KGI expects ADVANC's Q3 2026 profit to grow 11% to 13.3 billion baht
KGI Securities (Thailand) said in an analysis dated October 2, 2026, that it expects Advanced Info Service, or ADVANC, to report net profit of approximately 13.3 billion baht for the third quarter of 2026, down about 3% from the previous quarter but up roughly 11% from the same period a year earlier. Core profit is expected at approximately 13.2 billion baht, down 3% from the previous quarter and up 10% from a year earlier. Total revenue this quarter is expected at approximately 57.7 billion baht, up 5.8% from the same period a year earlier but down 0.3% from the previous quarter, driven by continued growth in the mobile phone business and the Fixed Broadband, or FBB, business. If the forecast holds, core profit for the first nine months of 2026 will be approximately 40.3 billion baht, up 20% from the same period a year earlier, accounting for about 73% of KGI's full-year 2026 profit estimate. KGI expects normal profit for the full year at approximately 55.1 billion baht, up 19.8% from a year earlier, and expects it to rise to approximately 58.2 billion baht in 2027. KGI maintains its Outperform recommendation and has lowered its 2027 target price to 396 baht from 425 baht, seeing roughly 15% upside from the share price of 345 baht on October 1, 2026, and expects a dividend yield of about 5% per year.
ADVANC.BK · Capital · Positive KGI forecasts ADVANC's Q3 2026 net profit up ~11% YoY and maintains Outperform with 15% upside, an analyst valuation call.
ITEL wins PEA contract to tidy communication cables in two regions, total value 266 million baht
Interlink Telecom Public Company Limited, or ITEL, has been selected by the Provincial Electricity Authority, or PEA, to carry out the project to tidy communication cables on power poles for the year 2026. The project is divided into two parts: work in the central region worth 148,774,493.70 baht, and work in the southern region worth 117,830,798.25 baht, for a total value of 266,605,291.95 baht. Dr. Nattanai Anantarumporn, Chief Executive Officer of ITEL, said the company is pleased to have earned PEA's trust and is committed to completing the work efficiently and on target. The two projects, with a combined value of more than 266 million baht, will help strengthen the company's telecommunications infrastructure revenue base, with revenue recognition proceeding in line with the operating plan and contract conditions after signing.
ITEL.BK · Demand · Positive ITEL won a PEA contract worth 266 million baht to tidy communication cables in the central and southern regions, adding to its telecom infrastructure revenue base.
Trade Desk Trades at 7.8 Times Operating Income Versus Alphabet's 27.8
The Trade Desk's enterprise value stood at approximately 7.8 times trailing operating income at the October 2 close, against 27.8 times for Alphabet, a discount the article argues is too large to dismiss as an accounting footnote. Those are consolidated-company multiples rather than valuations assigned separately to advertising: Alphabet's figure includes Google Cloud and other assets, plus approximately $19 billion of preferred equity added to the standard enterprise value, divided by $147.6 billion of trailing operating income. The Trade Desk's case weakened in its August 6 report for the June quarter, when revenue rose just 3% to $715 million and operating income fell to $101.6 million from $116.8 million, with management acknowledging execution problems. Alphabet's advertising revenue grew approximately 14% in the June quarter, with Search up 17% and YouTube ads up 13%. Insider Monkey's hedge fund database showed 42 Trade Desk holders in Q2 2026, down from 45 in Q1 2026, versus 275 Alphabet holders, up from 265, while the September 15 snapshot showed approximately 88.53 million Trade Desk shares sold short, or 21.3% of float, against 87.39 million Alphabet Class A shares, about 1.5% of the corresponding float.
TTD · Capital · Negative Article argues its 7.8x operating income multiple reflects a weakened case after Q2 revenue rose just 3% and operating income fell to $101.6M with acknowledged execution problems.
GOOG · Capital · Positive Trades at 27.8x operating income with advertising revenue up ~14% in the June quarter, framed as the premium-valued comparison to Trade Desk's discount.
Thai stocks close at 1,571.62 points; OR moves into hotels, ITEL wins PEA contract, WP completes share buyback
The Thai stock market index on October 2, 2026 closed at 1,571.62 points, up 7.71 points or 0.49%, with trading value of 71.09 billion baht. Foreign investment flowed out toward U.S. government bonds, which offer lower risk and yields above 5%, while Thai stocks still await third-quarter 2026 earnings. PTT Oil and Retail Business, or OR, sent positive signals as it prepares for a tourism recovery that is driving growth in jet fuel sales. It has also pinned its flag in Phuket and is pressing ahead with budget hotels, gradually opening them in 2027-2028, with a target of 50 locations by 2031. The first phase will pilot six model hotels in high-potential locations: Phuket, Kanchanaburi, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Songkhla (Hat Yai), Chonburi and Bangkok, to extend the business and turn PTT Station service stations into safe, standardized overnight stops nationwide. Meanwhile, ITEL won a big project from the Provincial Electricity Authority, or PEA, to organize communications cables across two regions, the central and southern regions, with a combined value of more than 266 million baht, reflecting confidence in its potential and experience in managing communications infrastructure, and positioning it to pursue future telecommunications infrastructure projects. WP completed its share buyback plan as scheduled, repurchasing the full 15,000,000 shares, or 2.94%, for an investment value of 57.08 million baht. CEO Chomkamol Poompanmoung is confident the move will build investor confidence and lift return on equity and earnings per share, while the company proceeds with this year's business plan, targeting LPG sales of 770,000 tons and focusing on expanding the domestic market alongside its rooftop solar business. BA, Bangkok Airways, is passing on something special to thank passengers on the occasion of winning the World's Best Regional Airline and Best Regional Airline in Asia awards from the SKYTRAX World Airline Awards for the 10th consecutive year, with the Lucky TEN campaign, building on the Thank You for 10 Amazing Years campaign launched last September. It invites passengers to join a draw for the right to buy tickets at a special 90% discount, or pay only 10% of the Web Promo (P-Q Class) fare, on five domestic routes, limited to just 200 entitlements, from October 5-9, 2026 only.
ITEL.BK · Demand · Positive ITEL won a PEA contract worth over 266 million baht for communications cable work in the central and southern regions.
OR.BK · Demand · Positive OR expects a tourism recovery to drive jet fuel sales growth and is expanding into budget hotels with 50 locations targeted by 2031.
WP.BK · Capital · Positive WP completed its full 15,000,000-share buyback (2.94%) for 57.08 million baht, which management says will lift ROE and EPS.
Spotify Faces Expected EPS Decline Ahead of October 22 Earnings Report
Spotify Technology S.A. is heading into its October 22 earnings report with analysts expecting an 18.54% decline in earnings per share alongside 15.31% revenue growth, sharpening attention on how effectively the company converts engagement into sustainable profitability. The company recently presented at the 2026 North American Marketing Leadership Summit in Phoenix, where Global Director of Business Brand Marketing Rachel Brooks outlined its latest branding and engagement initiatives. In August 2026, Spotify expanded its share buyback authorization to US$2,000 million, a move that signals management's willingness to return excess capital even as earnings come under pressure. Spotify's narrative projects €26.7 billion in revenue and €4.2 billion in earnings by 2029, requiring 13.7% yearly revenue growth and roughly a €0.9 billion increase from €3.3 billion today. Some of the lowest ranked analysts were already more cautious, assuming revenue of about €26.5 billion and shrinking margins by 2029.
