2026 Kicks Off with Bank‑Fintech Mergers and Massive IPO
"We saw a busy start to 2026 – Between banks acquiring fintechs, fintechs acquiring banks, merchant acquirer PayPay's $12.7 billion IPO, and prediction markets platforms acquiring over 273,908 new users each month." - @itssophievo for @twifintech https://t.co/aIs9zyJRvu
EoS Fitness Valued at $1.5B Amid Rapid Growth
May 2025 - "TSG Consumer Partners has struck a deal for EoS Fitness. The deal values EoS at ~$1.5 billion, including debt... EoS recently surpassed 1.5 million members, 500,000 of which joined in just the last two years." https://t.co/IytMCiRpjr
Biglaw Lawyer Battles 12‑partner Team over $3M Park
POV: You're a former biglaw attorney representing the seller of a $3 million trampoline park opposite of KKR and a Sidley Austin team of 12 lawyers who don't sleep
Meta Acquires AI‑Only Network, Controlling Digital Agents
Meta just spent billions to own a digital world where 99 percent of the users aren't human. On March 10, 2026, Meta officially swallowed Moltbook, a viral network built exclusively for AI agents. Zuckerberg isn't just looking for your attention anymore....
Trump Admin Stalls $5.9B Citgo Takeover over Risk
EXCLUSIVE: A $5.9 billion deal for control of #Venezuela’s Citgo by a group affiliated with hedge fund Elliott has gotten bogged down amid Trump administration concerns over the price and political risk. @jendlouhyhc @NicolleYapur @GaripPatricia https://t.co/hnSAqgLCpt
Ackman Proposes Michael Ovitz as UMG Chairman
Part of Bill Ackman's proposal to buy Universal Music Group for $64 billion is to name a new chairman of the board, Michael Ovitz:
Zappos Beat Amazon with Kiva Robots Before Acquisition
Zappos was beating Amazon on cost per order. Amazon couldn't figure out how. Turns out @Alfred_Lin's team was running Kiva robots before Amazon even believed they'd work. Amazon later bought Kiva for $775M. Alfred went from operating automation at Zappos to funding...
OpenAI‑TBPN Deal Could Redefine Media Landscape
🎙️ NEW POD: Is The OpenAI-TBPN Deal the Future of Media? ... w/ @loudmouthjulia https://t.co/ED0Rj5JfrD @PuckNews
Gilead's $3.1B Deal Expands ADC Portfolio
Gilead continues M&A surge with $3.1B deal for ADC specialist Tubulis https://t.co/xEMXvDq2LL by @gwendolynawu $GILD #biotech
Deal Announcements Thrive on Market Dips, Not Peaks
see you don’t announce deals at the market high or else no money to be made. market tanking is a sign they’re about to sign https://t.co/wrLPTeHTYd
M&A Surge: Blackstone Deal, SCII LOI, Two $200M IPOs
Today's M&A and SPAC notes $HOLX / Blackstone / TPG deal closed $SCII entered LOI with a payments technology company $ACGCU $200 million IPO $AACPU $150 million IPO https://t.co/094cl5qlvH
Enjoying 14D‑9s to Identify Companies A, B, C
I'm sure this is a favorite thing for other people to do, but I love reading 14D-9s and guessing which company Party A, B, or C is based on their behavior. $TERN $MRK
Tubulis Secures $5B Gilead Acquisition After CEO Vision
Last year I visited @Tubulis_GmbH in Munich, Germany. Here's what CEO Dominik Schumacher told me they were aiming to do. Congrats on today's acquisition by @gilead for up to $5B, and congrats to @schroederthilo who raved to me about this...
AI Fuels 36% M&A Surge via Billion‑dollar Deals
AI’s increasing impact on M&A Global deal values increased by 36% in 2025, driven by roughly 600 transactions above US$1 billion, while value across the remaining approximately 47,000 transactions was flat year over year. https://t.co/E3QRMfiQbT #cio
Ackman's 78% Premium Is Merely a Self‑valued Projection.
the “78% premium” that Ackman is advertising isn’t really a premium in the classical M&A sense… it’s just his view of future value of UMG with him in charge after a basically all-stock merger🙄: https://t.co/otTHJExZ64
Governance Gaps Highlighted Amid Unanswered CEO Outreach
Just so everyone has the full picture, the Koala has never received a reply to any of these emails to TNR Gold $TNR.V $TRRXF Have never met with or spoken with the CEO (despite trying) Swapped DMs with his son the VP...
FORA MBO Yields Modest Bump, High Upside Potential
$FORA bump finally here. Definitive agreement signed with the founder-led consortium at $2.17/share, but only a 3.3% increase over the original $2.10 bid. Not great, not terrible, given the insider control and the redomiciling move to ease shareholder approval. Looks done.
