon Leo business. The deal secures Globalstar’s existing 85% capacity allocation to Apple, while Amazon and Apple signed a new agreement to keep iPhone...
Amazon Just Bought Its Way Into the Satellite-to-Phone Race — And the Real Target Is SpaceX
Amazon announced it will acquire satellite operator Globalstar, instantly gaining licensed mobile‑satellite spectrum, an operational L‑band fleet, and ground infrastructure that already supports Apple’s emergency messaging. The deal, structured as cash and stock, is slated to close in 2027 pending...
Across the US, the ‘New Compass’ Is Running Away with the Lead
Compass International Holdings has dramatically expanded its market share after acquiring Anywhere, now leading in five major U.S. metros. In Boston, Chicago, San Diego, Austin and Washington, D.C., the "New Compass" brand commands 30%‑40% of home‑sale transactions, outpacing rivals such as...
Serbian NIS Deal Faces Uncertainty After Hungarian Election
Hungarian oil giant Mol remains interested in buying the controlling stake in Serbia’s state oil firm NIS, currently owned by Russia’s Gazprom and Gazprom Neft. The deal was already under discussion before Hungary’s parliamentary election. The opposition Tisza party’s victory has...
Thomas Riedel Acquires ARRI
Thomas Riedel, founder of Riedel Communications, announced the acquisition of ARRI, the German leader in cinema cameras, lighting, and workflow solutions. The deal, disclosed on April 14, 2026, aligns two family‑run enterprises and expands Riedel’s reach across the full production...
Eventbrite Makes Layoffs Following Bending Spoons Acquisition
Eventbrite announced significant layoffs after its $500 million acquisition by Milan‑based Bending Spoons. The cuts primarily target the pre‑acquisition workforce, with many employees in India affected, as the new owners integrate their product development team. Bending Spoons plans to accelerate innovation...
Instacart Acquires Instaleap to Expand Its Enterprise Platform Internationally
Instacart announced the acquisition of Colombia‑based grocery‑tech firm Instaleap, a move aimed at extending its enterprise platform beyond North America. Instaleap, founded in 2019, provides a fulfillment‑solutions platform used by retailers in roughly 30 countries across Latin America, Europe and...
LPL’s Latest Deal? Buying Advisors From Mariner It Already Works With
LPL Financial announced it will purchase part of the Mariner Advisor Network, encompassing 367 independent advisors who collectively manage about $31 billion in assets. The deal includes 144 hybrid advisors moving to LPL’s Private Advisor Group model while 223 remain directly...
Girish Gopalan of Meter: 5 Questions
Meter announced the acquisition of WiredScore, the global standard for building connectivity, integrating its certification program into Meter’s platform. The deal keeps WiredScore operating as an independent subsidiary under CEO William Newton, preserving its strong brand in the real‑estate community....
Amazon Makes Globalstar Deal Official, Shakes Up Satellite Sector
Amazon announced the acquisition of Globalstar for $11.57 billion, aiming to broaden its Leo satellite constellation and challenge SpaceX’s Starlink. The news lifted Amazon’s shares 2.7% to $246.33 and sent Globalstar stock up 10.2% to $80.30. Options activity surged, with call...
Lilly Wants to Bridge Cancer Care Gap with $300M ADC Biotech Buy
Eli Lilly announced an acquisition of Houston‑based CrossBridge Bio, offering up to $300 million in cash and performance‑based biobucks. The early‑stage biotech is developing a dual‑payload antibody‑drug conjugate, CBB‑120, that targets the TROP2 protein found in many solid tumors. CrossBridge plans to...
AIP to Take Medtech Firm Avanos Medical Private
AIP, a private‑equity firm, announced plans to take Avanos Medical private at an estimated $1.272 billion valuation. The deal will remove Avanos from public markets, giving AIP full control over its medtech portfolio. Avanos, known for innovative airway and vascular devices,...
AppDirect Acquires PartnerStack to Build Unified Platform for Partner-Led Growth
San Francisco‑based AppDirect announced the acquisition of Toronto‑originated PartnerStack, a partner relationship management platform with more than 138,000 B2B partners. The deal, whose financial terms were not disclosed, will merge PartnerStack’s network and PRM tools with AppDirect’s marketplace infrastructure to...
