When the year began, a billionaire with close ties to the White House was a lock for the most newsworthy tech titan of 2025. But 12 chaotic months later, Larry Ellison, not Elon Musk, can justifiably lay claim to the title.The 81-year-old Oracle Corp. co-founder and chairman has been omnipresent — playing a role in just about every major business story of the year, from the frenzied artificial intelligence boom to the megadeals that are roiling Hollywood. Oracle even plans to take a stake in TikTok as part ...

Core Viewpoint - Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) is indicating a willingness to negotiate with Paramount Skydance, led by David Ellison, if they increase their $30-per-share all-cash offer for the company [1][8]. Group 1: Bidding Process and Offers - The Ellisons and their partner RedBird Capital are considering a strategy called "DefCon 1," which may involve withdrawing from the bidding process and potentially litigating against WBD's board decisions [2]. - Paramount Skydance claims that WBD's management favored Netflix's cash-stock bid over their sixth all-cash offer, which they believe is superior at $78 billion compared to Netflix's $82.7 billion [3]. - WBD is expected to address Larry Ellison's personal guarantee for Paramount's bid and its implications for the deal process soon [4][15]. Group 2: Regulatory and Market Considerations - The acquisition has drawn attention from political figures, including Donald Trump, who may influence the outcome due to the deal's size and media implications, particularly concerning CNN [5][6]. - Paramount Skydance argues that their all-cash offer would not face significant regulatory hurdles, unlike Netflix's bid, which involves acquiring only WBD's studio and streaming assets [9]. Group 3: Financial Implications and Shareholder Reactions - WBD has promised an additional $3 to $4 per share from equity after spinning off its cable properties, but the value of these assets is uncertain due to declining audience shares [11]. - Investor Mario Gabelli has expressed support for the Ellisons' offer, indicating a potential for more shareholders to pledge their shares if the bid is increased [12]. - The Ellisons are contemplating raising their offer by up to 10% to meet WBD's demands, which include addressing a breakup fee of $2.8 billion [22].

Walt Disney (DIS) stock has been struggling this year, falling more than 25% earlier this year before a summer rally. In recent weeks, the stock has just been treading water, leaving investors with minimal gains in 2025. However, the chairman of Disney’s board of directors seems to have a bullish forecast on DIS stock. James Gorman, a former Morgan Stanley executive chairman who took over the leadership of Disney’s board nearly a year ago, purchased 18,000 shares of DIS stock, according to financial filin ...

All right, welcome back. Let's do some calls of the day. First solar is called a top pick today at Mizuo.Joe, you own the stock. What do you think. >> I do.Look at that reversal in the stock today. It's now down 6%. It was up this morning.Up yesterday. Yesterday was up on the back of the deal that was announced between Alphabet and Intersect Power. Understand Intersect is a customer of First Solar, so they should benefit there um as Alphabet moves into clean energy.It's a recent addition to the ETF for us. ...

In the current session, the stock is trading at $204.17, after a 0.19% increase. Over the past month, Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:EA) stock increased by 1.24%, and in the past year, by 36.96%. With performance like this, long-term shareholders are optimistic but others are more likely to look into the price-to-earnings ratio to see if the stock might be overvalued.A Look at Electronic Arts P/E Relative to Its CompetitorsThe P/E ratio measures the current share price to the company's EPS. It is used by long ...

Mergers and Acquisitions in Hollywood - Paramount's pursuit of Warner Bros is driven by a desire to quickly become a major player in Hollywood, aiming to transform from a relatively minor entity to a significant force [3][4] - Netflix's potential acquisition of a studio like Warner Bros could solidify its dominance in the entertainment industry, marking a crowning achievement in its evolution [5] - The battle for Warner Bros is seen as defining the future of Hollywood, with the victor shaping the industry's direction [6] Financial Aspects of Potential Deals - The financing structure of potential deals, particularly between Paramount/Skydance and Netflix, is a key consideration for shareholders [8] - A Netflix deal is perceived as "cleaner" due to bank involvement and less shareholder dilution compared to a potential deal involving Larry Ellison [9] - The actual dollar amounts of the deals are considered fairly comparable, especially when factoring in the potential spin-off of CNN assets [10] - Paramount may need to offer an additional $2-3 billion to outbid Netflix for Warner Bros [13] The Decline of Cable and Rise of Streaming - Traditional cable assets are facing a decline, with consumers seeking choice and lower costs, leading to cord-cutting [18] - Cable's failure to adapt to a lower-cost model has contributed to its decline, as consumers now spend more on various streaming subscriptions [18] - The future of entertainment is not in cable, as evidenced by the increasing popularity of platforms like YouTube [19] Investment Strategies - The firm invests in both individual equities and bonds to potentially achieve better returns and reduce costs for clients [20][21] - Investing in bonds of companies whose equity is already owned is seen as a way to generate income, especially in tax-advantaged accounts [22][23] - Netflix bonds, previously offering yields around 6-65%, are considered a solid investment [23]

