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Nielsen Agrees to $16 Billion Private-Equity Consortium Deal

  • Lucy Stoeva
  • 29 Mar, 2022
  • New York City

Media measurement firm Nielsen agreed to be acquired for $16 billion or $28 a share by a consortium of investors led by an affiliate of Elliott Management and Brookfield Business Partners L.P. The deal price is 10% higher than the previous offer and 60% above the price when deal talks first emerged.

UnitedHealth Agrees to Acquire LHC Group for $5.4 Billion

  • Bridgette Randall
  • 29 Mar, 2022
  • New York City

UnitedHealth agreed to acquire home healthcare provider LHC Group for $5.4 billion in cash. The largest health insurer expands its home health services for chronic illnesses suffered by mostly older patients. The largest health insurer agreed to pay $170 a share, 8% premium to the last close and the deal is expected to add to earnings in 2023.

Ukraine Russia Cease-Fire Talks Advance in Istanbul

  • Barry Adams
  • 29 Mar, 2022
  • New York City

Ukraine proposed neutral status and Russia offered to scale down military operation around Kyiv and northern region at the official talks in Istanbul, Turkey today. The NATO member nations are still reluctant to offer heavier and advanced military armaments air cover to Ukraine.

FedEx Holds Annual Outlook After Net Jumps 23%

  • Mukesh Buch
  • 23 Mar, 2022
  • New York City

FedEx said revenues in fiscal third-quarter ending on Feb 28 gained 10% to $23.6 billion from $21.5 billion a year ago. Net income in the period rose to $1.1 billion or $4.20 a share from $892 million or $3.30 a share. The additional fuel surcharge helped to offset reduced customer demand, higher wages, and staff sickouts.

Proposed U.S. Budget Seeks Lower Federal Deficit

  • Brian Turner
  • 28 Mar, 2022
  • New York City

The largest military budget in the world is likely to get even larger according to the latest budget proposal from the U.S. president. Of the $5.8 trillion budget proposed by President Biden, $795 billion is for military spending, higher than $770 billion in 2022, and $915 billion for domestic programs with the remainder for mandatory spending.

Movers: Tesla, Poly, AMC Entertainment

  • Barry Adams
  • 28 Mar, 2022
  • New York City

Tesla jumped nearly 8% after the company said it is looking to split the stock without declaring the date and split ratio. AMC Entertainment surged 25% after the company CEO said more acquisitions are in the pipeline. Poly soared 50% after the communication company agreed to be acquired by HP Inc.

U.S. Stock Indexes Waver on Rising U.S. Bond Yields

  • Barry Adams
  • 28 Mar, 2022
  • New York City

U.S. stock indexes traded sideways and tech stocks rebounded from the morning doldrums. U.S. bond yields were in focus after 5-year bonds traded at 2.56%, 10-year at 2.46%, and 30-year yield at 2.54%. The ever tightening and rising yields are reflecting growing acceptance of larger rate increases in the coming months.

U.S. Stocks Trim Second Weekly Gains on Expanding Negative Real Rates

  • Barry Adams
  • 25 Mar, 2022
  • New York City

U.S. indexes turned lower and gave up early gains on the growing worries that the fast rising crude oil and commodities prices are contributing to the latest bout of inflation. Fed is lagging considerably as real rates expands further in negative territory.

Wild Trading On Moscow Stock Exchange

  • Mukesh Buch
  • 25 Mar, 2022
  • New York City

The Moscow Stock Exchange reopened after a month on Monday , the longest hiatus since the fall of Soviet Union, and traded federal government bonds on Monday and began trading stocks on Thursday. The dollar denominated RTS index plunged 9% at close and the ruble based MOEX Russia Index closed down 4.4% after opening 10% higher.

Focus on U.S. Direct Sales Lifts Nike Sales

  • Scott Peters
  • 24 Mar, 2022
  • New York City

Nike said February quarter sales rose 5% to $10.87 billion from a year ago and earnings edged lower to $1.4 billion from $1.45 billion in the previous quarter. Earnings per share fell to 87 cents from 90 cents. The athletic goods maker has increasingly shifted from wholesale to selling direct.

Ukraine War Disruptions Lift Wheat, Corn, Cotton, Sunflower Oil Prices

  • Mukesh Buch
  • 24 Mar, 2022
  • New York City

Commodities price surge is expected to continue as Ukraine war adds to already stretched supply chain worries. Ukraine supplies about half of global sunflower oil used for bio fuel and cooking and about 11% of wheat and 17% of corn of world exports.

KB Home Average Home Selling Price Rises to $490,000

  • Scott Peters
  • 24 Mar, 2022
  • New York City

KB Home said fiscal quarter revenues rose 23% to $1.49 billion and earnings increased 38% to $134.3 million and earnings per share rose 44% to $1.47. The home builder delivered 2,868 new homes, an increase of 22% but said labor shortage and supply chain issues intensified in the quarter.

Darden Sales and Earnings Surge Despite Omicron Disruptions

  • Mukesh Buch
  • 24 Mar, 2022
  • New York City

Darden Restaurants, the parent of Olive Garden, said quarter sales rose 41.3% from a year ago quarter to $2.45 billion and earnings jumped 90% to $247 million or $1.93 a share. The restaurant operator plans to pass 3% price hike after commodities prices rose 11% in the quarter.

Stocks in New York Halt 7-Day Advance

  • Barry Adams
  • 23 Mar, 2022
  • New York City

Stocks in New York struggled to stay in the positive and halted advance for the seventh day in a row. Crude oil prices jumped 5% and producers worry about demand destruction. Home builder stocks declined on the rising mortgage rates. Adobe fell on earnings outlook.

Tech Heavy Nasdaq Rebounds 2%

  • Barry Adams
  • 22 Mar, 2022
  • New York City

The battered and tech heavy Nasdaq index rebounded 2% and extended gains of last week after investors looked beyond rate hike worries. The S&P 500 index added 1.1%.