Morning Reads
Nvidia denied a report that it was negotiating to buy a PC maker, sending Dell and HP shares down more than 2% after earlier rallying. United Airlines CEO discussed a possible merger with American Airlines, lifting both stocks in pre‑market...
Herdez Gives Control of Nestlé Mexico Ice-Cream Business to Froneri
Grupo Herdez will hand operational control of its Nestlé‑licensed ice‑cream portfolio in Mexico to Froneri, creating a 50‑50 joint venture. Froneri will inject capital and assume full operational authority, while Herdez receives no cash inflow and will reclassify its stake...
Equinor Sells 8.07% Stake in Scatec for $169m
Equinor sold an 8.07% stake in Norwegian renewable developer Scatec for roughly $168.5 million, pricing shares at Nkr 125 ($13.16) each. After the transaction the oil major retains an 8.05% holding subject to a 90‑day lock‑up. Equinor first invested in Scatec in...
1,000+ Hollywood Insiders Write Letter Opposing Paramount/Warner Bros Merger
More than 1,000 leading Hollywood professionals, including Glenn Close and Denis Villeneuve, have signed an open letter condemning the proposed $111 billion merger of Larry Ellison’s Paramount/CBS with Warner Bros. Discovery. The signatories argue the deal would shrink the U.S. studio...
Thoma Bravo to Merge Construction Software Firm with Nemetschek’s Build and Construct Segment
Private equity firm Thoma Bravo is merging its construction‑software assets with Nemetschek SE’s Build and Construct segment, creating a combined entity focused on digital construction solutions. Under the agreement, Nemetschek will hold roughly 72% of the new business while Thoma...
Eni Completes Acea Acquisitions
Eni’s renewables arm Plenitude completed the purchase of Acea Energia and a 50% stake in Umbria Energy, adding roughly 1.2 million electricity and gas customers and bringing its total retail base to over 11 million. The transaction was priced at €500 million (≈$590 million)...
Telegraph Takeover by German Buyer Cleared by Culture Secretary
The UK culture secretary has cleared Axel Springer’s £575 million (≈ $735 million) takeover of the Telegraph, ending nearly three years of ownership uncertainty. The deal still requires regulatory sign‑off in Ireland and Austria but is slated for completion by the end of June....
Golden Goose Looks to Bond Sale to Fund Private Equity Buyout
Golden Goose Group is marketing an €880 million ($1.04 billion) bond issuance to finance its acquisition by Chinese private‑equity firm HSG. The offering includes seven‑year fixed‑rate notes yielding in the mid‑to‑high 6% range and floating‑rate notes priced at Euribor + 400‑425 bps, with a minimum...
VodafoneThree Combines Retail Footprint
VodafoneThree announced the integration of its Vodafone and Three retail locations, creating the largest mobile‑operator store network in the UK and preserving more than 4,500 jobs. The company will invest several million pounds (roughly $7‑$10 million) to upgrade stores into multi‑brand...
Nvidia Denies Speculation Around Major PC Deal
Nvidia denied reports that it is negotiating to acquire a major PC maker, after Bloomberg cited SemiAccurate’s speculation. The rumor lifted Dell’s shares 6.7% to a record $189.79 and pushed HP up 5.3% to $19.23. Nvidia’s spokesperson called the media...
MEAG-Warburg Pincus Deal Marks Further Shift in LP Demand for Defence
MEAG, the asset‑management arm of Munich Re, has pledged capital to a new defence‑focused fund managed by Warburg Pincus. The partnership marks a notable shift as limited partners increasingly allocate money to security‑related assets, especially in Europe. U.S. private‑equity firms...
UK Regulators Open Inquiry Into Paramount/WBD Transaction
The UK Competition and Markets Authority has opened an inquiry into Paramount's proposed $31‑per‑share acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. The CMA is seeking comments from interested parties, with written submissions due by April 27, 2026, before deciding whether to launch...
