The planned nuptials of US Airways and American Airlines have been on hold for months as the Justice Dept. tried to figure out whether it really wanted to keep the lovebirds apart — like it did with T-Mobile and AT&T — or if it just wanted them to have a slightly less pleasant honeymoon. Now it looks like the DOJ has finally gotten around to determining just what this wedding will cost the two carriers. [More]
mergers and acquisitions
Mayors Beg DOJ To Pretty Please Let US Airways/American Airlines Merger Happen
By 10.23.13
While US Airways and American Airlines have had to indefinitely postpone their nuptials because the Justice Dept. decided the union might result in problems for consumers and the airline industry, the mayors of those cities that would be most positively affected by the merger are now pleading with Attorney General Eric Holder to see that these two companies obviously love each other and should be allowed to be together. [More]
Shutdown Forces Justice Dept. To Press Pause On Attempt To Block US Airways & American Merger
By 10.1.13
It’s been more than six weeks since the Justice Dept. rained on the planned wedding between US Airways and American Airlines, and it looks like the fate of the two carriers may be further delayed by the current shutdown of the federal government. Earlier today, lawyers for the DOJ filed a motion for a stay in its lawsuit to block the merger because the shutdown is “creating difficulties for the Department to perform the functions necessary to support its litigation efforts.” [via Reuters] [More]
JetBlue Not Looking To Get Married To Another Airline Anytime Soon
By 9.4.13
With the impending nuptials of US Airways and American Airlines on hold because the Dept. of Justice started banging on the window at the back of the church, all eyes in the room have looked toward the next most eligible unmarried airline, Jetblue. But the CEO of that carrier says his company is perfectly happy being single. [More]
Jeff Bezos Buys Washington Post For $250 Million, Gets A Few Add-On Items
By 8.5.13
Newspapers are dirt cheap these days. If you’ve always dreamed of owning one, it’s time to scoop one up. The headline took a lot of people by surprise: Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, bought the Washington Post. What, like he downloaded it on his Kindle? No, he bought the entire paper from the Washington Post Company for $250 million in cash. [More]
Charter Owners Looking To Snatch Up Time Warner Cable And Possibly Cablevision, Claims Report
By 7.1.13
Relatively small cable and Internet company Charter Communications has earned a number of Worst Company In America brackets but often fails to progress beyond the first round because it’s just not big enough to be hated by a nationwide audience. That could change, as the company’s owner reportedly seeks to acquire Time Warner Cable and possibly Cablevision. [More]
JetBlue Founder Says He’s Not Trying To Buy His Old Airline Back
By 6.28.13
There are reports coming out of Brazil that JetBlue founder David Neeleman is putting together an investment fund with the purpose of acquiring the company he left five years ago and merging it with his Brazilian startup carrier, but Neeleman says that’s all a lot of hot air. [More]
DirecTV Wants To Sell You A Home Security System
By 6.7.13
DirecTV’s terrestrial-cable competitors like Comcast and Time Warner offer home security systems, a logical extension of a business that’s already running wires through and piping information back and forth from customers’ homes. DirecTV decided to get a piece of that very profitable action, and bought an existing alarm company, LifeShield Home Security. [More]
Nation’s Two Largest Funeral Companies To Merge, Form Bereavement Voltron
By 5.29.13 — Updated: 1.2.14
Back in 2008, Service Corporation International, the nation’s largest funeral-service company, made a bid to acquire the second-largest company, Stewart Enterprises Inc. The smaller company rebuffed its suitor, but reconsidered after an offer this year. The two companies will now form one large mega-death-services-corporation just as baby boomers are about to consider planning–and more importantly, pre-paying for–their funerals. [More]
Yahoo To Pay $1.1 Billion Cash For Blogging Platform Tumblr, Maybe Not Ruin It
By 5.20.13
Yesterday, Yahoo and Tumblr announced that they’re getting hitched. Why? Yahoo needs content that uses design principles from the last decade, and Tumblr needs some grown-ups to supervise the place and figure out how to actually earn money. Is everyone involved in this transaction making a huge mistake? [More]
A-B InBev Inches Closer To Dominating Boring Beer Market
By 4.8.13
Though Anheuser-Busch InBev may have failed in its Worst Company In America battle against Electronic Arts, the beer behemoth is getting much closer to owning even more big-name beer brands, saying it has reached an agreement in principle with the Dept. of Justice that would allow it to acquire the rest of Mexico’s Grupo Modelo. [More]
Bankruptcy Court Signs Off On US Airways/American Merger, But Not On $20 Million Payout To Outgoing CEO
By 3.28.13
Yet another hurdle in the race to the altar for American Airlines and US Airways has been cleared, with the bankruptcy court giving its blessing on the matter, but reserving judgment on a proposed $19.9 million payout to outgoing CEO Tom Horton. [More]
American Airlines Trustee Looks At $20 Million Payout To Outgoing CEO, Says There’s Some Explaining To Do
By 3.18.13
Though so much of the news about American Airlines has been about its impending nuptials to more financially stable suitor US Airways, let’s not forget that the airline is still clawing its way out of bankruptcy protection. Which is why the trustee put in charge of this process thinks someone should have to explain why outgoing the American CEO is being rewarded to the tune of $19.9 million. [More]
Looks Like DOJ Is A-OK With T-Mobile/MetroPCS Merger
By 3.6.13
The proposed marriage of underdog T-Mobile and upstart MetroPCS is one step closer to the altar today, as the Justice Dept. was given the chance to speak out against the merger but appears to have decided to forever hold its peace. [More]
Am I Asking Too Much, Or Does Logitech Not Care About Harmony Remote Line Anymore?
By 2.8.13
It wasn’t that long ago that readers routinely wrote to us with joyful accounts of how Logitech replaced their pricey Harmony remote controls for free when something went wrong. Winning Harmony customers’ loyalty and gratitude isn’t a priority anymore, though. Along with their disappointing third-quarter results, Logitech announced late last month that they will be selling off their remote control and video security systems, and ending their lines of console accessories and speaker docks. Mike heard those tales of wondrous service from the past, and expected something similar when his replacement remote broke and needed replacing. [More]
DOJ Tells Anheuser-Busch It’s Had Enough To Drink & Should Put Down That Grupo Modelo
By 1.31.13
Last summer, Anheuser-Busch InBev NV continued its attempt to buy every beer in the bar by buying a controlling interest in Grupo Modelo, the folks behind Corona, Modelo, and Pacifico, among others. But today, the Justice Dept. decided that AB InBev might be getting too drunk on beer company acquisitions. [More]
AT&T To Buy Alltel — Wait, Didn’t Verizon Already Buy Alltel?
By 1.22.13
Earlier today, it was announced that AT&T would buy up Alltel’s U.S. wireless service for $780 million, leading many to wonder how AT&T is buying a company that was already purchased by Verizon a few years back. [More]
Starbucks To Buy Teavana For $620 Million, Declines $800 Million Tea Tin Upsell
By 11.15.12
If you’re not familiar with Teavana, they’re a chain of about 300 mall shops that sell exotic (and expensive) loose-leaf teas, along with pricey tea-holding tins and tea-making accessories. Starbucks, which already owns a tea brand (Tazo) sees something special in Teavana, and has purchased the company for $620 million in cash. [More]
