Soho House opened its first venue in Greek Street, London, in 1995 - Peter Nicholls/Reuters A $1.8bn (£1.3bn) takeover of Soho House by the entrepreneur planning to transform the BT Tower has been revived following a funding scramble. Soho House, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, has secured a new $200m funding commitment that will allow it to close a take-private deal with US hotel giant MCR Hotels. Under the revised terms, Morse Ventures, an entity owned by MCR boss Tyler Morse, will co ...

Janus Henderson Group plc (NYSE:JHG) is included among the 13 Best Debt Free Dividend Stocks to Buy Now. Janus Henderson Group (JHG) Target Reset After $7.4B Take-Private Deal Photo by Vitaly Taranov on Unsplash On December 22, Evercore ISI lowered its price target on Janus Henderson Group plc (NYSE:JHG) to $49 from $50 and kept an In Line rating. The move followed news that the company’s largest shareholder, Trian Fund Management, along with General Catalyst, agreed to take the asset manager private at ...

Piper Sandler downgraded NYSE:CWAN from Overweight to Neutral, yet the stock surged 8.13% following an $8.4 billion take-private deal announcement.Clearwater Analytics boasts a strong gross margin of 68.43%, indicating efficient revenue conversion into profit.The trading volume spiked to 99 million shares on the announcement day, significantly higher than the average, showing increased investor interest.Clearwater Analytics (NYSE:CWAN) is a company that provides software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions for in ...

Upgrades - Bradesco BBI upgraded Volaris (VLRS) to Outperform from Neutral with a price target of $12 [2] - Loop Capital upgraded Ollie's Bargain Outlet (OLLI) to Buy from Hold with a price target of $135, increased from $130, citing underestimated comp potential in fiscal 2026 [2] - Raymond James upgraded Cummins (CMI) to Outperform from Market Perform with a price target of $585, noting a change in sentiment for the second half of 2026 despite a cautious near-term outlook [3] Downgrades - Janney Montgomery Scott downgraded Heritage Commerce (HTBK) to Neutral from Buy with a fair value estimate of $14 following an acquisition agreement with CVB Financial (CVBF) [4] - William Blair downgraded Clearwater Analytics (CWAN) to Market Perform from Outperform without a price target after a take-private deal at $24.55 per share [5] - Raymond James double downgraded Sealed Air (SEE) to Market Perform from Strong Buy without a price target, indicating reduced odds for a topping bid after the conclusion of the "go-shop" period [6] - Citi downgraded Amicus (FOLD) to Neutral from Buy with a price target of $14.50, down from $17, after BioMarin announced an acquisition for $4.8 billion or $14.50 per share [6] Initiations - Wells Fargo initiated coverage of Arcellx (ACLX) with an Overweight rating and a price target of $100, viewing its anti-cel as a future pillar in multiple myeloma treatment [7] - Jefferies initiated coverage of BlackSky (BKSY) with a Buy rating and a price target of $23, projecting sales to double to $211 million by 2028 [7] - BTIG initiated coverage of Invivyd (IVVD) with a Buy rating and a price target of $10, highlighting its effective antibody production [7] - Jefferies initiated coverage of Relmada Therapeutics (RLMD) with a Buy rating and a price target of $9, noting a transformation towards oncology and neuro pipeline [7] - Seaport Research initiated coverage of MasterCraft Boat (MCFT) with a Neutral rating and no price target, expressing caution due to competitive pressures in the marine industry [7]

Core Insights - Select Medical Holdings Corporation (SEM) has received a take-private proposal from its executive chairman, Robert A. Ortenzio, offering $16 to $16.20 per share, representing a premium of up to 15.6% from the recent closing price of $14.01 [1][8] - The proposal indicates a potential shift to private ownership, suggesting that the executive believes there is untapped value in the business that could be realized outside of the public market [2][3] - The company has experienced a significant decline in stock value, dropping 63.8% over the past year, which is worse than the industry average decline of 42.3% [4][8] Financial Performance - SEM's current valuation stands at 10.43X forward earnings, which is below its five-year median of 12.32X and the industry average of 15X [6] - The rehabilitation hospital segment of SEM is showing positive trends with rising occupancy, admissions, and patient days [6] Market Position - SEM currently holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), indicating a favorable outlook compared to other stocks in the medical sector [7] - Other promising stocks in the sector include Aveanna Healthcare and The Pennant Group, both also holding a Zacks Rank of 2 [7]

Core Insights - Electronic Arts (EA) missed Wall Street expectations for second-quarter bookings, reporting a decline of 13% to $1.82 billion, compared to the average estimate of $1.88 billion [5] - The company is facing challenges due to uncertain spending on its core sports portfolio and difficult growth comparisons to the previous year's strong launch of "College Football 25" [1][2] - EA's second-quarter net income decreased to $137 million from $294 million a year earlier [5] Company Strategy - EA is heavily investing in its core action and sports titles to navigate a challenging gaming market characterized by high console prices and competition [2] - The company launched "College Football 25" last year, which became one of the best-selling games, reviving the franchise after a long hiatus [2] - EA's take-private deal, valued at $55 billion, was announced just before the launch of "Battlefield 6," which sold over seven million copies in its first three days [3] Market Performance - Bookings for EA's soccer title "FC 26" increased in the mid-single digits compared to its predecessor, despite some analysts predicting softer performance [4] - The global popularity of soccer is expected to support the resilience of "EA Sports FC" in the coming years [4] - Investors are now focused on the long-term financial prospects of "Battlefield 6," especially as EA plans to release regular content updates to maintain player engagement [3]

Core Viewpoint - Hologic has agreed to be acquired by Blackstone and TPG in a take-private deal valued at up to $18.3 billion, with a cash price of $76 per share and additional contingent value rights based on future revenue goals [1][4]. Group 1: Acquisition Details - The acquisition deal values Hologic at up to $18.3 billion, with Blackstone and TPG offering a cash price of $76 per share [1][4]. - The merger agreement includes a 45-day 'go-shop' period, allowing Hologic to seek other offers [3]. - Analysts suggest that bids would need to be in the high $70s to low $80s for a deal to be successful, indicating potential for better investment opportunities elsewhere [3]. Group 2: Market Reaction - Following the announcement, Hologic's stock price increased by more than 3%, reaching $74.26, and is trading above its 50-day and 200-day moving averages [4].

Core Insights - A potential transaction is underway that could value Electronic Arts at $50 billion [1] Company Summary - Electronic Arts is currently in discussions for a transaction that may significantly increase its market valuation to $50 billion [1]

Group 1 - Activist hedge fund Irenic Capital Management is seeking interest in a take-private deal for SSP Group, the owner of Upper Crust, after increasing its stake in the company [1][2] - Irenic Capital Management is encouraging private equity groups to consider takeover bids, suggesting that SSP could be valued at a 50% premium to its current market value [2][3] - SSP Group's shares rose over 8% to 168.6 pence following the news, indicating positive market reaction [3] Group 2 - SSP Group operates food and beverage outlets in travel locations, focusing on airports, train stations, and other travel hubs [4] - Irenic Capital Management currently holds approximately 3% of SSP's stock, highlighting its significant but minority stake in the company [4]

Group 1 - TaskUs has postponed a shareholder meeting to vote on a take-private offer from Blackstone and the company's co-founders [1] - The delay is intended to provide more time to solicit shareholder support for the deal [1]