OpenAI Acquires AI Finance Startup Hiro, Which Built a "Personal AI CFO"
OpenAI has acquired the team behind Hiro, an AI startup that offered a personal AI CFO, in an acqui‑hire deal with no disclosed price. Hiro’s platform helped users manage over $1 billion in assets by modeling salary, debt and expense scenarios....
Gary Neville’s Media Group Buys Football YouTuber Mark Goldbridge’s Channels
Gary Neville’s sports media venture, The Overlap, has purchased Mark Goldbridge’s YouTube channels The United Stand and That’s Football, together reaching 3.7 million subscribers. The deal, reported to be a seven‑figure sum (roughly $2‑$5 million), marks The Overlap’s first acquisition since its...
Payfast Founder Acquires iVeri
Jonathan Smit, the founder of Payfast, announced his acquisition of iVeri, a payment technology firm with a 30‑year legacy in Africa. Smit, who exited Payfast between 2019 and 2021 and now runs a portfolio of over 30 businesses, will retain...
Nemetschek Group Bets Big on Construction
Nemetschek Group announced a deal to acquire Heavy Construction Systems Specialists (HCSS), a North American provider of technology for infrastructure and heavy civil construction. The acquisition will place HCSS within Nemetschek’s Build & Construct segment alongside Bluebeam, GoCanvas and Nevaris....
Diana Turns up Heat on Genco with Shareholder Offensive
Diana Shipping has escalated its bid for Genco Shipping & Trading to a direct shareholder appeal, offering $23.50 per share – a 31% premium to the undisturbed price – backed by $1.433 bn of committed financing. The Greek owner accuses Genco’s...
Frasers Group in Talks to Acquire Two McArthurGlen-Managed Outlet Centres
Frasers Group is negotiating to buy two McArthurGlen‑managed outlet centres in York and the East Midlands from Aviva Investors. The sites total about 600,000 sq ft and host brands ranging from luxury label Paul Smith to mass‑market retailers such as H&M, Nike and...
Apac (Ex Japan) Investment Banking Fees Fell 5% in Q1 as ECM Fees Grew 62%: LSEG
LSEG data shows APAC (ex‑Japan) investment‑banking fees fell 5% YoY to $5.3 billion in Q1 2026. Despite the decline, equity capital markets (ECM) fees surged 62%, driven by Hong Kong activity. Conversely, M&A fees plunged 47% across the region. The mixed results highlight...
M&A Boom in Japan Is Fuelling Record Corporate Bond Sales
Japan's corporate bond market is set to break records as M&A activity drives unprecedented funding demand. Yen‑denominated issuance surged 94% year‑over‑year in March, and Daiwa estimates total sales will reach ¥16.5 trillion (about $110 billion) this fiscal year, up from ¥15.9 trillion last...
Amazon Nears Deal for Globalstar in Push to Rival Musk’s Starlink
Amazon.com Inc. is in advanced talks to acquire satellite operator Globalstar Inc., a move that would accelerate its Project Kuiper satellite broadband rollout. The deal, expected to be announced as early as Tuesday, would give Amazon access to Globalstar’s low‑Earth‑orbit...
Goldman, Ardian Bought CIC’s $1 Billion US Private Equity Stake
Goldman Sachs and French private‑equity firm Ardian have each acquired a portion of a $1 billion U.S. private‑equity stake sold by China Investment Corp. (CIC). The transaction closed after CIC sought to trim its exposure to private‑market assets, with Ardian buying...
David Ellison’s Nightmare: A-List Coalition Unites to Kill the AU$156B Warner Merger
Paramount Skydance, led by David Ellison, is pursuing a US$111 billion (AU$156 billion) acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, the largest media merger in Hollywood history. More than 1,000 actors, directors and writers have signed an open letter on BlocktheMerger.com demanding the deal...
United CEO Has Pitched Possible Combination with Rival American
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby has floated a possible merger with rival American Airlines, a deal that would create the world’s largest carrier and combine more than a third of the U.S. domestic market. Kirby, a former American executive, raised...
Morning Headlines 4/14/26
The piece highlights growing fatigue over constant LLM head‑to‑head comparisons, noting that most newer models outshine Claude in public demos. It argues that the authorization framework used for traditional Medicare should be adapted to govern AI applications in health care,...