Memestock Monster GameStop Wants to Try to Devour eBay for some Reason
GameStop is reportedly building a stake in eBay as it explores a potential acquisition of the online marketplace, which is roughly four times its size. The move aligns with CEO Ryan Cohen’s plan to shift GameStop toward collectibles and second‑hand trading, leveraging eBay’s auction platform. Analysts note the deal would need intricate financial engineering and comes amid a $35 billion performance‑based compensation package for Cohen that ties his payout to a $100 billion market‑value target. Critics point to Cohen’s history of unrealized projects, including a failed NFT marketplace, as a risk factor.
OnePlus Is Reportedly Merging with Realme and 'Evaluating' Its Future — but I'm Convinced that This Is Fantastic News for...
OnePlus is reportedly exploring a merger with sister brand Realme as it slows its product cadence and reassesses its regional roadmap. Both companies sit under BBK Electronics, which has already combined OnePlus with Oppo in the past. The speculation comes...
Thyssenkrupp, Jindal Steel Pause Talks on Steel Unit Stake
Thyssenkrupp AG announced it is pausing negotiations with Jindal Steel International over a potential stake in its steel division. The German firm said the original assumptions and prerequisites for a sale have shifted dramatically in recent months. Both parties agreed...
A $34 Billion Private Equity Exit Is Going to Be a Long Slog
Advent and Cinven are exiting their €17 bn (≈$18.6 bn) purchase of TK Elevator with a €29.4 bn ($34.4 bn) sale to Finland’s Kone. The deal includes €20 bn in cash and Kone shares, of which only €5 bn is paid upfront, leaving €15 bn tied to...
Home Health & Hospice M&A in 2026: Why the Market Has Reset and What Buyers Want Now
Home health and hospice M&A activity is rebounding in early 2026, but buyers are imposing stricter underwriting standards. Valuations have shifted from peak‑era multiples to performance‑based pricing, with EBITDA add‑backs limited to 12‑15% and multiples ranging 10‑15× EBITDA for strong...
10 Local ABC, CBS, FOX & NBC Are Getting New Owners
Gray Media and Allen Media Group have completed a $171 million deal to transfer ten television stations across ten U.S. markets. Gray acquired three new‑market stations in Mississippi and Indiana on March 26, 2026, and closed on seven overlapping stations on May 2,...
Sonex Reopens Under New Ownership
ON Capital Inc. has acquired the assets of Sonex LLC and reopened its Oshkosh‑based kit aircraft factory. Production resumed within three weeks, with High‑Wing tail kits slated to ship this month and full kits by mid‑summer. The new ownership appoints...
Nebius Acquires AI Model Optimization Startup Eigen AI for $643M
Nebius Group NV announced it will acquire AI model‑optimization startup Eigen AI for $643 million, using a mix of cash and stock. The deal, expected to close within weeks, will integrate Eigen AI’s kernel‑level performance tools into Nebius’s managed inference platform,...
Replit’s Amjad Masad on the Cursor Deal, Fighting Apple, and Why He’d Rather Not Sell
Replit’s CEO Amjad Masad said the AI coding platform is racing toward a $1 billion annual run rate after posting just $2.8 million in revenue for 2024. The company boasts net‑revenue retention as high as 300% and has been gross‑margin positive for...
Meta Buys Robotics Startup to Bolster Its Humanoid AI Ambitions
Meta has acquired the humanoid robotics startup Assured Robot Intelligence (ARI) for an undisclosed sum, adding its team to the company’s Superintelligence Labs research division. ARI specializes in foundation models that enable robots to understand, predict, and adapt to human...
Where Premiums Will Be Paid: Fashion & Beauty M&A Trends From 2025 to 2026
2025 saw a wave of high‑profile fashion and beauty M&A, highlighted by Prada’s €1.25 billion (~$1.36 billion) acquisition of Versace, Caleres’ $105 million purchase of Stuart Weitzman, and e.l.f. Beauty’s $1 billion deal for Rhode. The transactions underscore a shift from pure brand prestige to...
Apple Just Gave a Clue that an AI Acquisition May Be in the Cards
Apple announced it will drop its long‑standing net‑cash‑neutral target, giving the company more flexibility to use cash and debt for strategic initiatives. The shift accompanies a 23.7% rise in operating costs and a 33.6% jump in R&D as Apple ramps...