Kloeckner Acquires Camalloy to Broaden US Metal Distribution
Kloeckner acquired Camalloy to expand aluminum and stainless steel distribution across key US industrial markets. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/04/kloeckner-camalloy-acquisition-expands.html
Ackman's $63B Bid Proves Music Isn't Dead
Bill Ackman's $63 billion offer for Universal Music strikes me 2 ways... 1. I know almost nothing about the music business. 2. If he is offering $63 billion, I guess the music business is not as dead as people have been saying...
Micro Focus Finalizes Novell Acquisition, Shaping Enterprise Software
#ThisDayInTechHistory. April 6, 2015. Micro Focus completed its acquisition of Novell. #Computer #Network #Software #History https://t.co/Gv9Ivw33YE
Orion's $40bn DRC Deal Could Redefine Western Copper Supply
Orion’s possible 40pc purchase of Glencore’s DRC mines could reshape western copper and cobalt access. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/04/orion-glencore-drc-stake-sale-could.html
Sunway's RM11B IJM Bid Masks High‑P/E Time Bomb
Everyone thinks Sunway's RM11 billion bid for IJM is just about building a "NATIONAL CHAMPION," but the underlying math reveals a brilliant trap. At an implied 46.6x P/E, this isn't a generous premium buyout—there is a ticking time bomb most investors...
Biotech M&A Poised for Second‑Busiest Year, Early Deals Surge
Biotech M&A on track to have 2nd most active year in history w/ more early stage deals. Nice summary of which funds have benefited from recent M&A from Stifel @TimOpler $XBI $IBB https://t.co/udCuhIcaIi
Engineering Mastery Beats VC Hype for Massive Exit
How a one hour prototype built in a hotel room in Marrakech sparked a bidding war between Mark Zuckerberg and Sam Altman. Most founders spend their lives chasing the dragon of a 100 million euro exit. Peter Steinberger actually caught it. He...
Casey’s General Stores Replaces Hologic in S&P 500 Lineup
Biolsi @Hedgeye_Staples has Hedgeye Nation Long $CASY $CASY Casey's General Stores $756.05, +8.28) -- to replace Hologic Inc in the S&P 500 following the acquisition of HOLX by Blackstone and TPG Global https://t.co/3sxRpNo2yY
PE Market Crashes: Deals, Exits Plummet,
PE deal values down 36% Exits down 33% Fundraising weakest since 2018 LPs “completely risk off” on software The $4T PE exit backlog is getting bigger…
FTC Shifts to Divestiture‑First, Settlement‑Driven M&A Policy
On Friday, the Federal Trade Commission published its 5-year strategic plan under Chair Andrew Ferguson The most notable change is the FTC's strategy to reasonably regulate M&A from an antitrust perspective, highlighting their new policy to "prioritize divestitures" and "engage in...
Deal Market Paused Amid Post‑Easter Lull, War Threat
Deal market seems to be on hold: Easter in the rearview and massive war escalation possibly ahead.
Saudi, Qatar, Abu Dhabi Fund 30% of Paramount‑Warner Deal
About 30% of Paramount's $81B takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery is financed by the sovereign wealth funds from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi—three countries attacked by Iran since the U.S. started its latest Middle East conflict. https://t.co/mOjqkF3fza
HOLX at Buyout Price, CVR Lottery Offers Tiny Upside
The Hologic buyout by Blackstone / TPG at $76.00+CVR is expected to close tomorrow With the stock trading at $76.01, you can get a lottery ticket that'll pay as much as $3.00 for $0.01 (CVR payout based on Breast Health division...
Institutional Backlash Makes Tesla Premium Essential for SpaceX Deal
My thoughts on the difficulties rallying institutional support for a potential SpaceX acquisition of Tesla. And why a premium is a MUST. Hello, @TeslaLarry (love you, but on this one we so disagree). Also tagging @WR4NYGov
Female Founders Risk Buyer Betrayal in M&A Deals
I've talked to a number of female founders who've sold their co & had buyer refuse payments after taking control, strategic buyers backing out of m&a and then releasing a copy of the product and hiring a leader who works...
