A Bank On The Brink

Ever since the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), First Republic Bank has been investors’ next major worry.

For those not caught up on the regional bank’s journey, the chart below highlights some key moments over the last two months. 👇

Essentially its interest rate risk and depositor base were similar to the banks that collapsed. As a result, investors and depositors pulled their funds from the bank and exacerbated the issues. A $30 billion bailout from eleven of America’s largest banks and a selling of assets was supposed to stem losses and restore confidence. However, the last few weeks have shown those efforts weren’t enough. đŸ˜Ŧ

Today the stock plummeted to fresh lows on a Reuters report that claimed the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is preparing to place it under receivership “imminently.” 😱

Reuters previously reported that a government-brokered rescue deal was in the works. However, its source today said the FDIC has decided the regional bank’s position has deteriorated, and there is no more time to pursue a private sector rescue. ⌛

If the reports are true, it will be the third U.S. bank to collapse since March. At its peak in November 2021, it was worth over $40 billion. And today, its market cap ended at $653 million as investors positioned themselves for official receivership news over the weekend. 📰

Also, it’s worth noting the Fed released a report on the SVB collapse that primarily blames the bank’s managers. We wonder what they’ll say about this situation… 🤔

Who’s That Telesat?

Even if you spend all day looking at markets, there are always new stocks, assets, and other things to discover. Today, many are likely hearing of Telesat Corporation for the first time after its shares soared over 50%. 👀

The small-cap Canadian satellite operator offers mission-critical communications services to broadcast, enterprise, and consulting customers worldwide. It primarily focuses on enterprise customers in governmental and commercial markets that direct-to-consumer competitors like SpaceX’s Starlink or Amazon’s Kuiper target. 📋

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Two Proposed Deals For U.S. Steel

It’s been a while since U.S. Steel has been in the news. But today, it’s making headlines after receiving multiple surprise offers over the weekend and beginning to explore strategic options. 📝

Initially, the nation’s second-largest steelmaker Cleveland-Cliffs proposed buying the company at $32.53 per share. The roughly half cash and half stock deal would have made the combined company the largest steelmaker ahead of Nucor.

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Rite Aid Reemerges (Again)

Rite Aid has been on the decline for a long time but is one of those stocks that occasionally pop back up on the radar. 🧭

Today, the pharmacy chain said it’s preparing to file for bankruptcy in an attempt to address mass federal and state lawsuits over its role in the sale of opioids. The Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing would cover its more than $3.3 billion debt load and pending legal allegations that it oversupplied prescription painkillers. 💊

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Media Mogul Eyes Disney’s ABC

Yesterday, Disney said it was considering selling its ABC television network assets as it looks to focus purely on ESPN (sports) and its streaming business. Local broadcaster Nexstar was the expected buyer, but today, we may have found out who another potential bidder is. 👀

Media mogul Byron Allen has reportedly offered $10 billion to purchase the ABC TV network and cable networks FX and National Geographic. So far, it looks to include the national TV network and several regional stations, but terms could change anytime. đŸ“ē

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