Radio One to Acquire Two Heritage DFW Signals
Urban One, the parent of Radio One, announced it will acquire two heritage FM stations in Dallas‑Fort Worth—104.5 KKDA, a long‑standing hip‑hop outlet, and 105.7 KRNB, an adult R&B station—from Service Broadcasting Group. Simultaneously, Urban One is divesting its 94.5 KZMJ signal to...
Diehl Automotive Group Adds Toyota, VW Dealerships Amid Buying Spree
Diehl Automotive Group announced the acquisition of Firelands Toyota and Volkswagen dealerships in Wooster, Ohio, along with an off‑site collision center, marking its second and third purchases in four months. The deals bring Diehl’s portfolio to 24 rooftops representing 13...
Literati Gets PE-Backing to Grow Book Fairs; StudyPoint Scooped Up
Literati, the children’s book‑fair provider that generated $40 million in annual revenue and serves 2.5 million students, was acquired by private‑equity firm Trustbridge Partners. Trustbridge will integrate Literati with its existing children’s publishing portfolio, which includes Candlewick Press and Holiday House. In...
PE-VC Investments Down 32% Y-O-Y in April
Private equity and venture capital investment in April 2026 fell 32% year‑on‑year to $1.9 billion, down from $2.8 billion a year earlier. The number of deals slipped 30% to 87, and mega‑deals over $100 million shrank to six, representing $1.1 billion of capital. Early‑stage...
People Moves: Mercer Advisors, Alaris Acquisitions Hire New M&A Leaders
Mercer Advisors created a chief corporate development officer role and hired Jimmy Zhao, a former McKinsey partner who has advised on more than 50 transactions worth over $100 billion in enterprise value. At the same time, Alaris Acquisitions added Tony Leonard...
New PE Firm Mako Officially Rolls Out
Mako, a new private‑equity firm, has officially launched with Oscar Munoz, the former chairman and CEO of United Airlines, as one of its co‑founders. The firm positions itself to back growth‑stage companies, especially in transportation, logistics and related sectors. Early...
ArchiMed to Take Esperion Therapeutics Private for $1.1bn
ArchiMed has agreed to acquire Esperion Therapeutics in an all‑cash transaction valued at $1.1 billion. The deal will take Esperion private, removing it from public markets and placing it under ArchiMed’s strategic control. Closing is expected in the third quarter of...
WealthStack Roundup: Bill Crager's iAlta Acquires Precept
iAltA Holdings has bought Precept, an AI‑powered wealth‑technology platform that delivers real‑time, low‑cost integrations across custodians, CRMs and analytics tools. The deal follows iAltA’s earlier BridgeFT purchase, positioning the firm to unify infrastructure for both public and private markets. The...
Czech Energy Group Hints at Combined Bid for British Steel and Speciality Steel UK
Czech energy group Sev.en Global Investments, backed by billionaire Pavel Tykač, announced a £100 m ($125 m) investment in its Cardiff electric‑arc steelworks and signaled interest in a combined acquisition of British Steel and Speciality Steel UK. The plan would merge the two...
Burgundy Brand Collective Acquires Multi-Brand Luxury Fashion House Le Mill
Burgundy Brand Collective (BBCo) has acquired the multi‑brand luxury retailer Le Mill, taking ownership and operational control while its French founders remain strategic advisors. Le Mill, known for introducing global labels such as Saint Laurent, Loewe and Chloé to India, also pioneered WhatsApp...
KKR Lines up $10bn-Plus for AI Infrastructure Venture Led by Former AWS Chief
KKR is launching Helix Digital Infrastructure, a new AI‑focused platform backed by more than $10 billion in capital. The vehicle will develop data centers, power generation, transmission and connectivity assets, partnering with hyperscale cloud providers. Former AWS chief Adam Selipsky will...
Analysis: Japanese and Korean Insurers to Accelerate M&As in the U.S. and Globally
Japanese and Korean insurers are accelerating cross‑border M&A to offset slowing domestic markets. Japanese firms have invested roughly US$35 billion overseas, with 86% of deals targeting the United States, while Korean groups are expanding beyond Southeast Asia, highlighted by DB Insurance’s...