Broker flags KGEN turnaround as revenue set to surge to 25 billion baht after EV plant stake rises to 60%
Global Securities, or GBS, says King Gen Public Company Limited, or KGEN, is entering a turnaround phase, raising its stake in Omoda & Jaecoo Manufacturing (Thailand) Company Limited, which operates the electric vehicle plants for the OMODA JAECOO and CHERY brands, from the current 43.7% to 51% in early July, and then to 60% in late July to early August. This will shift revenue recognition from the share of profit of an associate to full consolidation of both revenue and profit. Management expects that after the stake increase, revenue will grow significantly year on year to 25 billion baht, with a net profit margin of 2.5-3.0%, or roughly 600-700 million baht. Previously, KGEN reported second-quarter 2026 profit of 37 million baht, up 171% quarter on quarter and 152% year on year, after losses in the first quarter of 2026 and the second quarter of 2025. The main driver was the share of profit from its investment in that associate, whose production line began operating on 20 April 2026, while revenue from sales and services grew to 227 million baht, up 8% quarter on quarter and 36% year on year. Bookings for JAECOO and OMODA electric vehicles at the Big Motor Sale 2026, held from 21-30 August 2026, totaled 5,028 units, with deliveries scheduled for September to October 2026, an additional factor supporting revenue and profit growth. The current share price still cannot be assigned a P/E ratio because the company has posted continuous losses from 2022 through the first six months of 2026, though earnings are expected to turn around from 2026 onward. The stock trades at a P/BV ratio of 2.58 times, above its one-year, two-year and three-year averages of 2.56, 2.30 and 2.10 times respectively.
KGEN.BK · Capital · Positive Broker flags KGEN turnaround as raising its stake in the EV plant to 60% shifts to full consolidation, lifting revenue to 25 billion baht and turning earnings positive.
Omoda & Jaecoo Manufacturing (Thailand) · Capital · Positive KGEN is raising its stake in Omoda & Jaecoo Manufacturing (Thailand) from 43.7% to 60%, shifting to full consolidation of the EV plant's revenue and profit.
Jaecoo (Chery Jaecoo Automobile) · Demand · Positive JAECOO and OMODA EV bookings at the Big Motor Sale 2026 totaled 5,028 units with deliveries in September-October 2026, supporting revenue growth.
IDT Posts 7% Q4 Revenue Rise as Growth Segments Reach 53% of EBITDA
IDT Corporation reported fiscal 2026 fourth-quarter revenue up 7% to $339.0 million, with gross margin widening 360 basis points to 39.8%, as three growth segments now generate 53% of consolidated adjusted EBITDA before corporate overhead while contributing just a third of revenue. National Retail Solutions, the company's point-of-sale business for independent retailers, saw revenue jump 31% to $45.0 million and adjusted EBITDA climb 47%, lifting its Rule of 40 score to 60 from 49 a year earlier. At BOSS Money, 88% of transactions now originate in IDT's own apps, helping lift the Fintech segment's gross margin by 650 basis points to 65.6%, while net2phone ended the year with 447,000 seats, up 6%, and adjusted EBITDA there rose 26% to $4.4 million. The legacy Traditional Communications segment still brought in $222.0 million of fourth-quarter revenue, up 2%, but BOSS Revolution calling revenue fell 10% and retail money-transfer revenue from the retailer agent channel dropped 17% after a new federal tax on cash-originated remittances. Management is guiding to $176 million to $180 million of adjusted EBITDA for fiscal 2027, and IDT holds $271.9 million in cash and liquid investments with no debt.
IDT · Capital · Positive IDT reported Q4 revenue up 7% to $339.0M with gross margin widening 360bp to 39.8% and guided FY2027 adjusted EBITDA of $176-180M.
IDT · Regulation · Negative A new federal tax on cash-originated remittances cut retail money-transfer revenue from the retailer agent channel by 17%.
Scholastic Posts $71.2 Million Quarterly Loss as Full-Year Targets Hold
Scholastic reported a first-quarter net loss of $71.2 million, or $3.77 per share, on revenue that slipped 4% to $216.8 million, while management left its full-year targets untouched. The quarter is the quietest stretch of Scholastic's year, making up only 14% of full-year revenue last year, so the real test is the fall, where Book Fairs bookings and fair counts are both running ahead of last year and the company is reaching new school communities including Christian schools. Content catalysts are stacking up: an HBO adaptation of Harry Potter arrives this Christmas, a new Dog Man title lands in November alongside a Hunger Games film, and entertainment revenue rose 48% to $20.1 million on heavier production activity. The balance sheet improved as net debt fell to $86.8 million from $242.8 million a year earlier, largely on sale-leaseback deals completed in December 2025, and the company bought back $25.8 million of its own stock during the quarter. Still, education revenue fell $9.7 million to $30.4 million amid higher district staffing costs and the end of ESSER pandemic relief funding in March, overhead climbed $5 million to $23.3 million, and free cash use for the quarter was $110.8 million, worse than last year's $100.2 million, leaving full-year adjusted EBITDA targets of $135 million to $145 million and free cash flow of $35 million to $40 million to be built on top of a first-quarter adjusted EBITDA loss of $63.6 million.
SCHL · Capital · Neutral Scholastic posted a $71.2M Q1 loss with revenue down 4%, but kept full-year targets and cited stronger fall Book Fairs bookings.
SCHL · Demand · Positive Book Fairs bookings and fair counts are running ahead of last year and it is reaching new school communities including Christian schools.
AST SpaceMobile Hit by Securities Class Actions Over Funding Disclosures
Law firms Schall, Brown & Schwartz LLP and Rosen Law Firm have announced securities class action lawsuits against AST SpaceMobile, alleging misleading statements about its capital resources, competitive position and user adoption between March 4, 2025 and July 15, 2026. The cases focus on whether AST SpaceMobile misrepresented its balance of cash, debt and share issuance while scaling its satellite network, raising fresh questions about how robust its funding model really was during this critical buildout phase. The allegations land against the backdrop of the August 2026 launch of BlueBird satellites 11 to 13, which pushed the constellation further toward continuous coverage in initial markets. Before these lawsuits, the most pessimistic analysts already assumed revenue might reach about US$2.1 billion by 2029 while warning that heavy dilution and a possible 7 percent annual share count increase could still leave AST SpaceMobile trading at over 100 times earnings. AST SpaceMobile's narrative projects $2.2 billion revenue and $190.9 million earnings by 2029, requiring 165.5% yearly revenue growth and an $809.7 million earnings increase from -$618.8 million today.
