David Ellison isn’t taking David Zaslav’s bait.The CEO of Paramount Skydance is extending a Jan. 21 deadline for shareholders of Warner Bros. Discovery to accept his “hostile” offer for the company – but isn’t raising the $30-a-share price, On The Money has learned.On Tuesday, WBD’s wily CEO Zaslav not only touted that he’s getting all cash with Netflix’s $72 billion “winning” bid for his studio and streamer. He also tried to turn up the heat on PSKY CEO Ellison, moving up a shareholder vote on the Netflix ...

The stock market bounced back from its worst day since October on Wednesday after President Donald Trump said he reached the framework of a deal about Greenland, an island he’s long coveted, and won’t impose tariffs he had threatened on several European countries.In late day trading, the blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 1.2%, or nearly 600 points, to 49,072. The S&P 500 gained 1.1%, and the Nasdaq advanced more than 250 points, or 1.2%. Trump said the deal, “if consummated, will be a great one ...

Ford is recalling more than 119,000 US vehicles over an issue with the engine block heater that could short circuit and cause an underhood fire, auto safety regulators said Wednesday.The recall includes certain 2013-2018 Focus, 2013-2019 Escape, 2015-2016 MKC, 2019 Explorer and 2024 Explorer cars, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.The recall covers 119,075 vehicles. The recall includes certain 2013-2018 Focus, 2013-2019 Escape, 2015-2016 MKC, 2019 Explorer and 2024 Explorer car ...

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon on Wednesday warned that President Trump’s 10% credit card cap would force banks to yank credit lines for most Americans – hammering the economy.“Of course we want affordability,” Dimon said during an interview with the Economist at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. But the 10% cap “would be a [sic] economic disaster.”“Our business, we would survive it by the way,” he added. “In the worst case, you would have a drastic reduction of the credit card business.”JPMor ...

President Trump signed an executive order Tuesday aimed at stopping Wall Street firms from buying up single-family homes, a move he says will make housing more affordable for American families.The order, titled “Stopping Wall Street from Competing with Main Street Homebuyers,” gives federal agencies 60 days to draft new restrictions or revise existing rules governing institutional purchases of single-family homes.“To preserve the supply of single-family homes for American families and increase the paths to ...

Core Viewpoint - Berkshire Hathaway's new CEO, Greg Abel, may be considering selling its 325 million shares in Kraft Heinz, a company co-created by Warren Buffett in 2015, indicating a potential shift in corporate strategy [1][4]. Group 1: Background and Context - The merger of Kraft and Heinz was orchestrated by Buffett and Brazilian investment firm 3G Capital, who believed in the strength of their brands [2]. - Over time, Buffett recognized that Kraft Heinz's competitive advantage was weakening as consumers shifted towards store brands and away from processed foods [3]. - Berkshire Hathaway recorded a $3.76 billion writedown on its Kraft Heinz stake last summer, reflecting concerns about the company's performance [3]. Group 2: Current Developments - Kraft Heinz disclosed that Berkshire Hathaway, its largest shareholder, "may offer to sell, from time to time, 325,442,152 shares," leading to a nearly 4% drop in Kraft Heinz shares to $22.85 [4]. - Analysts speculate that this could signal the beginning of a broader review of Berkshire's diverse holdings, which include a stock portfolio worth over $300 billion and various insurance and utility companies [5]. Group 3: Leadership and Strategic Changes - Analysts suggest that Greg Abel's leadership style may differ from Buffett's, potentially leading to a more aggressive approach to divestitures rather than acquisitions [6]. - Abel has been managing non-insurance companies since 2018 and became CEO on January 1, 2023, with investors closely monitoring any changes he may implement [8]. Group 4: Market Reactions and Future Considerations - Investor Chris Ballard noted that selling Kraft Heinz could be an easy decision for Abel, although unloading such a large stake on the public market may be challenging [9]. - Buffett previously stated that Berkshire would not accept a block bid for its shares unless the same offer was extended to all Kraft Heinz shareholders, indicating a cautious approach to any potential sale [10].