Circus Acquires US-Israelian Kitchen Robotics
Circus SE completed an all‑cash acquisition of Kitchen Robotics for an estimated $150,000, securing full ownership of its patents, AI‑driven control algorithms, and NSF‑certified sensor systems. The deal expands Circus' intellectual‑property portfolio and gives it immediate access to U.S.‑approved autonomous...
Avenue Sports Fund Invests in Professional Soccer Team The North Carolina Courage
Avenue Sports Fund announced a strategic investment in the North Carolina Courage, a leading team in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). The fund secured a minority equity position, joining chairman Steve Malik and head coach Mak Lind in the...
Ridgeline Raises More than $180m for Sophomore Fund
Ridgeline Capital Management announced the final close of its sophomore fund, securing more than $180 million in commitments. The new vehicle is aimed at early‑stage technology and healthcare companies, extending the firm’s focus on high‑growth sectors. The raise follows a first...
European Tech Investor Earlybird Seals €360m to Close Biggest Fund Yet
Earlybird, a leading European early‑stage venture firm, announced the final close of its Fund VIII at €360 million (approximately $390 million). The round was oversubscribed, making it the largest fund the firm has ever raised. Earlybird intends to deploy the capital across a...
CIL Report Identifies Sectors Ripe for Consolidation Across Six European Markets
CIL Strategy Consultants’ European Buy & Build Opportunity Index 2026 evaluates over 2,500 business segments in six markets to pinpoint sectors ripe for roll‑up activity. The report finds student accommodation, specialist cleaning, recruitment agencies and camping grounds among the most...
Claude Cowork Commands, Scheduled Tasks & Automation Workflows: The Operator's Playbook 🤖
Claude Cowork, Anthropic’s AI‑powered operations assistant, launched publicly on April 9, 2026, offering a full suite of slash commands, scheduled tasks, and cloud‑based routines for just $20 a month. The tool is positioned as a low‑cost alternative to a full‑time...
SK Capital Appoints New Head of Portfolio Value Creation Initiatives
SK Capital announced the appointment of a new Head of Portfolio Value Creation Initiatives to spearhead operational improvements across its European portfolio. The executive, a veteran of private‑equity operational roles, will drive cost‑efficiency programs, digital transformation, and growth initiatives. The...
CVC Capital Partners Reports Increase in Fee-Paying AUM
CVC Capital Partners announced its fee‑paying assets under management climbed to roughly €13 billion (about $14 billion) in the first quarter, underscoring strong fundraising momentum. Meanwhile, Thoma Bravo ruled out additional financing for Medallia, leaving creditors poised to take control, and KKR...
Thoma Bravo Rules Out Further Medallia Funding as Creditors Poised to Take Control
Thoma Bravo announced it will not provide additional equity to Medallia, the customer‑experience software firm it bought for $6.4 bn in 2021. Orlando Bravo said creditors, led by a Blackstone‑backed consortium, are likely to take control as the company struggles post‑pandemic....
Activist ADW Proposes $3bn Takeover of Roark’s Driven Brands
Activist investor ADW Capital has lodged an unsolicited cash offer to acquire Driven Brands Holdings for roughly $3 billion, proposing $18 per share—a 40% premium to recent trading levels. ADW, which owns about 3.7% of the company, aims to displace majority...
Cricket Australia’s Big Bash Cash Grab Is Rejected – but There Are Better Options on the Table
Cricket Australia (CA) has scrapped a plan to sell partial or full stakes in its Big Bash League (BBL) franchises after Queensland and New South Wales rejected the proposal. The league, which has posted a A$31.9 million (≈$21 million USD) loss in...
Ardian on How Private Markets Can Benefit All Investors
Ardian’s senior managing director Erwan Paugam argues that private‑market investments are moving beyond traditional institutional limited partners toward a broader base of private‑wealth investors. He says the firm’s private‑wealth solutions enable smaller investors to access the same diversification and return potential...
Democratisation Is About Reopening Closed Doors, Says Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett’s global head of asset management, Rajib Chanda, argues that the so‑called democratization of private equity is less about opening brand‑new doors and more about re‑opening the ones that were shut after the 2008 crisis. He stresses that restoring historic access...