ASTS · Regulation · Negative Securities class actions allege AST SpaceMobile misled investors about its capital resources, competitive position and user adoption.
UOB Expects ADVANC Q3/69 Profit at 13,340 Million Baht, Buy Rating with 415 Baht Target
UOB Kay Hian Thailand has issued an analyst report forecasting the third-quarter 2026 results of ADVANC and TRUE, maintaining a buy rating on both stocks. The research team expects ADVANC to post a net profit of 13,340 million baht in the third quarter of 2026, up 11% year on year but down 3% quarter on quarter, with core service revenue from key segments at 45,830 million baht, up 5.1% year on year and up 1% quarter on quarter. The gross profit margin is expected to hold steady at 44.4%, and the quarter-on-quarter decline in profit stems from higher IT-related expenses. The team maintains its buy rating on ADVANC with a target price of 415 baht. For TRUE, the research team expects a net profit of 6,970 million baht in the third quarter of 2026, up 343% year on year and up 6% quarter on quarter. The year-on-year growth comes off a low base in the same period last year due to a single network outage incident, while the quarter-on-quarter profit growth is supported by the continued strength of most business operations. Core service revenue in the third quarter of 2026 is expected at 41,800 million baht, growing 1.3% year on year and up 1.0% quarter on quarter, driven by strong performance in the mobile, broadband, and television businesses. The team views the third quarter of 2026 as a low season, particularly for handset sales, since iPhone sales are likely to make a significant contribution in the fourth quarter of 2026. The research team maintains its buy rating on TRUE and raises its target price to 16.50 baht from 15.70 baht.
ADVANC.BK · Capital · Positive UOB Kay Hian maintains buy rating on ADVANC with 415 baht target, forecasting Q3/2026 net profit of 13,340 million baht, up 11% year on year.
TRUE.BK · Capital · Positive UOB Kay Hian maintains buy rating on TRUE and raises target price to 16.50 baht from 15.70 baht, forecasting Q3/2026 net profit up 343% year on year.
Zhejiang Publishing Media to invest 100 million yuan in digital subsidiary and 125 million yuan in research fund
Zhejiang Publishing Media announced on September 30 that it plans to invest 100 million yuan to establish a wholly owned subsidiary, Zhejiang Wending Digital Intelligence Technology, to promote deep integration between its core publishing business and digital intelligence technologies. The new subsidiary has registered capital of 100 million yuan, with the company holding 60 percent directly, wholly owned subsidiary Zhejiang Xinhua Bookstore Group holding 20 percent, Zhejiang Education Publishing Group holding 10 percent, and Zhejiang Electronic Audio and Video Publishing House holding 10 percent. Funding comes from its own resources, and the subsidiary will be consolidated into the company's financial statements upon completion. On the same day, the company also announced a partnership with Dunhong Asset to launch the Zhejiang Publishing Future Venture Capital Fund Partnership. The fund has a planned size of 126 million yuan, and the company, as a limited partner, will subscribe 125 million yuan from its own funds, accounting for 99.21 percent of the fund's total committed capital. The fund will focus mainly on core technology research and development and industrial application in frontier technologies. Dunhong Asset was founded in 2015, with directly managed and co-managed funds totaling over 14 billion yuan in paid-in capital. Its core management includes CEO Yuan Guoliang and partners Xiong Jia and Yu Wenchao. In terms of performance, in the first half of 2026, Zhejiang Publishing Media achieved revenue of 4.607 billion yuan, down 9.5 percent year on year, and net profit attributable to the parent of 646 million yuan, down 4.4 percent year on year.
601921.CG · Capital · Positive Company invests 100M yuan in a wholly owned digital-intelligence subsidiary and 125M yuan as LP in a 126M yuan venture fund, both funded from its own resources.
Truist: Meta's Muse Holds Distribution Edge Over OpenAI's Dots
Truist Securities said Meta Platforms is gaining an early edge in the emerging AI-agent market through its large consumer audience and advertising ecosystem, even as OpenAI and Google appear to have stronger capabilities for open-ended reasoning. Truist said Meta's Muse and OpenAI's newly launched Dots are approaching the market from opposite directions, with Muse consumer-focused and expanding into small businesses while Dots is aimed initially at developers and power users. Truist sees Meta's biggest advantage as distribution rather than raw AI model power, noting Muse is integrated into platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp and can connect with business tools including Shopify, QuickBooks, Stripe, Canva and Slack. Truist said Muse had recorded 2.8 million early downloads, giving Meta a potentially powerful distribution advantage as the agent market develops, though it noted both products remain very early, with Muse live for only a few weeks and Dots newly launched. Truist maintained its Buy rating on Meta and its $763 price target, versus a Sept. 29 price of $738.79, based on a five-year discounted cash-flow model.
META · Capital · Positive Truist maintained its Buy rating and $763 price target on Meta based on a five-year DCF model.
META · Demand · Positive Truist says Meta's Muse AI agent is gaining an early edge with 2.8M early downloads and distribution across Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, expanding into small businesses.
Vodafone Fair Value Lifted to £1.22 as Analysts Raise Targets on Q1 Trading
Analysts raised their fair value estimate for Vodafone Group from £1.20 to £1.22, a roughly 2.2% increase, after what several banks described as stronger Q1 trading and a clearer view on the Vodafone Three stake acquisition. Berenberg lifted its price target to 140 GBp from 123 GBp, citing strong Q1 results especially in Vodacom and Germany and the acquisition of the 49% stake in Vodafone Three, while Goldman Sachs set a higher 155 GBp target and moved to a Buy rating, pointing to faster improvement in return on invested capital. New Street also moved to a Buy rating, and Morgan Stanley raised its target twice, from 105 GBp to 115 GBp and then to 125 GBp, though it kept an Equal Weight rating. The revised targets cluster in the £1.15 to £1.55 range. Alongside the fair value change, the model's revenue growth assumption shifted from roughly 5.17% to 5.33%, the net profit margin moved from about 7.95% to 6.94%, and the future P/E rose from about 8.9x to 10.5x, with the discount rate holding around 7.56%.
VOD.LSE · Capital · Positive Analysts raised Vodafone's fair value to £1.22 and multiple banks lifted price targets/Buy ratings after stronger Q1 trading and the Vodafone Three stake acquisition.
Alphabet Wins Two US Antitrust Cases, Backs AI Data Center Coalition
Alphabet reportedly won two separate US antitrust cases in late September, easing immediate legal pressure on Google. Google is helping form a cross industry coalition focused on AI data center development ahead of the 2026 US midterm elections, expected to address questions around power use, data sourcing and community impact from large scale AI computing hubs. The antitrust decisions support the view that Alphabet can keep rolling out AI powered features across Search, YouTube and Google Cloud without immediate structural remedies that break its distribution. The AI data center coalition cuts both ways, aligning with the potential to monetise AI infrastructure and long duration power contracts while spotlighting the risk that regulators and communities could still cap how far Alphabet can push energy hungry AI workloads. Analysts have already flagged regulatory pressure and high capital intensity as two of the biggest swing factors for the company.
