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Acquisitions Mergers

DWAC

Former President Donald Trump criticized the Wall Street Journal and Fox News on Truth Social, a platform owned by Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG). TMTG is set to go public by merging with Digital World Acquisition Corp (NASDAQ:DWAC). Trump challenged several figures, including President Joe Biden and Rupert Murdoch, to a mental acuity test, expressing discontent with a recent Wall Street Journal poll on perceived cognitive issues with Biden.

Portfolio Pulse from Benzinga Neuro

September 11, 2023 | 1:16 am

META

MSFT

NVDA

The Wall Street Journal has reported that Meta Platforms Inc. is acquiring more Nvidia H100 chips for its AI platform.

Portfolio Pulse from Charles Gross

September 10, 2023 | 9:14 pm

Vietnam Airlines is reportedly close to a $10 billion deal with Boeing (NYSE:BA) for the acquisition of about 50 Boeing 737 Max jets. This deal would mark a shift for Vietnam Airlines from its all-Airbus single-aisle jet fleet. The airline has been struggling financially, but a recent increase in domestic travel has reduced its after-tax loss to $54 million in Q2 2021, down from $108 million in the same period last year.

Portfolio Pulse from Bibhu Pattnaik

September 10, 2023 | 7:31 pm

LCAA

Lotus Technology Inc., a global luxury electric vehicle maker, announced that its subsidiary, Lotus Robotics, has been selected to license its intelligent driving technology and software to several leading automakers. This move is expected to boost Lotus Tech's technology-related revenues as part of its Vision80 business transformation strategy.

Portfolio Pulse from Charles Gross

September 10, 2023 | 3:11 pm

AAPL

CHTR

DIS

A recent article by Dan Kois criticizing comedian Martin Short has sparked backlash on social media. In other news, speculation has resurfaced about Apple Inc. potentially acquiring Disney to fulfill Bob Iger's 'end game'. A new report also details a rift between Iger and former Disney CEO Bob Chapek over office amenities. Disney is also reportedly in disputes with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Charter Communications CEO Chris Winfrey.

Portfolio Pulse from Anthony Noto

September 09, 2023 | 9:46 pm

CVS

UNH

WMT

Walmart Inc. is reportedly considering acquiring a majority stake in ChenMed, a provider of primary care clinics for senior citizens. The deal could value ChenMed at several billion dollars, marking one of Walmart's most significant investments in the healthcare sector. The companies are in the initial phase of discussions. This move aligns with Walmart's strategy to transform healthcare, as stated by CEO Doug McMillon. The acquisition would add significant value to Walmart's healthcare portfolio, which saw a 2.7% increase in spending in 2021 to $4.3 trillion.

Portfolio Pulse from Nabaparna Bhattacharya

September 09, 2023 | 3:46 pm

GOOG

MSFT

TSLA

Elon Musk reportedly attempted to merge OpenAI with Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) but was unsuccessful in convincing Sam Altman and the team. At the time, Tesla was aggressively ramping up its AI development efforts. OpenAI, however, resisted the merger proposal. OpenAI later made waves in the AI community by releasing ChatGPT, triggering an AI arms race among major tech players, including Alphabet Inc.‘s (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Google and Microsoft Corporation‘s (NASDAQ:MSFT). Musk later launched his own AI venture, xAI.

Portfolio Pulse from Ananya Gairola

September 09, 2023 | 9:15 am

CMCSA

DIS

NBC Universal (NBCU) and The Walt Disney Company (Disney) have amended their agreement regarding Hulu, giving NBCU the option to require Disney to purchase its interest in Hulu at a redemption value based on ownership percentage or a guaranteed floor value of $27.5 billion. The put/call arrangement can be exercised in November 2023, with Hulu's equity fair value assessed as of September 30, 2023. If the parties cannot agree on the equity fair value, investment banking firms will be appointed to determine the value.

Portfolio Pulse from Benzinga Newsdesk

September 08, 2023 | 10:57 pm

DIS

A report has detailed a rift between Bob Iger and former Disney CEO Bob Chapek, including a disagreement over office space. Iger, who returned to the CEO role in November 2022, has admitted that picking Chapek as his successor was a mistake. Under Iger's leadership, Disney saw strong stock performance and completed acquisitions of Marvel, Pixar, and Lucasfilm. However, Chapek's tenure was marked by disappointing returns and controversies. With Chapek out of the picture, Iger is now in full control of the company. Disney shares have hit 10-year lows and there are speculations about potential sell-offs of non-core business segments or a possible acquisition by a larger company like Apple.

Portfolio Pulse from Chris Katje

September 08, 2023 | 8:40 pm

IRRX

Integrated Rail and Resources Acquisition Corp. (IRRX) has announced an extension to consummate a business combination with the target businesses from September 15, 2023, to October 15, 2023. This decision was made in accordance with the Investment Management Trust Agreement between IRRX and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC.

Portfolio Pulse from Benzinga Newsdesk

September 08, 2023 | 8:32 pm