Core Viewpoint - Paramount's CEO David Ellison believes that Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) cannot accept his offer of $30 per share without admitting a breach of fiduciary duty [1] Group 1: Paramount's Offer and Strategy - WBD accepted Netflix's offer of $27.75 per share for its studio and streaming assets before Paramount launched a hostile bid for the entire company [2] - Ellison stated that Paramount's offer was the same as the one previously delivered privately to WBD, emphasizing that no changes were made [2] - Ellison indicated that WBD's board would face challenges in accepting the offer, as it would contradict their previous stance that the offer was insufficient [3] Group 2: Future Negotiations and Market Dynamics - Ellison may need to enhance the offer to secure a deal, despite believing that Paramount's current bid is superior to Netflix's [3] - There are indications that Ellison is open to adjusting the price, as he communicated to WBD's CEO that the bid was not labeled as "best and final" [4] - Industry insiders, including former Disney dealmaker Kevin Mayer, anticipate that the bidding war will continue, suggesting a potential for a "sweetened" offer from either Paramount or Netflix [5]

Cracker Barrel released its Q1 results on Tuesday, reporting losses that sent its share price tumbling more than 10% in after-hours trading. The beleaguered Southern restaurant chain reported a 5.7% drop in revenue compared to the prior year's first quarter, and a 4.7% decrease in comparable restaurant sales. It also reported a net income loss of $24.6 million."First quarter results were below our expectations amid unique and ongoing headwinds," Cracker Barrel president and chief executive Julie Masino sai ...

Accenture has announced an expansion of its partnership with Anthropic, its second deal with a leading AI developer in the past eight days. The deal includes a suite of new solutions and offerings that will help Accenture's clients "accelerate the shift from experimenting with AI to using it as a catalyst for reinvention across the enterprise," said Julie Sweet, Accenture's CEO.The two companies said they would form the "Accenture Anthropic Business Group," which will train around 30,000 employees in deliv ...

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway announced its biggest management shake-up in decades on Monday, including a surprise exit, a retirement, and a new position. Close followers welcomed the moves, but two warned they could mark the start of a wider exodus as the legendary investor enters his final weeks as CEO after six decades in charge.Greg Abel, the head of Berkshire's non-insurance operations, is poised to take the reins from Buffett on January 1. Carolyn Dewar, a senior partner at McKinsey and coauth ...

Tech stocks have driven a disproportionate share of the market's gains in recent years. Now, it's time for them to share the limelight, says Joe Quinlan, the chief market strategist at Bank of America. "There's plenty of places to put money to work better other than, say, Mag 7," he said, referencing the largest stocks in the S&P 500 by market capitalization.Specifically, cyclical stocks should start to look attractive next year, Quinlan said, calling the theme his highest-conviction investing idea right n ...

The Federal Reserve has one more decision in 2025 — and it will set the tone for where interest rates will go in the new year. On Wednesday, leaders at the central bank will decide whether to continue cutting rates or put a pause on loosening monetary policy. The call will have ripple effects across consumer prices, the job market, and Corporate America. CME FedWatch predicted the Fed had a roughly 90% chance of a quarter-point cut on Monday.But slicing rates isn't a sure thing. The final Federal Open Mark ...

"Big Short" investor Michael Burry sounded early alarms about the subprime mortgage market's excesses — the same risks that later engulfed mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Now, Burry wrote in a Substack post on Monday that he owns "good size" positions in both companies' common stock — and believes a long-awaited plan to take them public again may finally be approaching."Once each company is released from capital restraint by their IPOs, I expect growth to accelerate naturally," he wrote. In hi ...

Core Viewpoint - Paramount Skydance's all-cash offer of $30 per share for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) represents a valuation exceeding $108 billion, marking it as one of the largest hostile takeover attempts in recent history [1]. Group 1: Paramount's Offer - The proposed deal values WBD's entire operation at an equity valuation of $78.7 billion [1]. - Paramount's CEO David Ellison emphasized the intention to present the offer directly to shareholders to maximize their share value [2]. Group 2: Comparison with Other Deals - The previous deal from Netflix valued WBD at $82.7 billion, or $72 billion in equity, but excluded certain business segments [2]. - The Paramount bid positions itself among the largest hostile takeovers in the last 30 years, with a significant equity valuation [3]. Group 3: Historical Context of Hostile Takeovers - The document lists several notable hostile takeovers, including: - Comcast's acquisition of AT&T Broadband for $32.7 billion in 2002 [4]. - Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter for $41.3 billion in 2022 [5]. - Royal Bank of Scotland's acquisition of National Westminster Bank for $42.6 billion in 1999 [6]. - Roche's bid for Genentech at $46.8 billion in 2009 [7]. - British American Tobacco's acquisition of Reynolds American for $49.4 billion in 2016 [8]. - InBev's takeover of Anheuser-Busch for $50.5 billion in 2008 [10]. - Bayer's acquisition of Monsanto for $57 billion in 2018 [11]. - TotalFina's bid for Elf Aquitaine at $57.9 billion in 2000 [12]. - Takeda's acquisition of Shire for $63.1 billion in 2019 [13]. - Sanofi's takeover of Aventis for $72.9 billion in 2004 [14]. - Pfizer's bid for Warner-Lambert at $86.6 billion in 2000 [16]. - RBS's acquisition of ABN Amro for $97 billion in 2007 [17]. - Anheuser-Busch InBev's acquisition of SABMiller for $114.4 billion in 2016 [18]. - Vodafone AirTouch's takeover of Mannesmann for $177.4 billion in 2000 [19]. Group 4: Current Status of Paramount's Bid - Paramount's bid for WBD is pending and represents a significant move following WBD's board's preference for the Netflix deal [15].

Jimmy Kimmel is staying with Disney a little longer. The late-night host has signed a one-year extension to stay on ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" through May 2027, a person familiar with the deal told Business Insider on Monday.The renewed contract comes just months after Kimmel was briefly pulled off the air following backlash over his comments about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a controversy that sidelined him for nearly a week and drew widespread concerns over the First Amendment. Th ...

Hollywood's latest high-drama battle of the titans: Paramount versus Netflix. David Ellison's Paramount made a hostile bid for Warner Bros. Discovery after WBD rebuffed its multiple offers and accepted Netflix's offer to buy its studio and streaming business.This means Ellison, who is backed by his billionaire father, Larry Ellison of Oracle, is making his case directly to shareholders on why he'd be the best owner for WBD. "We have faster regulatory certainty to close," Ellison said. He called the deal " ...