GOOG · Regulation · Positive Alphabet won two US antitrust cases, easing immediate legal pressure and allowing it to keep rolling out AI features without structural remedies.
Disney Licenses Ice Age, Percy Jackson Titles to Netflix
Disney has reached a wide-ranging new content licensing agreement with Netflix, bringing a collection of movies and TV shows, including existing "Ice Age" films and the "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" series, to its rival streaming platform. The deal is set to bring a slate of Disney+ originals, Pixar movies, and 20th Century Studios titles to Netflix viewers globally, with title availability and launch timelines varying depending on the markets, according to a statement from the companies. Under the agreement, the first two seasons of the Disney+ original series "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" will be streaming on Netflix from Oct. 4 for three months as part of a promotional campaign ahead of its Season 3 premiere on Disney+ on Nov. 20. All five "Ice Age" films will also be available on Netflix worldwide beginning Oct. 4 in a separate promotional campaign ahead of the theatrical release of the franchise's sixth movie, "Ice Age: Boiling Point," on Feb. 5. Additionally, select Disney-branded films from Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar, including Oscar-winner "Soul," "Elio," and "Raya and the Last Dragon," will also be available for streaming on Netflix globally early next year.
DIS · Demand · Positive Disney licenses Ice Age, Percy Jackson and other titles to Netflix, creating a new revenue stream and promotional push for its franchises.
NFLX · Demand · Positive Netflix gains a slate of popular Disney, Pixar and 20th Century titles to attract and retain subscribers.
A rival bidder has warned that ministers should block BT from acquiring TalkTalk to avoid creating a broadband monopoly in the UK. Tom O'Hagan, a former TalkTalk executive leading a takeover bid alongside private equity firm Epiris, said BT would regain near-total dominance of the wholesale market if it were allowed to buy TalkTalk's wholesale division, PXC. BT has made an eleventh-hour entry into the auction for TalkTalk, which is fighting to stave off insolvency under a £1.4bn debt pile. Epiris is bidding for PXC but is asking for hundreds of millions of pounds in debt owed to BT's network division Openreach to be written off, while TalkTalk's lenders are considering legal action if BT is given approval to mount a rescue deal. BT chief executive Allison Kirkby held talks last week with Whitehall officials seeking assurances that the company would not face a prolonged investigation by the competition watchdog, amid concerns that a TalkTalk collapse would disrupt around 250,000 vulnerable households and weaken national security.
BT-A.LSE · Regulation · Neutral BT's eleventh-hour bid for TalkTalk faces a rival's call for ministers to block it over monopoly concerns and possible prolonged competition-watchdog scrutiny
TalkTalk · Capital · Neutral TalkTalk is fighting insolvency under a £1.4bn debt pile while rival bidders BT and Epiris vie for its wholesale division PXC
Epiris LLP · Competition · Neutral Epiris is a rival bidder for PXC warning that BT's acquisition of TalkTalk should be blocked to avoid a broadband monopoly
PXC · Competition · Neutral PXC is the TalkTalk wholesale division at the centre of competing bids from BT and Epiris
Elisa Oyj has signed a new agreement to deliver AI-powered IT services and Device-as-a-Service to Kempower. The deal puts the telecom and IT provider's enterprise digital capabilities in sharper focus for investors. Elisa Oyj's shares have returned 1.67% over one day and 3.63% over 90 days, while the 1-year total shareholder return has declined 12.78%. Against the last close of €36.56, the most followed narrative for Elisa Oyj points to a fair value of €39.65, framing the stock as 8% undervalued. The company continues fiber and 5G network investments within a disciplined 12% CapEx to sales range, though it faces pressure from tougher Finnish mobile competition and possible delays in higher margin international software projects.
0I8Y.LSE · Demand · Positive Elisa signed a deal to deliver AI-powered IT services and Device-as-a-Service to Kempower, a concrete enterprise order win
Kempower Oyj · · Neutral Kempower is the counterparty receiving AI IT services and Device-as-a-Service, but the article gives no financial or operational impact on Kempower itself
Ellison's Oracle and Paramount Debt Binge Links Two Credits
Larry Ellison's dual role as backer of Paramount Skydance Corp. and controlling shareholder of Oracle Corp. is stirring concern on Wall Street as both companies pile on debt. Paramount took on $52 billion of additional debt this week to help pay for its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery Inc., while Oracle has nearly doubled its long-term debt to more than $160 billion over the past two years as it builds out AI computing capacity, making it the fifth-largest borrower in the US corporate bond market. The cost to insure the debt of both companies against default has converged and is increasingly moving in lock-step, a sign investors are beginning to treat the two credits as intertwined. Ellison, 82, is backstopping Paramount's takeover of Warner Bros., spearheaded by his son David, via a family trust that guaranteed a significant portion of the roughly $47 billion of equity financing for the deal, and the family pledged to take all necessary steps to bring leverage down in the coming years. His fortune has plummeted by almost $200 billion over the past year, though he is still worth roughly $192 billion, and he recently canceled a plan to sell billions of dollars worth of Oracle stock and disclosed he had increased the number of shares pledged as collateral for personal loans. S&P cut Oracle to BBB- in July and lowered Paramount's issuer credit rating to BB last month, and Oracle shares have fallen more than 50% over the past year.
ORCL · Capital · Negative Oracle's long-term debt nearly doubled to over $160B for AI capacity, S&P cut it to BBB-, and its credit risk is now intertwined with Paramount's, with shares down over 50%.
PSKY · Capital · Negative Paramount took on $52B of additional debt to fund the Warner Bros. acquisition, S&P cut its issuer credit rating to BB, and its default-insurance cost is converging with Oracle's.
WBD · Capital · Neutral Warner Bros. Discovery is the acquisition target being bought by Paramount, but the article focuses on the buyer's debt burden rather than WBD's own credit impact.
Meta poaches MongoDB CEO CJ Desai as Zuckerberg's founder mode pays off
Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg has hired away MongoDB CEO CJ Desai to help bring Meta's AI tools to businesses, the latest in a string of aggressive talent grabs that are now paying off for investors. The move came a day before a MongoDB investor day, and MongoDB's stock crashed on the news. Before the Desai poaching, Zuckerberg spent an eye-popping $14.3 billion to buy up all the employees of hot AI startup Scale AI in 2025, including well-connected wunderkind Alexandr Wang, who got about $5 billion as part of the deal. Meta's new Muse AI agent has been downloaded more than 5.1 million times so far in its short time in the market, and the company also debuted the Muse Charm, a standalone pocket device built exclusively for voice interaction with the Muse agent. Meta's stock is up 25% inside of a month, after being down double digits on the year as investors fretted about rising AI capex.
MDB · Capital · Negative Meta poached MongoDB CEO CJ Desai, causing MongoDB's stock to crash ahead of its investor day.
