Paramount may have won the bidding for Warner Bros. Discovery, but the regulatory and political scrutiny is not over. Hours after Netflix announced that it would not offer a rival bid, California’s Attorney General Rob Bonta was out with a statement, reminding that his office still has a role in examining the merger, as attention has focused on the Trump Justice Department. “These two Hollywood titans have not cleared regulatory scrutiny — the California Department of Justice has an open investigation, and ...

NEW YORK and WILMINGTON, Del., Feb. 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The law firms of Acocelli Law, PLLC, and Long Law, LLC (collectively, the “Firms”), announce an agreement to resolve their application for an award of attorneys’ fees and reimbursement of expenses (the “Fee and Expense Application”) in a lawsuit pending in the Delaware Court of Chancery (the “Court”) captioned Assad v. Hess Corporation, et al., Case No. 2024-0468-NAC (Del. Ch.) (the “Action”). The Firms, who represent the plaintiff in the Acti ...

Warner Bros Discovery is now running a merger auction with a March 20 deadline and Hollywood's future at stake Proactive uses images sourced from Shutterstock Netflix has a signed deal and the cash to defend it. Paramount has a higher bid and a political edge. The Warner Bros board has roughly three weeks to decide which gamble it prefers The bidding war for Warner Bros Discovery Inc (NASDAQ:WBD, XETRA:J5A) has entered its most consequential phase, with a new Paramount offer on the table, an activist inve ...

Core Insights - The CEO of CSX Corp. is focused on enhancing efficiency and performance to generate shareholder returns while remaining open to potential merger opportunities as industry consolidation occurs [1][2] Company Strategy - Steve Angel, the president and CEO, expressed a willingness to explore any avenues that could enhance shareholder value, particularly in light of activist investor Ancora Holdings Group advocating for a merger [2] - The proposed $72 billion merger between Union Pacific Corp. and Norfolk Southern Corp. presents both challenges and opportunities for CSX, with the Surface Transportation Board having extensive tools to evaluate the merger [3] - Angel emphasized a focus on improving shareholder returns without relying solely on growth, stating a preference for cost management over growth [3] Management Changes - Recent changes in CSX's management include the appointment of Kevin Boone as CFO and Riz Chand as chief human resources officer, following the retirement of Diana Sorfleet [5] - The company has initiated cost-cutting measures, including closing its aerospace division, selling corporate jets, and reducing consultant usage [4] Operational Focus - CSX operates a rail network of approximately 20,000 miles across 26 states and parts of Canada, indicating a significant operational footprint in the freight rail industry [6] - Angel aims to foster a culture of "continuous improvement" within the company, emphasizing collaboration with staff and unions to achieve incremental changes [5][6]

Core Insights - EFG International reported a net profit of SFr325.2m ($420.5m) for 2025, reflecting a 1% year-over-year increase, impacted by a litigation provision related to Kuwait's public pension fund [1] - The firm achieved revenues of SFr1.67bn with a consistent revenue margin of 98 basis points, while operating profit rose by 26% to SFr493.1m from SFr391m in 2024 [1] Financial Performance - Operating expenses increased by 6% to SFr1.17bn, with acquisitions of Cité Gestion and Investment Services Group (ISG) contributing 2.4 percentage points to this rise [2] - Assets under management (AuM) reached SFr185bn at the end of 2025, marking a 12% increase compared to the end of 2024, driven by net new assets of SFr11.3bn and positive acquisition impacts [2] - The net new asset growth rate was 6.8%, exceeding the company's target range of 4% to 6% [2] Regional Contributions - The Asia Pacific region saw net new assets of SFr3.2bn, primarily due to additions to the client relationship officer (CRO) team [3] - The Americas contributed SFr3.3bn in inflows, while Switzerland & Italy reported SFr1.9bn, Continental Europe and the Middle East brought in SFr1.6bn, and the UK added SFr1bn [3] - Other business segments, including EFG Asset Management funds, recorded SFr0.3bn in net inflows [3] Growth and Acquisitions - In 2025, EFG International secured agreements with 79 new CROs, surpassing its annual recruitment target excluding acquisitions [4] - Recent acquisitions included ISG through Shaw and Partners, Cité Gestion, and Quilvest Switzerland, with ISG and Cité Gestion contributing a combined SFr11.7bn to AuM [5] - The Quilvest transaction is expected to complete in Q3 2026, pending regulatory approval [5] Strategic Initiatives - The group plans to invest in digital tools to enhance CRO support and client service as part of its business transformation efforts [6] - All announced acquisitions align with EFG's merger and acquisition strategy, projected to deliver at least a 10% return on investment within three years of integration [6]