Group 1: Novo Nordisk and Obesity Treatment - Novo Nordisk received FDA approval for the first-ever obesity treatment pill, set to launch early next year at a starting dose of 1.5 milligrams for $149 per month [7] - The approval is seen as a landmark decision that could expand access for patients suffering from obesity [1] - Following the news, shares of Novo Nordisk surged by 7%, while competitor Eli Lilly's shares fell by over 1% as it attempts to launch its own obesity pill [7] Group 2: Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery - Paramount Skydance secured the backing of billionaire Larry Ellison in its bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, addressing concerns about financing from WBD's board [2][3] - WBD investors face a decision to either accept a sale to Netflix or tender their shares to Paramount, with potential implications for shareholder value [3] Group 3: Alphabet and Data Center Acquisition - Alphabet announced its acquisition of data center company Intersect for $4.75 billion in cash, which includes assuming its debt, aimed at enhancing data center capacity [5] Group 4: Janus Henderson Acquisition - Trian Fund Management and General Catalyst are set to acquire asset manager Janus Henderson for $49 per share, valuing the company at approximately $7.4 billion, with shares rising over 3% following the announcement [6] Group 5: Electric Vehicle Market Trends - The initial excitement around electric vehicles (EVs) has diminished, with legacy automakers now prioritizing traditional trucks and SUVs over EVs due to unmet demand expectations [9][10] Group 6: Instacart Pricing Strategy - Instacart announced the end of its AI-driven pricing tests after consumer concerns about price discrepancies for identical items, indicating a shift in its pricing strategy [11][12]

Core Insights - The ongoing negotiations surrounding Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) indicate a competitive landscape with multiple suitors, suggesting that the value of assets is subjective and can vary significantly based on the acquirer [2][4][15] - The potential for increased offers from interested parties, including Paramount and Netflix, highlights the leverage held by WBD's management in driving up the sale price [1][11][13] - The evolving media landscape, particularly the rise of platforms like YouTube, is reshaping content creation and distribution, indicating a shift away from traditional media companies [15][16][17] Group 1: Acquisition Dynamics - WBD's CEO David Zaslav is in a strong position to negotiate, as he can leverage competing offers to maximize the sale price [2][11] - The valuation of cable networks and media assets is highly dependent on the perspective of potential acquirers, with some companies possibly valuing these assets more than current players like Netflix or Paramount [3][4] - Local station operators may find significant value in acquiring WBD's assets, suggesting that separating components for sale could yield higher returns [5] Group 2: Strategic Considerations - The potential acquisition by Paramount Sky Dance could lead to further financial engineering and strategic moves, although the realization of synergies may take time [6][9] - The relationship between Larry Ellison and political figures, such as Donald Trump, may influence the negotiation dynamics, but both parties are currently in a wait-and-see mode [10][11] - Investors in WBD are advised to remain patient, as historical trends suggest that sellers in media deals often benefit more than buyers [12][13] Group 3: Industry Trends - The media industry is on the brink of a content creation explosion, driven by new distribution channels and changing viewer habits [15] - YouTube's growing influence is highlighted by its acquisition of the Oscars broadcasting rights, indicating a significant shift in media consumption [16][17] - The long-term trajectory of the media industry suggests that tech giants will increasingly dominate, potentially diminishing the role of traditional media companies [17]

I would consider Bandai Namco Holdings Inc (Oct Market NCBDF) as a global entertainment company. It creates popular characters (such as Gundam and Pac-Man) and stories, and then monetizes them by turning them into toys, games, and other entertainment experiences.BSc (Eng), MBA. Self-taught value investor with 2 decades of investing experience. Blogger at i4value.asia. The blog is on value investing through case studies where I analyze and value listed companies in the ASEAN and US regions. I have an excepti ...

As dealmakers welcomed 2025 with toasts at their Aspen and Palm Beach vacation homes, hopes were high that a business-friendly White House would usher in an M&A boom. Their champagne dreams mostly came true, though political volatility in DC proved an obstacle at times, too. SUBSCRIBE:  Receive more of our free The Daily Upside newsletter. READ ALSO: Backed by ‘Bank of Dad,’ Paramount Makes Another Push For Warner Bros. Discovery and Investors Hope the Santa Rally Is Hitching Up Its Reindeer Worthy of Br ...