Private Equity
Causing a Rift: New memoir from Paul Allen causes problems with his buddy, Bill Gates. Shocker: David Sokol, a major contender to succeed Warren Buffet at Berkshire Hathaway, has resigned. +1: Google launches its answer to Facebook's like button. Just Do It: Japan weighs pouring concrete over crippled nuclear plant. Moving Up: Why escalators bring out the best in people. A Housewarming: Finally, we have some pics of Yuri Milner's new $100 mln Silicon Valley digs. Ousted: Orbitz is dropping Alamo and National Car Rental after contract talks fail.
1 min read · 30 March 2011
Unbelievable: A 300 lbs Eagle Ray slams a woman on a boat and she isn't hurt. In the Cloud: Amazon gets into trouble for launching service that lets customers stores songs and play t hemon phones and computer. Tablet Mania: Analyst warns of global iPademic. Not an IPO: Zynga made its Wall Street debut Tuesday to celebrate launch of Farmville English Countryside. Seriously? Meg Whitman is reportedly joining Kleiner Perkins. Up for Sale: Big Lots is holding management presentations and getting interest from PE firms.
1 min read · 29 March 2011
Seriously? RadioShack will reportedly begin carrying the iPad 2 at 500 locations tomorrow. Out on the Town: The deadly cobra missing from the Bronx Zoo has a twitter account. Newspapers: The top 10 dying industries. Guess what's included? Deal: Cheezburger Networks has bought "Know Your Meme" for low seven figures. A Return: Can Jack Dorsey Help Twitter find its way? Radiation Fears: Plutonium found in soil at Japanese nuclear plant. And, Goldman employees in Tokyo told they can't leave.
1 min read · 28 March 2011
Another Deal? YouTube cofounders are considering ideas for a new startup. Being Sought After: How entrepreneurs can work smarter with VCs. Sweet $16 billion: John Paulson ribbed for his partying lifestyle on 30 Rock. Happiness: Fox gives Fringe another season. After the Deal: Why Color's tech justifies the $41 mln funding round.
1 min read · 25 March 2011
More than Muzak, Hopefully: Google begins testing Google music internally. Ousted: Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and the country's top general are near resigning which could lead to a civilian-led transitional government. Mobile app boom: Apple's sales may grow by more than 50% over the next two years, according to Forrester CEO. Check It Out: Here's the hilarious pitch deck that mocks Color's $41 million funding round.
1 min read · 24 March 2011
Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool. Not everyone can be a Facebook or a Groupon or, heck, even an HCA. Large companies like these can often count on a relatively easy path to going public. Big companies often get huge run ups in the press prior to going public and lots of coverage afterward. Just consider the day-by-day coverage of Facebook's long-awaited plans to go public (and the company has not indicated it has any plans for an IPO this year). But small companies often don't get this treatment. In fact, small companies usually face significant obstacles to going public. Jeffrey Bussgang, a general partner with Flybridge Capital Partners, says
1 min read · 24 March 2011
The Walking Dead: Zombie bankers don't take the hint when they get a "zero" bonus. Not Too Sick: Walt Disney investors re-elect Steve Jobs to their board despite his health issues. Apple: Bertrand Serlet, Apple’s senior vice president of Mac software engineering, is leaving the company Know Your Goldman CEO: Lloyd Blankfein would rather you call than email, sometimes reads the WSJ, and checks his bank's profits everyday. To IPO or Not: Felix Salmon worries about companies staying private. Looking for Money: Foursquare prepares to launch next funding round.
1 min read · 23 March 2011
Tasty Deal: General Mills to buy Yoplait stake from PAI Partners. Stocks: Asia stocks are mostly higher. But Indian stocks drop on oil concerns. VC Pioneer Dies: Jean Deleage, who backed Tandem Computers and Genentech before co-founding Alta Partners, has passed away. Quake Aftermath: Snowstorms and radiation fears hamper aid to quake victims. And, Japan considers burying nuclear plant in sand and concrete. Being An Equity Research Analyst: FINS gives us the ins and outs (including pay) of an analyst's life.
1 min read · 18 March 2011
Quake Update: Japan is using helicopters to dump water on the damaged nuclear plant. And, concern in China over spread of radiation IPO: Now Groupon is talking to bankers about an IPO that would value the company at $25 billion. Possible Deal: Pfizer investors want to spin off nutrition business in a $6.8 bln deal. Beyond Trash Talk: Can Time Warner afford not to buy Netflix? For Fun: The SEC is suing the founders of a hedge fund called, Mother Earth Asset Management.
1 min read · 17 March 2011
Quake Aftermath: Radiation levels surge at reactor. Workers at Blackstone, BMW and BNP flee Japan while global stocks and Nikkei 225 rebound. Global Fears: World Health Organization says no significant spread of radiation worldwide. Felix Salmon: Why you shouldn't donate money to Japan. Odds: Quake risks at U.S. nuclear plants. That Morning Coffee: Peet's and Starbucks held recent deal talks. Fake FB IPO's: FINRA warns that crooks are cashing in on Facebook pre-IPO investments. Changes: Moody's cuts Portugal's debt rating by two notches. Taking on HBO: Netflix bids for rights to original series, House of Cards.
1 min read · 16 March 2011