Ropes & Gray on Bringing Public and Private Together Through Democratisation
Ropes & Gray’s Keith MacLeod, alongside Capital Group’s Erik Vayntrub and Clara Kang, argue that hybrid fund structures are emerging as a key pathway to democratise private‑equity exposure. By blending public‑market liquidity with private‑market returns, these vehicles aim to open...
Partners Group on Positioning to Capture Exit Opportunities
Partners Group’s Ben McLean argues that despite a volatile macro environment, private‑equity firms can still build, transform and exit businesses, but only those of high quality will succeed. He stresses that the current market rewards disciplined investment and robust cash‑flow...
Partners Group on Achieving Competitive Advantage in a Hot Market
Partners Group executives Callum Smith and Lori Pomerantz, joined by Marco Busca of Generali Asset Management, say that increased scale, dedicated capital and the surge in GP‑led transactions are driving a pronounced secondary market boom. They argue that these forces...
Bid-Ask Spread Most Contentious of Secondaries’ Challenges
The secondary market for private‑debt assets is grappling with pricing disputes, chiefly the bid‑ask spread, which has emerged as the most contentious negotiation point. Sellers push for higher spreads to capture perceived value, while buyers demand tighter pricing to protect...
Proskauer: Expanding Secondaries Buyer Universe Fuels Growth
Proskauer’s secondary‑transactions partners say the credit secondaries market is riding strong momentum, driven by an expanding universe of buyers. While deal activity is robust, they note ample room for growth as new investors enter the space. The firm highlights that...
DAZN’s U.S. Pursuit Gaining Steam
DAZN announced the acquisition of ViewLift, a streaming‑technology provider that already powers direct‑to‑consumer services for several major U.S. sports teams. ViewLift’s portfolio includes partnerships with the NHL’s Panthers, MLB’s Mariners, 15 teams and five regional sports networks. The deal gives...
Inspirit Capital Completes Acquisition of Kaplan Languages Group
Inspirit Capital has completed the acquisition of Kaplan Languages Group (KLG), though financial terms were not disclosed. KLG, which includes Kaplan International Languages, Alpadia, Azurlingua and ESL Education, runs more than 20 schools across eight countries and serves students from...
CIP Acquires Orsted’s European Onshore Wind Business, Launches Perigus Energy
Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) has completed the €1.44 bn ($1.7 bn) acquisition of Ørsted’s European on‑shore renewables business, rebranding it as Perigus Energy. The new entity controls about 826 MW of operating assets and a multi‑gigawatt pipeline in Ireland, Germany, the UK and...
Accounting Enters Its Private Equity ‘Flip’ Era
Private equity (PE) entered public accounting five years ago and now controls roughly 24 of the top 100 U.S. CPA firms, including 10 of the top 30. The first wave of PE ownership drove rapid consolidation and growth, and a...
Orange County to Institute Hybrid Asset Allocation Strategy
The Orange County Employees' Retirement System (OCERS) will shift to a hybrid asset‑allocation model that blends strategic long‑term targets with tactical short‑term adjustments. The plan will apply a “total portfolio approach,” treating all asset classes as a single, integrated portfolio...
Gencom's Karim Alibhai Looks West After $1B East Coast Buying Spree
Gencom, a hospitality‑focused investment firm, has spent more than $1 billion acquiring five luxury hotels in New York and Miami over the past two years. Founder Karim Alibhai says the company is now eyeing distressed assets on the West Coast, especially in...
Curtis’ Access To Capitol: A Seven-Signal Eastern N.C. Deal
Curtis Media Group announced the acquisition of seven broadcast properties—four FM stations, one AM station and two FM translators—in the Wilmington‑New Bern‑Jacksonville market of Eastern North Carolina. The deal, brokered exclusively by Kalil & Co., values the assets at $1.75 million,...
Despite Potential Pitfalls, an LSO Can Give Your Firm Needed Liquidity
Law firms are increasingly adopting Legal Services Organizations (LSOs) to tap private‑equity capital while retaining attorney ownership. An LSO pairs the firm with an affiliated services entity that provides technology, marketing, finance and other back‑office functions under a fair‑market‑value agreement....