EBay, the Old-School E-Commerce Site, Finds Its Place in Modern Retail
eBay has revived growth by focusing on high‑end resale categories, boosting sales and profits, and its share price has doubled in two years. The turnaround attracted a $55 billion unsolicited takeover offer from GameStop, which eBay rejected as non‑credible. CEO Jamie Iannone’s strategy targets power buyers of collectibles, sneakers, handbags and electronics. GameStop’s CEO Ryan Cohen hopes a combined entity could challenge Amazon.
Lawsuit Accuses Lucky Strike of Building a Bowling Monopoly
Lucky Strike Entertainment, formerly Bowlero, operates more than 360 bowling alleys across North America and now faces a lawsuit alleging it built a monopoly through predatory acquisitions. Plaintiffs, a group of regular bowlers, claim the chain’s takeover of independent centers...
Spirit Airlines Should Die. Why Is Trump Trying to Save It?
Former Treasury counselor Steven Rattner argues that President Donald Trump’s suggestion to purchase Spirit Airlines is misplaced. He notes Spirit has been unprofitable for years and faces imminent collapse, yet lacks the systemic importance of the 2008‑09 auto industry bailout....
How Elon Musk Used SpaceX to Benefit Himself and His Businesses
Elon Musk tapped SpaceX as a personal financing source, borrowing $500 million between 2018 and 2021 at interest rates ranging from under 1% to about 3%. The loans, far cheaper than typical bank terms, were repaid by the end of 2021...
Live Nation. Amazon. Americans Are Standing Up to Corporate Lawbreaking.
A jury found Live Nation and Ticketmaster guilty of illegally monopolizing the live‑music market, while a California judge moved forward with a case accusing Amazon of coercing small businesses on pricing. In a separate ruling, a federal judge blocked the...
David Zaslav Ate Hollywood
Warner Bros. Discovery is set to merge with Paramount Skydance, with an April 23 board vote pending. The deal would combine two major studios while adding roughly $50 billion of debt to the new entity. CEO David Zaslav stands to receive a golden parachute...
Sazerac Prepares $15 Billion Cash Offer for Maker of Jack Daniel’s
Sazerac, the Louisville‑based spirits producer, is preparing an all‑cash offer to acquire Brown‑Forman, the maker of Jack Daniel’s, at a valuation of roughly $15 billion. The cash bid is intended to be more straightforward for sellers than a mixed cash‑stock proposal....
Despite High Oil Prices and Volatile Stocks, Companies See Openings for Deals
Companies are forging ahead with massive mergers despite soaring oil prices and volatile equity markets. In the first quarter of 2026, firms announced $464 billion in M&A activity, highlighted by McCormick's $45 billion bid for Unilever's food unit and Sysco's $29 billion acquisition...
Gulf Backers Invest $24 Billion in Paramount’s Deal for Warner Bros.
Paramount Skydance secured roughly $24 billion from Gulf sovereign‑wealth funds to finance its $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund will provide about $12 billion, while Abu Dhabi and Qatar each pledge $6 billion. The deal also relies on $45.7 billion...
Warren Requests Information From MrBeast About Crypto and Children
Senator Elizabeth Warren sent a 12‑page letter to YouTube star Jimmy Donaldson, aka MrBeast, seeking details on Beast Industries’ plans to expand into financial services, including cryptocurrency offerings for minors. The inquiry follows Beast’s acquisition of the Step banking app,...
Live Nation Antitrust Case Resumes With Testimony About Springsteen Fees
The Live Nation‑Ticketmaster antitrust trial resumed in Manhattan after the Justice Department struck a surprise settlement, but more than 30 states chose to keep the case alive. State attorneys and a hired law firm now lead the prosecution, questioning Live...
Live Nation Slacks Reveal Employees Joking About ‘Stupid’ Fans
Internal Slack messages from Live Nation employees surfaced as exhibits in the Justice Department’s antitrust lawsuit, revealing jokes about "robbing" fans for parking and VIP upgrades. The exchanges, spanning 2021‑2023, describe fans as "stupid" for paying inflated fees and were...
A New Media Empire
Paramount announced a $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, paying $31 per share—a 150% premium to the pre‑talk price. The deal includes a $7 billion regulatory fee and a $2.8 billion breakup fee for Netflix, which withdrew its bid. Combining Paramount, CBS,...