Core Viewpoint - Netflix is pursuing an all-cash bid of $83 billion for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), aiming to solidify its position in the streaming market despite facing significant market value losses of nearly $170 billion during the bidding process [1][2][4]. Group 1: Bid Details - Netflix's all-cash offer for WBD includes acquiring its Warner Studios and HBO Max streaming service, positioning it favorably against competitors like Paramount Skydance (PSKY) [2][3]. - The previous cash-stock bid included $60 billion in debt, with plans to issue $50 billion in new bonds and loans, and assume $10 billion from WBD, indicating a substantial increase in debt as part of the acquisition [7][11]. - The success of the bid hinges on the sale of WBD's cable properties, which are expected to generate at least $3 per share, although this may not significantly reduce the leverage from the cable spinoff [9][10]. Group 2: Market Reaction and Shareholder Sentiment - Following the earnings announcement, Netflix shares fell despite beating expectations, reflecting investor concerns over the perceived overvaluation of the acquisition [4][19]. - There is speculation that Netflix may need to adjust its deal further to secure a more favorable position against PSKY's $30-per-share all-cash bid [10][15]. - WBD's CEO, David Zaslav, has expressed support for the Netflix deal, which may influence the bidding dynamics, especially if PSKY is pressured to increase its offer [14][17].

Core Insights - Netflix narrowly exceeded Wall Street's revenue estimates for the holiday quarter, reporting revenue of $12.1 billion, surpassing forecasts of $11.97 billion [2][6] - The company forecasts annual revenue for 2026 to be between $50.7 billion and $51.7 billion, with expectations for ad revenue to roughly double [10] - Netflix's subscriber base has surpassed 325 million globally, with a notable increase in monthly viewership by 10% in December, attributed to the final season of "Stranger Things" [3][10] Financial Performance - Adjusted per-share earnings for the fourth quarter were reported at 56 cents, slightly above estimates of 55 cents per share [8] - The company has secured commitments for a $59 billion bridge loan to support its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, increasing the commitment by $8.2 billion for an all-cash offer of $27.75 per share [4][8] Strategic Moves - Netflix is pursuing a $82.7 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery's studio and other entertainment assets to enhance its content library and fend off competition [4][7] - The amended merger agreement aims to expedite the timeline for a stockholder vote and provide greater financial certainty [5]

Core Viewpoint - Lululemon Athletica has paused online sales of its new "Get Low" workout line due to customer complaints regarding product quality, specifically issues with leggings being "see-through" during use, while still maintaining availability in physical stores [1][3]. Group 1: Product Issues - The company is temporarily halting online sales to better understand initial customer feedback and enhance product education [1]. - Complaints on social media highlighted that the leggings from the new line are problematic when bending or squatting, leading to accessibility issues on the website [3]. - This is not the first instance of product development challenges, as Lululemon previously had to withdraw its "Breezethrough" leggings shortly after launch due to similar customer complaints [8]. Group 2: Management and Market Challenges - Lululemon is facing multiple challenges, including a proxy fight initiated by founder Chip Wilson, who has nominated three independent directors to the board [4][7]. - The company is also under pressure from Elliott Management, which acquired a stake of approximately $1 billion in December and is involved in discussions regarding potential CEO candidates [5]. - Despite these challenges, Lululemon anticipates that its fourth-quarter revenue and profit will be at the high end of previous forecasts, driven by strong holiday season demand [7]. Group 3: Stock Performance - Lululemon's shares experienced a decline of about 5% during afternoon trading, reflecting broader market trends [5].

Core Viewpoint - GameStop is undergoing a significant nationwide store closure initiative, shutting down over 470 locations, including 30 in New York, as part of a broader strategy to optimize its store portfolio and address ongoing challenges in its brick-and-mortar business [1][5][13]. Group 1: Store Closures - GameStop is closing more than 30 stores in New York, affecting various regions including New York City, Long Island, and upstate areas [1][4]. - The closures are part of a national retrenchment, with plans to close stores across 43 states by the end of the month, marking one of the most aggressive retail pullbacks in the company's history [5][6]. - The company has already closed 590 US stores in the previous fiscal year, bringing the total closures to over 1,000 locations in approximately two years [6][8]. Group 2: Financial Performance - GameStop's recent quarterly earnings report indicated a decline in net sales to $821 million from $860 million year-over-year, although net income improved to $77.1 million [13]. - The company is planning to close a "significant number of additional stores" during fiscal 2025 as part of its ongoing store portfolio optimization review [13]. Group 3: Historical Context - GameStop became a prominent name in finance during the 2021 meme-stock frenzy, which temporarily boosted its stock price and provided the company with renewed attention and capital [14][15]. - Despite the initial surge in interest and capital, the long-term challenges facing its physical retail operations remain unresolved [15].