DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ SoftBank's WeWork, once most valuable US startup, succumbs to bankruptcy
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

WeWork had office space available at 777 locations worldwide as of the end of June. In a filing with the New Jersey bankruptcy court, WeWork listed assets of $15.06 billion and liabilities of $18.66 billion as of June 30. Under its founder Adam Neumann, WeWork grew to be the most valuable U.S. startup worth $47 billion. WeWork engaged in debt restructurings, yet this was not enough to stave off its bankruptcy. Shortly before WeWork filed for bankruptcy, Neumann said in a statement, "I believe that, with the right strategy and team, a reorganization will enable WeWork to emerge successfully."

Persons: WeWork, SoftBank, Cadwalader, Taft, Kate Munsch, Adam Neumann, Sandeep Mathrani, Mathrani, David Tolley, Neumann, Greg Roumeliotis, Mrinmay Dey, Arun Koyyur, Rashmi Aich, Jamie Freed, Edmund Klamann Organizations: SoftBank, New, REUTERS, JPMorgan Chase, Intelsat, Thomson Locations: Canada, New Jersey, Wickersham, San Francisco , California, U.S, WeWork, SoftBank, Tokyo, New York, Bengaluru

☆ SoftBank's WeWork, once most valuable U.S. startup, succumbs to bankruptcy
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Profitability has remained elusive, as WeWork grapples with its expensive leases and corporate clients cancelling because some employees work from home. In a filing with the New Jersey bankruptcy court, WeWork listed estimated assets and liabilities in the range of $10 billon to $50 billion. Under its founder Adam Neumann, WeWork grew to be the most valuable U.S. startup worth $47 billion. WeWork engaged in debt restructurings, yet this was not enough to stave off its bankruptcy. Shortly before WeWork filed for bankruptcy, Neumann said in a statement, "I believe that, with the right strategy and team, a reorganization will enable WeWork to emerge successfully."

Persons: Kate Munsch, WeWork, Cadwalader, Taft, Adam Neumann, SoftBank, Sandeep Mathrani, Mathrani, David Tolley, Neumann, Greg Roumeliotis, Mrinmay Dey, Arun Koyyur Organizations: REUTERS, SoftBank, New, JPMorgan Chase, Intelsat, Thomson Locations: San Francisco , California, U.S, Canada, New Jersey, Wickersham, WeWork, New York, Bengaluru

☆ Russia moved one of its satellites uncomfortably close to a French one, possibly to spy on it: report
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia moved close to a satellite which some think is Eutelsat's 3B craft, analysts said. It follows a pattern of Russian behavior in space that has prompted security concerns. AdvertisementAdvertisementRussia moved one of its satellites uncomfortably close to France's Eutelsat 3B communications satellite, possibly to spy on it, according to reports. AdvertisementAdvertisementEutelsat's 3B satellite provides broadband, data, telecom, and video services across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and South America. Luch-5-X/Olymp K-2 isn't close enough to crash into the unnamed commercial satellite.

Persons: —, Audrey Schaffer, TJ Kouri, Schaffer, it's, spacenews.com, Olymp, Michael Clont Organizations: Service, intel, Aerospace, Breaking Defense, Airbus, National Security Council, Analysts, Intelsat, Strategic International, Space Locations: Russia, Russian, France, Europe, Africa, East, Central Asia, South America, Eutelsat's, Ukraine

☆ Investing in Space: A reality check on SPAC frenzy revenue projections
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +13 min

Overview: Forecast or fantasyWe're now at least two years on from when a slew of space companies went public during the SPAC frenzy, and, look, none of them look great. Now a bit further down the road, I want to look at a different financial metric: 2023 revenue projections. I ran an informal series for a while to mark when a space company announced it was going public. The rest of the pack isn't as on the mark: A few companies are roughly halfway to their earlier 2023 revenue projections, or performing even better. Spire forecast 2023 revenue of $227 million and is closing in on about $107 million.

