Technology

SoftBank’s Son is running out of ammunition

12 May 2022

The stock market values the $60 bln technology conglomerate at half the sum of its parts. In the past, founder Masayoshi Son has used buybacks to prop up the shares. High leverage and slumping markets make that tricky. More radical measures, like a breakup, seem off the table.

Stablecoin crash drags crypto ideals back to earth

11 May 2022

TerraUSD, a digital token supposedly pegged to the U.S. dollar, slumped to a fraction of that. The popular store of value is vulnerable because its design is based on trading incentives, not hard reserves. For crypto fans there’s a tradeoff between decentralisation and stability.

Grindr’s SPAC profile picture is a blur

10 May 2022

The LGBTQ community’s favoured dating app is listing via a merger with a blank-cheque firm run by a major shareholder. The $2.1 bln price tag looks chunky next to peers like Bumble. Besides data security and governance, investors can fret about potential conflicts of interest.

Capital Calls: Turkey, Nintendo/Sony, India IPO

10 May 2022

Concise views on global finance: President Erdogan makes another ham-fisted monetary intervention; the Switch maker weathers supply chain ructions better than its larger rival; New Delhi needs to be even more generous in its landmark listing of Life Insurance Corp of India.

China’s private cloud giants sail into storm

10 May 2022

Alibaba and Tencent want to dominate the country's $35 bln data storage and services market. But cybersecurity hawks are pushing contracts toward state-backed firms. Trying to identify and back China's answer to Amazon Web Services may not turn out the way investors expect.

Didi’s New York woes mask deeper problems

4 May 2022

The Chinese ride-hailing group hopes leaving the Big Board will ease Beijing’s cybersecurity probe. It now faces a U.S. investigation into its IPO. Yet the bigger blow in its new annual report is rising regulatory pressure at home, raising fresh doubts about Didi’s core business.

China’s ZTE answers the call on Huawei’s crisis

3 May 2022

Fresh off five years of U.S. probation, the $16 bln telecom-equipment maker is growing sales and improving margins as American sanctions hurt its larger rival. An expanding 5G rollout leaves additional market share up for grabs. Its discounted valuation is poised to be dialed up.

Arm IPO bankers will struggle to tell growth story

29 Apr 2022

Owner SoftBank is picking advisers for what CEO Masayoshi Son calls the most significant float in the chip industry’s history. A boost from 5G phones and data-centre demand may lure growth-hungry investors. But that won’t be enough to justify a mooted $60 bln valuation.

NFTs are more opportunity than threat for Spotify

28 Apr 2022

Music streamers have cause to fear so-called non-fungible-token platforms, which enable artists to nab bigger royalties. Yet Spotify and its peers are where the fans are. If digital collectibles take off, streamers may be able to take a piece of the pie rather than being eaten.

Capital Calls: U.S. GDP fall masks solid economy

28 Apr 2022

Concise views on global finance: Consumer spending and business investment are resilient amid price hikes.

Capital Calls: GM electrifies executives’ pay

27 Apr 2022

Concise views on global finance: The Detroit automaker’s move to tie boss Mary Barra’s pay to electric vehicles goals is a new spin on pledges to shift away from combustion-engine cars.

Big Tech’s growth story faces a one-two punch

26 Apr 2022

Inflation means advertisers and subscription clients have less money to spend at places like Google and Microsoft. Meanwhile, a tight labor market makes hiring more difficult and expensive. Without new business to sell or people to sell it, tech companies lose their shine.

What is Morgan Stanley smoking in Twitter LBO?

25 Apr 2022

The bank is leading a $13 bln debt package for Elon Musk’s buyout and lending $12.5 bln against his Tesla stock. Interest will eat up the social network’s cash flow and Musk may undermine its revenue. A good relationship with the world’s richest man may justify the risk, though.

Capital Calls: Gap falls through the inflation gap

22 Apr 2022

Concise views on global finance: Shares in the clothing retailer fell over 19% after the company warned of a sharper drop in sales and announced the departure of Nancy Green, the boss of its Old Navy unit.

Capital Calls: THG’s lowball bids

21 Apr 2022

Concise views on global finance: Britain’s 1.4 bln pound lipstick-to-protein-shake maker THG rejects “numerous” bids as it warns of higher costs.

Capital Calls: KKR and Australia, Danone

20 Apr 2022

Concise views on global finance: The private equity firm’s offer for Ramsay Health Care would almost double Down Under M&A by value this year; the French consumer group’s sales growth boost is offset by inflation fears.

French financial royalty falls flat in music SPAC

19 Apr 2022

A blank-cheque vehicle backed by billionaire François-Henri Pinault and banker Matthieu Pigasse struck a $1 bln deal with Deezer. The European music streamer has carved out a niche and may fend off Spotify. But the SPAC is paying a higher multiple for a slower-growing company.

Twitter can afford to refuse Musk’s $41 bln bid

14 Apr 2022

The world’s richest man says he’ll pay $54.20 a share for the social network, but may sell his 9% stake if the “best and final” but non-binding offer is rejected. It’s less than a week since Musk walked from a deal to join the board. Twitter has multiple reasons to demand more.

Capital Calls: Dubai listings, Epic Games

12 Apr 2022

Concise views on global finance: State-owned utility DEWA defies the global IPO gloom as its shares jump 20% on their debut; Sony is pumping another $1 bln into privately held metaverse evangelist Epic Games at an epic $32 bln valuation.

Flighty Musk exposes Twitter’s flaky governance

11 Apr 2022

The world’s richest man bailed on joining the social media firm’s board, days after agreeing to become a director. His run-ins with regulators and inflammatory tweets were well known. Appointing Musk the day he unveiled a 9% stake reflects how poorly the $37 bln company is run.