META · Technology · Positive Meta's aggressive AI talent grabs and new Muse AI agent (5.1M downloads) plus Muse Charm device are paying off for investors.
Scale AI, Inc. · Capital · Neutral Scale AI is mentioned only as context for Meta's $14.3B acqui-hire of its employees, not as a subject with its own impact.
Meta Unveils Petal Subsea Cable Linking US and France
Meta announced Petal on Sept. 21, a roughly 4,300-mile subsea cable connecting the U.S. and France that is expected to enter service in 2029 and will be the first to deliver petabit-scale capacity across an ocean. The cable will carry 1 petabit per second, or about 125,000 gigabytes per second, double what today's most advanced transoceanic cables can handle, using two-core fiber that fits two light paths inside each strand. Petal is one piece of a much larger seafloor empire: Meta says it has invested in more than 20 subsea cable projects touching every continent except Antarctica, led by Project Waterworth, announced in February 2025, which will stretch more than 31,000 miles and connect the U.S., Brazil, South Africa, India, and other regions across five continents. Petal is being developed with Japan's NEC and Sumitomo Electric Industries, with French telecom Orange handling the landing on France's Atlantic coast, while Waterworth will be wholly owned by Meta, only its third solely owned cable according to telecom research firm TeleGeography. Meta has not disclosed what Petal or Waterworth will cost, but TechCrunch reported before Waterworth's announcement that the project could top $10 billion, a small slice of the company's expected capital expenditures of $130 billion to $145 billion this year, nearly double the $72.2 billion it spent in 2025.
Meta Cut 2025 Tax Bill by $3.9 Billion via AI Data Center Research Credits
Meta Platforms has reportedly classified some of its artificial intelligence data centers as "pilot models" to claim federal research and experimentation tax credits, a move that reduced its tax bill by $3.9 billion in 2025, up from $2 billion in 2024 and $700 million in 2023, according to a New York Times report citing company filings. The classification, which describes certain AI data centers to the Internal Revenue Service as experimental work, remains a gray area, and Meta's accountants have raised concerns that the IRS could challenge the treatment, people familiar with the company's operations told the Times. The tax claims reportedly involve chips Meta purchases for its AI data centers, including Nvidia GPUs, and the Times also reported that Meta's auditor, EY, has promoted the tax strategy to other AI companies. Meta spokesperson Andy Stone told the publication that the company has invested $200 billion in research and development over the past five years, including $57 billion in the last year, using tax incentives established by Congress to support domestic investment in research, technology and jobs. The tax perk comes as Meta's AI investments weigh on its finances, with quarterly free cash flow of just $784 million, roughly $8 billion below the year-ago period, and the company is among several major technology companies, including Amazon, Microsoft and Alphabet, spending heavily on AI infrastructure.
META · Regulation · Positive Meta classified AI data centers as 'pilot models' to claim federal research tax credits, cutting its 2025 tax bill by $3.9 billion.
ZoomInfo Bundles Agent Teams Into GTM Studio at No Extra Cost After DoubleO.ai Buy
ZoomInfo announced Agent Teams on October 1, a native AI agent orchestration layer built directly into its existing GTM Studio environment at no additional cost, making it the first major GTM data vendor to embed agent orchestration as a standard platform capability rather than a premium tier. The feature requires no new SKU, no separate contract, and no additional purchase, and ships with more than 50 ready-made agents that run against ZoomInfo's GTM Context Graph, a data layer connecting more than 100 million companies, 500 million contacts, and billions of buying signals. The architecture comes from DoubleO.ai, which ZoomInfo acquired on September 30 for undisclosed financial terms, one day before the launch. Every play operates through a Playbook configuration layer with audit trails and credit estimates, addressing a trust gap highlighted by Cisco research at RSA 2026 showing 85% of organizations experimenting with agentic AI but only 5% in broad production, and by Gartner's projection that more than 40% of agentic AI projects will be canceled by the end of 2027. Agent Teams ships with native integrations into Salesforce, HubSpot, Outreach, Salesloft, Slack, and Gmail, and connects to Salesforce Agentforce, HubSpot Breeze, Microsoft Copilot Studio, Claude, and ChatGPT. ZoomInfo has not published reliability benchmarks or performance metrics for Agent Teams, and the specific plays described are vendor-reported capabilities.
GTM · Technology · Positive ZoomInfo launched Agent Teams, a native AI agent orchestration layer embedded in GTM Studio at no extra cost, expanding its platform capabilities.
GTM · Capital · Positive ZoomInfo acquired DoubleO.ai on September 30, the architecture source for Agent Teams.
DoubleO.ai · Capital · Positive DoubleO.ai was acquired by ZoomInfo on September 30 for undisclosed terms.
Paramount Skydance has appointed longtime media executive Ynon Kreiz as Co-Chief Executive Officer and board member, with David Ellison remaining the principal executive officer and Chairman. The move lands days before the planned closing of the Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition and follows a multi billion dollar secured debt raise, setting up Kreiz to run day to day operations while Ellison concentrates on creative direction and capital allocation. The leadership shift comes as the stock has posted a 30 day share price return of down 13.4% and a 1 year total shareholder return of down 49.3%, with a roughly US$52b debt package reshaping the risk profile ahead of the Warner Bros. Discovery deal closing. Paramount Skydance now trades near US$9.50, and on the most followed narrative it screens modestly cheap with a fair value estimate of about $9.81. The company is pursuing global scaling of Paramount+ through premium content, sports such as UFC and Zuffa Boxing and South Park, and year round programming, alongside consolidation of Paramount+, Pluto and BET+ onto a single tech platform and an Oracle Fusion enterprise rollout aimed at reducing run rate costs toward the US$3b efficiency target.
PSKY · Capital · Neutral Appoints Ynon Kreiz as Co-CEO ahead of the Warner Bros. Discovery deal close and after a multi-billion-dollar debt raise, reshaping leadership and risk profile.
WBD · Capital · Neutral Its acquisition by Paramount Skydance is set to close days after the leadership change, but no new terms are given.
Magnite Fair Value Raised to US$29.67 on Google AdTech Remedy Optimism
Magnite's fair value estimate has been lifted to US$29.67 from US$27.67, a roughly 7% increase, as analysts rework price targets around the Google AdTech ruling and the company's role among independent supply side platforms. The revised model assumes revenue growth of 7.66%, down slightly from 7.72%, a profit margin of 14.74% versus 14.53% previously, and a future P/E multiple of 40.94x compared with 38.44x, while the discount rate stays at 9.67%. Several firms, including BofA, StoneX, Craig Hallum, B. Riley, BTIG, Benchmark, Evercore ISI, Wells Fargo and Scotiabank, have raised their Magnite price targets through August and September 2026. Craig Hallum and B. Riley tie their higher targets to the Google AdTech ruling and remedies, viewing the outcome as supportive for independent supply side platforms, while StoneX highlights the court decision requiring Google tools to interoperate with rivals through Prebid. B. Riley cautions that any financial impact from the remedies could be gradual because of appeals and phased implementation.