Paramount‑Skydance Raises $24B From Gulf Investors for Warner Bros. Deal
Paramount Skydance Secures $24 Billion From Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi Funds for Warner Bros. Deal: Report https://t.co/pBowLfuPXc via @variety
Musk’s Pre‑purchase Comment Could Settle Twitter Debate
This is what @elonmusk said before he bought twitter. Actually doing this would help clarify this debate. https://t.co/GECYZZ8JEw
Gulf Funds Poised to Finance Paramount's $81B Warner Deal
MyPOV: the middle east to the rescue. Gulf Funds Near Deal to Back Paramount’s $81 Billion Takeover of Warner https://t.co/hTIMzrGhf5
Paramount Seeks $24B Saudi-Backed Equity for WBD Takeover
is this February news? Paramount is in talks to secure signed equity commitments of close to $24 billion from three sovereign-wealth funds led by Saudi Arabia to help back its takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery https://t.co/7XR7k0sk2k via @WSJ
Saudi-Backed Funding Boosts Paramount's Warner Bid
Gulf sovereign capital speeds media consolidation. ~$24bn Saudi-led backing lowers financing risk for Paramount’s $81bn Warner bid. Risks: regs, execution, leverage. Trade: buy Paramount. 🔍 — Viktor Kopylov, PhD, CFA More insights: t.me/si14Kopylov
Acquire Competitors with SBA 7(a) for Cash Flow
The competitor acquisition is the one most existing business owners sleep on. SBA 7(a) covers it. You eliminate the competition and add cash flow at the same time. One of the cleanest deal theses we close. More operators should be looking at...
Buffett Chooses Companies Based on Durability, Not Sales
. @vickeller on Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway acquiring three of his companies, and what he looked at in his companies: "Mr. Buffett acquired businesses that I was fortunate enough to be part of founding. I don't think anybody sells a...
OpenAI's Pricey Gamble: Buying a Personality, Not Content
OpenAI just bought TBPN — not just a podcast, but the entire "interpretation layer" for AI. They're not acquiring content. They're buying a personality. And it might be costing them more than they realize. New piece: "OpenAI: The High Cost of Buying a...
Sensofusion Acquires Atol, Launches Counter‑Drone Aircraft in Finland
We purchased the aircraft manufacturer Atol Aviation. Through the deal, Sensofusion is bringing new air-to-ground counter-drone systems to market, with the aircraft platforms to be manufactured at a former air force base in Finland. https://t.co/oUczLQ73u9
OpenAI's TBPN Acquisition: Risky Hail Mary with Flawed Logic
My Inside Orchard essay this week is about OpenAI buying TBPN. I discuss two reasons OpenAI is buying the media company and the holes in OpenAI’s logic. It’s a Hail Mary pass with low odds of succeeding as planned.
OpenAI's Media Takeover Signals AI-Driven News Era
10 months ago, I predicted OpenAI would buy media companies. This week they did. 58K subscribers. Nine figures. Under their political strategy team. Without original journalism, AI is a snake eating its own tail. This is the new model. TBPN is the opening...
Red Lobster’s Collapse Reveals Elitist Contempt in Populism
Red Lobster did go bankrupt after a PE firm bought them. But it was also after that PE firm sold them to a non-PE company. There’s an elitist strain to economic populism where they have utter contempt for the people they’re...
Infrastructure Giants Buying Storytellers Repeat Past Failure
OpenAI (infrastructure) bought TBPN (storytellers) for low hundreds of millions. The founders gave up ad sales and editorial independence. I watched Viacom make this exact bet with XFire in 2006. The storytellers could not run the infrastructure business. Deja Vu...
Growth, Niche, Simple Ops Boost RIA Sale Returns
This #WeekendReading: A recent study from Advisor Growth Strategies' 2026 RIA Deal Room Report finds that while RIA mergers and acquisitions activity continues to break records in terms of volume and valuations, not all sellers are necessarily able to cash in...
Big Media Deals Reveal Hidden Undervalued Gems
the 9-figure acquisitions of The Free Press and TBPN tell you that: - yes, most media properties are overvalued and sinking - but also, some are way way undervalued bullish on the next gen
FlexGen Expands Portfolio by Acquiring Clean Energy Services
FlexGen moves to expand offerings with acquisition of Clean Energy Services #energysky -- via pv magazine usa: https://t.co/gH2wMVbd2S
OpenAI's TBPN Acquisition Rooted in 1902 Anti‑capitalist Precedent
If you are wondering why @openai bought @tbpn, then you have to go back to 1902 to get an answer, from an unlikely and the least capitalistic of sources. My short and sweet column from last evening (tip @techmeme). https://t.co/OUAfFSYMS6
Buy McCormick to Capture M&A Premium Amid Consumer
Q1 saw rare consumer megadeals as firms seek scale to counter slowing growth, tariffs and shifting tastes. Risks: integration and regulatory hurdles. Trade insight: buy McCormick for M&A premium capture. — Viktor Kopylov, PhD, CFA More insights: t.me/si14Kopylov