Core Insights - Kenvue reported Q4 earnings that exceeded analyst expectations, with adjusted EPS of $0.27 compared to the expected $0.22, and revenue of $3.78 billion surpassing the consensus of $3.68 billion [1] - The company is moving forward with its $48.7 billion acquisition of Kimberly-Clark, which has received shareholder approval and is expected to close in the second half of 2026 [1] - Kenvue announced a 3.5% workforce reduction, anticipating $250 million in restructuring charges as part of its merger integration strategy [1] Financial Performance - Kenvue's Q4 performance showed a 1.2% organic sales growth after three consecutive quarters of decline, although full-year net sales decreased slightly to $15.12 billion [1] - The company achieved a full-year adjusted diluted EPS of $1.08, exceeding its guidance of $1.00 to $1.05 [1] - Gross margin improved to 59.1% in Q3 from 58.5% year-over-year, attributed to supply chain optimizations, which continued to benefit Q4 results [1] Merger and Restructuring - The $48.7 billion acquisition of Kimberly-Clark is progressing, with U.S. antitrust clearance secured, while other regulatory approvals are still pending [1] - The stock is trading near the implied deal value of $19.10 to $19.50 per share, indicating a spread of approximately 4% [1] - Management's decision to reduce the workforce by 3.5% reflects a focus on cost discipline in preparation for the merger [1] Investor Considerations - Attention is shifting to regulatory clearance milestones and integration planning as the merger timeline extends into the second half of 2026 [1] - Kenvue launched its Neutrogena Evenly Clear product line in February 2026, indicating ongoing brand investment despite the acquisition [1] - The dividend yield stands at 4.5%, but the payout ratio above 110% raises questions about sustainability post-merger [1]

Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena’s (BMPS) board has approved a full merger with Mediobanca, which will result in Mediobanca being delisted from the Milan stock exchange. “Accordingly, it has resolved to start the activities aimed at the integration with BMPS through a merger by incorporation and the consequent delisting of Mediobanca, in accordance to the regulations governing related-party transactions and the applicable legal requirements,” . BMPS acquired an over 86% stake in Mediobanca in September l ...

Group 1 - The core point of the news is that urban-gro Inc. experienced a significant stock price increase of 77.71% in after-hours trading following the completion of its merger with Flash Sports and Media, Inc. [1] - The merger involved urban-gro acquiring 100% of Flash's outstanding shares, with Flash shareholders receiving a capped amount of unregistered Common Stock at closing [2] - Flash shareholders will also receive newly created non-voting preferred stock, which can convert into common stock upon stockholder approval, with the total shares equating to Flash's equity valuation divided by urban-gro's closing price of $3.23 [3] Group 2 - The merger allows urban-gro to meet Nasdaq's minimum stockholders' equity threshold of $2.5 million, which is crucial for compliance [4] - The CEO of urban-gro anticipates transformative developments in the upcoming quarters, while Flash's President noted the merger enhances Flash's capital strength and strategic flexibility [4] - Urban-gro's market capitalization is currently at $2.43 million, with a 52-week high of $21.50 and a low of $2.84, indicating a significant decline of 83% over the past year [5]

Group 1 - Coterra Energy Inc. is identified as a high-growth, low P/E stock and is recommended as a top pick in the oil sector due to expected benefits from increased merger and acquisition activity [1][2] - Wolfe Research has maintained an Outperform rating on Coterra Energy and raised its price target from $32 to $35, indicating positive market sentiment [2] - Coterra Energy has agreed to merge with Devon Energy Corp. in an all-stock transaction, creating the largest US shale operator with an enterprise value of approximately $58 billion [2][3] Group 2 - Under the merger agreement, Coterra shareholders will receive 0.70 shares of Devon Common stock for each share held, resulting in Devon shareholders owning 54% and Coterra shareholders owning 46% of the combined company [3] - The combined entity is projected to achieve $1 billion in annual pretax synergies by the end of 2027, highlighting the potential for operational efficiencies [3] - Coterra Energy operates in key regions such as the Permian Basin, Marcellus Shale, and Anadarko Basin, focusing on the exploration, development, and production of oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids [4]

Industry Overview - The insurance industry is influenced by better pricing, climate change leading to catastrophe losses, and accelerated digitalization [1] - Global commercial insurance rates fell by 4% in Q4, marking the sixth consecutive quarter of decline due to increased competition from reinsurers and new entrants [2] Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B) Analysis - Berkshire Hathaway is a diversified conglomerate with over 90 subsidiaries across various industries, which helps mitigate concentration risk [4] - Insurance constitutes approximately 25% of Berkshire's total revenues, with growth supported by increasing demand, disciplined underwriting, and favorable pricing trends [5] - The company has a strong financial position with over $100 billion in cash and a return on equity (ROE) of 7.3%, which is below the industry average [8] - Recent stock performance shows a 1% gain over the past month [8] American International Group (AIG) Analysis - AIG is a leading global insurance organization providing a wide range of insurance and financial services in over 80 countries [9] - The company has focused on stricter underwriting, divesting non-core businesses, and modernizing operations, resulting in an average underwriting profit of $2 billion annually over the past three years [11] - AIG's capital deployment strategy includes $734 million in dividends and $5.3 billion in share repurchases over the first nine months of 2025, with an ROE of 9.8% [13] - AIG's stock has gained 8.5% in the past month [13] Financial Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BRK.B's 2026 revenues indicates a 4.7% year-over-year increase, while EPS is expected to decrease by 0.1% [14] - For AIG, the 2026 revenue estimate suggests a 5.3% year-over-year increase, with EPS expected to rise by 10.2% [15] Valuation Comparison - Berkshire Hathaway's price-to-book ratio is 1.54, above its five-year median of 1.44, while AIG's ratio is 1.03, above its median of 0.98 [16] Conclusion - Berkshire Hathaway offers a diversified investment opportunity, but investors are cautious about its performance under new leadership [17] - AIG's strategic initiatives and capital deployment enhance shareholder value, making it more appealing based on ROE and valuation metrics [19]