MGNI · Capital · Positive Analysts raised Magnite's fair value and price targets (BofA, Craig Hallum, B. Riley, etc.) on optimism around the Google AdTech ruling and remedies.
Sinch Fair Value Rises to SEK 44.83 as Analysts Split on RCS Expansion
Sinch's fair value estimate has been lifted to about SEK 44.83 from SEK 41.00, a roughly 9.3% increase, as analysts diverge sharply on the company's growth and execution outlook. Cantor Fitzgerald upgraded Sinch to Overweight from Neutral with a SEK 43 price target, while JPMorgan raised its target to SEK 66 from SEK 45 and kept an Overweight rating. On the bearish side, Pareto initiated coverage with a Sell rating and a SEK 35 target, and DNB Carnegie cut the stock to Hold from Buy with a SEK 55 target. The revised valuation also reflects revenue growth moving from about 4.32% to roughly 6.14%, profit margin from about 4.07% to roughly 5.07%, and a future P/E shifting from about 22.82x to roughly 19.32x. The analyst debate centers on Sinch's use of AI, machine learning and partnerships with platforms like Salesforce and Microsoft, the role of omnichannel messaging and RCS rollout in its revenue mix, and execution risks including slow organic net sales growth and competitive pressure in U.S. messaging.
0RBI.LSE · Capital · Neutral Analysts split on Sinch: fair value lifted to SEK 44.83 with Cantor and JPMorgan upgrades/raised targets, but Pareto initiates Sell and DNB Carnegie cuts to Hold.
ITEL wins PEA contract to tidy communication cables in central and southern regions, worth 266 million baht
Interlink Telecom Public Company Limited, or ITEL, has been selected by the Provincial Electricity Authority, or PEA, to carry out the 2026 project to organise communication cables on power poles. The project is divided into two parts: work in the central region valued at 148.77 million baht, and work in the southern region valued at 117.83 million baht, for a total value of 266.61 million baht. Dr. Nattanai Anantaramporn, Chief Executive Officer of ITEL, said the company is ready to complete the work efficiently and in line with its targets. Both projects will strengthen the company's telecommunications infrastructure revenue base, with revenue recognition following the operating plan and contract conditions after signing.
ITEL.BK · Demand · Positive ITEL won a PEA contract worth 266.61 million baht for communication cable organization, adding to its telecom infrastructure revenue base.
TalkTalk lenders threaten legal action over BT rescue bid
TalkTalk's lenders are considering legal action if BT is given approval to mount a rescue deal for the struggling broadband business, warning of a significant risk of lengthy legal proceedings if the former state monopoly swoops on TalkTalk. Ares Management is TalkTalk's biggest lender, and BT has mounted an eleventh-hour attempt to take control of TalkTalk, which is scrambling to stave off a looming insolvency. The telecoms giant has been locked in talks with government officials about how to avoid a lengthy competition review should it agree to rescue TalkTalk, which is Britain's fourth-largest broadband provider with around 1.5 million customers, but BT also risks opening itself up to costly and time-consuming legal action from TalkTalk's lenders and shareholders, who are facing hundreds of millions of pounds in losses. BT's rivals, including Vodafone, Virgin Media O2, Sky and CityFibre, are expected to oppose any deal on the grounds that it would represent a major breach of competition rules, while TalkTalk's owners, including Ares and Sir Charles Dunstone, the founder, have been seeking a buyer for the troubled business for months. Epiris, a private-equity firm, remains in talks to buy TalkTalk's wholesale business PXC and has asked for a three-month payment holiday from BT's Openreach worth in the region of £200m-£250m, while Ares is now considered a potential suitor for the consumer business through an administration process. Should TalkTalk face administration, Sir Charles is poised to see his entire stake wiped out, Toscafund would stand to lose all of its stake, and Ares could lose something in the region of £500m across various loans and shareholdings, though in an orderly pre-pack administration Ares would expect to recover a material sum. BT, TalkTalk, KKR and Ares declined to comment.
BT-A.LSE · Regulation · Neutral BT's eleventh-hour bid to rescue TalkTalk risks costly legal action from lenders and opposition from rivals over competition rules.
TalkTalk · Capital · Neutral TalkTalk is scrambling to stave off insolvency amid a BT rescue bid and lender legal threats, with owners facing hundreds of millions in losses.
ARES · Regulation · Negative Ares, TalkTalk's biggest lender, is considering legal action and faces losing around £500m if BT's rescue deal is approved.
Epiris LLP · Capital · Neutral Epiris remains in talks to buy TalkTalk's wholesale business PXC and has requested a three-month payment holiday from Openreach.
PXC · Capital · Neutral PXC is the wholesale business Epiris is negotiating to buy, with a requested payment holiday from BT's Openreach.
Toscafund Asset Management LLP · Capital · Negative Toscafund would stand to lose its entire stake if TalkTalk faces administration.
Google Raises Pixel 10a Price by $100 to $599 on Memory Cost Pressure
Google has raised the price of its seven-month-old Pixel 10a smartphone by $100 to $599 for the 128GB model, another sign of how rising memory costs are pushing up prices across the consumer electronics industry. The Pixel 10a launched in March at $499 for the 128GB model and $599 for the 256GB version, and Google's U.S. website now lists the phones at $599 and $699, respectively. The increase was first spotted on Google's online store in Japan and later appeared on its U.S. website, according to 9to5Google. The move comes amid a persistent memory-chip shortage that has pushed up costs across the consumer electronics industry, with Samsung this week raising prices on most of its Galaxy S26 smartphones by $100, while Apple raised prices on its iPhone 18 lineup and also increased prices on some older models. Google had already raised prices across its Pixel 11 lineup by $100 when it introduced the phones in August, according to Bloomberg, offsetting some of the higher starting prices by including more storage in the base configurations. The Pixel 10a had been discounted to $424 last month, and Walmart still appeared to be selling the phone for $499, although supplies were limited.
GOOG · Pricing · Positive Google raised Pixel 10a prices by $100 to $599, passing on higher memory costs to consumers.
005930.KO · Pricing · Negative Samsung raised prices on most Galaxy S26 smartphones by $100 amid the memory-chip shortage, a competitive pricing move.
AAPL · Pricing · Negative Apple raised prices on its iPhone 18 lineup and some older models due to the same memory-cost pressure, a competitive pricing dynamic.
