I've been a business reporter for a while. I've covered Wall Street, venture capital and now private equity. I'm always looking for a scoop or something to talk about. I'm the eternal optimist and am still waiting for the Chicago Cubs to win the World Series. Yes, I believe.
In Second Opinion, eBay says it will cut 2,700 jobs and put its enterprise unit up for sale, Google is preparing to sell mobile phone plans and whether the New England Patriots be disqualified from the Super Bowl.
1 min read · 21 January 2015
In Second Opinion, SpaceX confirms its raising $1 bln in new funding, Mondelez International plans to introduce red velvet Oreos in February and research finds that Facebook crops up in one-third of all divorce cases. And it's Penguin Awareness Day.
1 min read · 20 January 2015
In Second Opinion, a study finds that pizza is the major reason kids are fat, Google is close to investing in rocket maker SpaceX at a valuation north of $10 bln and DreamWorks Animation plans to layoff a lot of people.
1 min read · 20 January 2015
Ascensus, which failed to get sold two years ago, is paying out a $100 million dividend to its owners, which include J.C. Flowers & Co.
3 min read · 20 January 2015
In Second Opinion, the Twitter accounts for the NY Post and UPI were hacked, Leucadia National gives FXCM a $300 mln cash infusion and Mitt Romney has conflict of interests problems with Solamere.
1 min read · 16 January 2015
TowerBrook Capital Partners has sold Phase Eight to The Foschini Group in a deal valued at £238 million (US$362.1 million). Phase Eight is a womenswear brand that sells wedding dresses, knitwear and evening wear. Weil, Gotshal & Manges, Rothschild and Deloitte advised TowerBrook.
2 min read · 16 January 2015
Partners Group said Friday it agreed to invest in the construction of the first direct subsea fiber optic cable between New York and Sấo Paulo, Brazil. Seabras-1, which is being developed by Seaborn Networks, has a total project cost of approximately $500 million. Partners Group said it is providing all of the equity financing for the project.
3 min read · 16 January 2015
The Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan said Thursday it acquired an additional equity sake in Shearer’s Snacks. The seller was Wind Point Partners. Financial terms weren’t announced. Teachers’ acquired its initial stake in Shearer’s in 2012 and now holds a majority stake. Massillon, Ohio-based Shearer’s is a contract manufacturer and private label supplier of snacks in North America.
3 min read · 16 January 2015
ORIX USA said Thursday it has expanded ORIX Ventures, which focuses on high growth companies. As part of the expansion, Jeff Bede is now leading debt and equity investment efforts on the West Coast after seven years in the Mid-Atlantic region. ORIX Ventures also hired Todd McDonald as Director of the Mid-Atlantic region, as well as Sabeen Firozali and Joel Marquis as associate directors.
3 min read · 16 January 2015
NGP Energy Capital Management announced a final close Thursday of its eleventh energy investment fund at $5.325 billion. NGP Natural Resources XI L.P. will focus on oil and gas production, oilfield services, and energy midstream sectors through its Natural Gas Partners investment platform.
2 min read · 16 January 2015