Alphabet Unveils Delayed Gemini 4 Argon, Undercuts Rivals on Price
Alphabet has unveiled Argon, the flagship of its Gemini 4 generation, months later than promised after the company scrapped Gemini 3.5 Pro, which Sundar Pichai had said would arrive in June. Google says Argon matches OpenAI's Astra and Anthropic's Opus on key coding and cybersecurity tests, though its own results show it trailing on two of the four coding tests included, and the model has no public release date, going only to select cybersecurity partners under the Trump administration's voluntary pre-release access process. Google is competing on price rather than raw capability, pricing Argon at $2 per million input tokens and $10 per million output tokens with cached input tokens discounted 95%, which Jefferies analyst Brent Thill calls a particularly important competitive move at about half the cost of some rival models. The delay came amid leadership churn, with DeepMind founder and chief executive Demis Hassabis stepping aside and several Gemini leaders leaving while Anthropic and OpenAI kept releasing new top models. The infrastructure side is stronger: Google Cloud revenue grew 82% year over year to $24.8 billion in Q2, customers have lined up a $514 billion backlog, cloud now makes up a little more than 20% of Alphabet's revenue, and its cloud market share has climbed to 14% from 12% at the end of 2025, while Alphabet projects 2026 data center capital spending of $195 billion to $205 billion.
GOOG · Demand · Positive Google Cloud revenue grew 82% year over year to $24.8 billion with a $514 billion customer backlog and market share up to 14%.
GOOG · Pricing · Positive Google is undercutting rivals by pricing Argon at about half the cost of some rival models, which Jefferies calls an important competitive move.
GOOG · Technology · Neutral Gemini 4 Argon launched late and trails rivals on two of four coding tests, though it matches OpenAI and Anthropic on key benchmarks.
Delaware Court Overturns $22.7M Patent Award Against Gogo
A U.S. district court in Delaware overturned a jury decision to award $22.7M to the plaintiffs in a patent case against Gogo Inc., ruling that SmartSky Networks failed to present sufficient evidence that it suffered legally recoverable damages and that the amount of the award was unsupported by the actual facts. SmartSky sued Gogo for patent infringement in February 2022, claiming Gogo's 5G air-to-ground inflight connectivity service illegally used SmartSky's proprietary technology. In November 2025, a jury agreed with SmartSky that Gogo infringed on its four patented technologies, but the $22.7M monetary award was set aside because SmartSky failed to legally prove its calculated damages. Although the decision is subject to appeal, Gogo applauded the court's decision regarding the award, calling it a significant step in resolving the matter and saying the court found SmartSky's damages award was untethered to the evidentiary record. SmartSky said the court upheld the jury's findings that Gogo willfully infringed its valid patents, adding that it is disappointed with the damages ruling and is evaluating its options for further relief.
AT&T CEO Stankey Says SpaceX's Starlink Cellular Plan Won't Work, Touts Fiber
AT&T CEO John Stankey said Elon Musk-led Space Exploration Technologies Corp.'s plan to roll out a cellular network will not work, arguing fiber-based connectivity beats satellites. In an interview with Axios on Tuesday, Stankey said fiber is three times faster than satellite networks and that satellite, even at its best over the next 10 years, still will not beat fiber. Asked about SpaceX's plan to install cellular base stations alongside Starlink dishes, Stankey said it would cost as much as building a macro network to handle those capabilities, and that companies cannot radiate cellular signals from someone's house without permission. He cited a whole bunch of reasons why SpaceX's plan would not work. Earlier this month, SpaceX won Federal Communications Commission approval to provide international telecommunications services, boosting its plans for direct-to-cell 5G connectivity via the Starlink constellation, and the FCC is set to vote on September 30 on unlocking an additional 1,000 MHz of spectrum for satellite broadband.
T · Competition · Positive AT&T CEO touts fiber as superior to satellite and dismisses SpaceX's Starlink cellular plan, positioning AT&T's fiber connectivity as the winning approach.
SPCX · Competition · Negative AT&T CEO Stankey publicly argues SpaceX's Starlink direct-to-cell plan won't work and fiber beats satellites, casting doubt on the viability of SpaceX's cellular ambitions.
M6 Group Restructures Finance and Technology Divisions as CFO Jérôme Lefébure Departs
Groupe M6 is simplifying the organisation of its cross-functional departments to accelerate its strategic priorities, creating a new Finance, Technologies and Transformation division led by Henri de Fontaines. The new division brings together the Finance Department, led by Emmanuelle Marti following a transition period with Jérôme Lefébure; a new Technologies, Innovation and Streaming Department formed by merging M6+ with the Technologies and Innovation Department and co-led by Valéry Gerfaud and Constance Fouquet; the Legal Department under Nathalie-Camille Martin; the Transformation Department under Claire Michaux; the Strategy Department under Baptiste Capdevielle; and the General Services Department under Jean-Christophe Ricou. Jérôme Lefébure will leave the Group at the end of November 2026 after 23 years, 12 of them as a member of the Executive Board, having served as Group CFO and then Managing Director of Finance and Support Functions. Emmanuelle Marti joins on 5 October 2026 as Group Chief Financial Officer and a member of the Executive Committee, most recently serving as Chief Financial Officer of the RMC-BFM Group. Christophe Foglio leaves at the end of the year after 18 years as Director of Technological Resources, Human Resources Director and then Transformation Director, with Claire Michaux, Deputy Transformation Director since December 2025, succeeding him as head of the Transformation Department.
Cable One in Advanced Talks on Financing With GTCR and Lenders
Cable One, Inc. announced it is in advanced discussions with GTCR LLC, certain of its existing lenders and a consortium of leading private lending institutions regarding financing transactions to address certain of the Company's forthcoming capital needs. Cable One said it is working towards enhancing its capital structure to position the company to drive growth in shareholder value. Chief Executive Officer Jim Holanda said the contemplated financings are intended to strengthen Cable One's overall financial position, while GTCR Managing Director Stephen J. Jeschke said GTCR has been working closely with Cable One to facilitate a potential transaction that would bring new capital into the business. No definitive agreements have been entered into, and there can be no guarantee that any transaction will materialize. Separately, Cable One and GTCR agreed to extend the deadline for completion of Cable One's purchase of the 55% remaining stake it does not already own in Mega Broadband Investments Holdings LLC to October 9, 2026.
CABO · Capital · Neutral Cable One is in advanced talks with GTCR and lenders on financing to address forthcoming capital needs and strengthen its capital structure, but no definitive agreements exist.
GTCR · Capital · Positive GTCR is working closely with Cable One to facilitate a potential transaction bringing new capital into the business.
Mega Broadband Investments Holdings LLC · Capital · Neutral The deadline for Cable One's purchase of the remaining 55% stake in Mega Broadband was extended to October 9, 2026.
Disney Plans Third Round of Layoffs This Year in TV Division Restructuring
Disney is preparing another round of layoffs inside its TV division, according to a Wall Street Journal report, marking the company's third round of job cuts this year as it pursues a broader television restructuring. The cost-cutting push comes under new CEO Josh D'Amaro, who is consolidating operations and reducing headcount as the company reshapes itself for the streaming era. Disney did not return a request for comment on the Journal story. The company's advertising business is under pressure while operating expenses in its TV and sports divisions remain too high, making further cuts likely.
DIS · Capital · Negative Disney is preparing a third round of layoffs in its TV division as part of cost-cutting and restructuring under new CEO Josh D'Amaro.
Paramount-Warner Bros. $110 Billion Merger to Create Skydance
The combined company formed by the $110 billion merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. will be named Skydance, Paramount CEO David Ellison announced. Ellison said the name was chosen to preserve the distinct identities and legacies of both Paramount and Warner Bros. while giving the combined company an identity of its own. Skydance is the production company Ellison founded in 2006 and merged with Paramount in 2025. On Wednesday, Paramount named Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz as co-CEO of the new company alongside Ellison, and Bloomberg reported the merger is expected to be finalized next week. The press release announcing Kreiz said the combined company will be guided by four strategic priorities: winning in content, becoming the most technologically capable media company, maximizing operational efficiencies, and earning trust.
PSKY · Capital · Positive Paramount's $110 billion merger with Warner Bros. is expected to be finalized next week, creating the combined Skydance entity.
WBD · Capital · Positive Warner Bros. Discovery is being merged into the $110 billion combined company with Paramount, expected to close next week.
MAT · · Neutral Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz named co-CEO of the merged Paramount-Warner Bros. company, but no impact on Mattel's own business is described.
Versant Renews Multi-Year Distribution Deal With Verizon
Versant has reached a multi-year renewal of its distribution agreement with Verizon, keeping its portfolio of brands available to Verizon customers. The long-term deal covers USA Network, MS NOW, CNBC, Oxygen True Crime, Golf Channel, E!, and SYFY. With the Verizon agreement complete, Versant said it has now successfully renewed all distribution partnerships expiring in 2026. Chief Revenue and Business Officer Dave Pietrycha called Verizon a valued distribution partner and said the renewal reflects the value the portfolio delivers to distributors and audiences. Verizon SVP of Consumer Growth Matt Coakley said the company looks forward to continuing the partnership alongside a diverse array of premium programming available to Fios customers. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
VSNT · Demand · Positive Versant renewed its multi-year distribution deal with Verizon, keeping its brands available to Verizon customers and completing all 2026 renewals.
VZ · Demand · Positive Verizon renewed distribution of Versant's brand portfolio, maintaining premium programming for its Fios customers.
Golf Channel · Demand · Positive Golf Channel is among the Versant brands covered by the renewed Verizon distribution agreement.
MSNBC · Demand · Positive MS NOW is among the Versant brands covered by the renewed Verizon distribution agreement.
Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger to Take Skydance Name, Ellison Says
The combined company formed by the merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. will be named Skydance, Skydance chief executive David Ellison said in a post on X. Ellison said the new name was chosen to preserve the identities and legacies of both studios while giving the combined company its own corporate identity. "Both have distinct identities, extraordinary legacies, and brands that have resonated with audiences for generations," Ellison said. "We never wanted a new corporate identity to diminish, alter, or overshadow either one." He said Paramount and Warner Bros. have together shaped more than a century of entertainment and culture, and that the combined company would seek to build on the strengths of both studios, with Skydance focusing on "bold, quality storytelling" as a "creative-first home" for filmmaking and other content. The combined company intends to give Paramount and Warner Bros. the opportunity to expand their audiences globally while benefiting from Skydance's scale and capabilities, Ellison added.
Meta Shares Surge 27% in September on Muse AI Launch
Meta Platforms shares surged approximately 27% in September, closing the month at $725.18 after hitting an intraday 52-week record of $779.82 on Sept. 24, marking the stock's strongest monthly performance in nearly four years. The rally was driven primarily by the Sept. 8 launch of Muse, Meta's personal AI agent, which became the top free app in Apple's U.S. App Store with over 3.4 million downloads in its first few weeks, surpassing ChatGPT. Analysts responded positively, with JPMorgan raising its price target to $920 and Monness Crespi lifting its target to $830, both citing Muse's success. Meta is expanding monetization through subscription tiers priced at $20 and $100 per month, and TD Cowen analysts estimate Muse could reach 1 billion daily active users by 2031 and generate potentially $27 billion in annual revenues. The company also launched its Meta Enterprise Platform in late September to sell software, APIs and AI solutions directly to enterprise clients and developers, while its core advertising business saw revenues rise 27.5% year over year in the second quarter of 2026.
META · Capital · Positive Analysts raised Meta price targets (JPMorgan to $920, Monness Crespi to $830) and TD Cowen projected $27B annual Muse revenue.
META · Demand · Positive Muse AI agent became the top free U.S. App Store app with 3.4M+ downloads, surpassing ChatGPT, showing strong end-user adoption.
JPM · Capital · Positive JPMorgan raised its Meta price target to $920 citing Muse's success, a positive analyst valuation event for the bank's research franchise.
Monness, Crespi, Hardt & Co. · Capital · Positive Monness Crespi lifted its Meta price target to $830 citing Muse's success, a positive analyst valuation event.
ITEL wins PEA contract to tidy up communication cables in 2 regions, worth 266 million baht
Interlink Telecom Public Company Limited, or ITEL, has been selected by the Provincial Electricity Authority, or PEA, to carry out the 2026 project to organize communication cables on power poles. The project is divided into two parts: work in the central region valued at 148,774,493.70 baht, and work in the southern region valued at 117,830,798.25 baht, for a total value of 266,605,291.95 baht, or more than 266 million baht. Dr. Nattanai Anantarumporn, Chief Executive Officer of ITEL, said the company will complete the work efficiently in line with its targets, in order to improve the landscape and the safety of communication infrastructure systems in these areas. The two projects will also strengthen the company's revenue base from telecommunications infrastructure work, with revenue recognition to follow the operating plan and contract conditions after signing. The company aims to build on this work to increase opportunities to take part in future telecommunications infrastructure projects.
ITEL.BK · Demand · Positive ITEL won a PEA contract worth over 266 million baht for communication cable organization work in the central and southern regions, adding to its telecom infrastructure revenue base.
ITEL wins PEA contract to tidy communication cables in central and southern regions, worth 266 million baht
Interlink Telecom Public Company Limited, or ITEL, has been selected by the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) to carry out the 2026 project to organise communication cables on power poles. The project is divided into two parts: work in the central region valued at 148,774,493.70 baht, and work in the southern region valued at 117,830,798.25 baht, for a total value of 266,605,291.95 baht. Nattanai Anantaramporn, Chief Executive Officer of ITEL, said the two projects, with a combined value of more than 266 million baht, will strengthen the company's telecommunications infrastructure revenue base, with revenue recognition proceeding in line with the operating plan and contract conditions after signing. The company aims to bring its expertise and available resources to manage the projects and control costs efficiently, while building on this work to increase opportunities to take part in future telecommunications infrastructure projects.
ITEL.BK · Demand · Positive ITEL won a PEA contract worth 266 million baht for communication cable organization, adding to its telecom infrastructure revenue base.
Provincial Electricity Authority · · Neutral PEA is the awarding authority for the cable organization project but the article does not assess impact on PEA itself.