Persons: Angela Weiss, CNBC's Michael Sheetz, it's, I'd, Here's, Derek Tournear, Ron Rosano, Trevor Beattie, Namira Salim, –, REx, Christopher Povak, Lisa Watson, Morgan, – Watson, Morgan Starliner, General, NASA Astrobotic, Andy Lapsa Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, AFP, Getty, Terran, Galactic Astra, CNBC, Pentagon, Space Development Agency, LinkedIn, Galactic, NASA, NASA NRO, Soyuz, – Reuters, Reuters SpaceX, FAA, Federal Aviation Administration, IAC, Lunar Research, SpaceX, Boeing NASA, Moonshots Capital, Lavrock Ventures, Veteran Fund, Mana Ventures, AIN Ventures, Capital Factory, Astra, – Bloomberg, ViaSat, Viasat Locations: Russian, Azerbaijan, Russia, Venezuela, South Africa, Florida, Washington, CNBC Los Angeles

☆ FCC issues first-of-its-kind space debris fine against Dish
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-02 | by ( Jackie Wattles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

“This marks a first in space debris enforcement by the Commission, which has stepped up its satellite policy efforts,” the FCC said in a news release. The objects could pose a risk of colliding with active satellites, the International Space Station or other pieces of debris, further exacerbating the risk of in-space collisions. It was launched to geostationary orbit — a field of space that begins about 22,000 miles (36,000 kilometers) above Earth — in 2002. But, according to the FCC, Dish did not leave enough fuel on board the satellite to make that maneuver possible. But geostationary orbit remains home to large, expensive telecommunications satellites, such as those operated by Dish, Intelsat, SES and Viasat.

Organizations: CNN — Satellite, Dish Network, Federal Communications Commission, Commission, FCC, Space, Dish, Intelsat, SES, Viasat

☆ SpaceX’s Starlink partners with European satellite giant SES for combined cruise market service
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

SES will manage the joint offering, called "SES Cruise mPOWERED + Starlink," as a service that it says will provide high-speed, reliable internet service to cruise ships, regardless of whether they're clustered in port or far out at sea. PARIS – European satellite operator SES is teaming up with SpaceX's Starlink to offer a combined service to cruise operators, the companies announced on Wednesday. SpaceX has launched over 5,000 Starlink satellites to date and had over 1.5 million customers as of May. SES said it's in discussions with multiple initial cruise customers for the combined service, but declined to specify further. And the companies are also talking about other potential markets that would be a fit for the combined SES and Starlink service.

Persons: Pinto, MEO, Ruy Pinto, SpaceX's Starlink, Chad Gibbs, Starlink, it's, " Pinto Organizations: SES, GEO, MEO, LEO, CNBC, SpaceX, Starlink, Intelsat, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Revenue Locations: Luxembourg, PARIS, European

☆ Investing in Space: A guide to satellites
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

CNBC's Investing in Space newsletter offers a view into the business of space exploration and privatization, delivered straight to your inbox. Last year I wrote about the key terms investors should know about the steps involved in a rocket launch, to give a guide for what phrases mean in context. A number of you found that launch guide helpful, so I'm back with another synthesized glossary – but this time for satellites! We've seen a couple of satellites going awry this summer, and I've gotten questions like: "Dang, I thought the launch was successful?" Processing: Mounting the satellite to the rocket and making sure the satellite is healthy, fueled up and ready for launch.

Persons: CNBC's Michael Sheetz, I've, it's Organizations: Manufacturers, Iridium Locations: Intelsat's, Americas

☆ From $40 billion to 'going concern' — WeWork warns of possible bankruptcy
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"Our losses and negative cash flows from operating activities raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern," WeWork said in a filing with the SEC on Tuesday. The company had a net loss in the first half of the year of $700 million after losing $2.3 billion in 2022. WeWork said its revenue grew just 3.6% year over year in the second quarter and declined 4% in the U.S., where it gets 41% of its sales. In the second quarter, the company contributed $6 million of WeWork's revenue, down from $10 million in the second quarter of 2022, according to the filing. Key factors for whether WeWork can remain a going concern include limiting capital expenditures, increasing revenue and seeking capital through debt or equity issuance.

Persons: WeWork, Adam Neumann's, Masayoshi Son, Neumann, Daniel Hurwitz, Sandeep Mathrani, David Tolley Organizations: SEC, SoftBank, U.S, Intelsat, Apple Locations: Australia, Sydney, U.S

☆ European shares slide at open on rate hike worries
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 22 (Reuters) - European shares opened lower on Thursday on fears of continued monetary policy tightening, with London stocks falling on uncertainty about the size of the Bank of England's interest rate hike later in the day. The pan-European STOXX 600 index (.STOXX) fell 1.2% by 0716 GMT, while the FTSE 100 (.FTSE) index shed 1.2%. The BoE is set to raise interest rates for a thirteenth time in a row, a day after inflation data came in higher than expected again, but bets were almost evenly split between a 25-basis-point and 50-basis-point hike. Rate-sensitive technology shares (.SX8P) dropped 1.2%, while a 1.9% fall in auto stocks (.SXAP) led declines. In a bright spot, shares of SES SA rose 4.3% after it said that it has ceased merger talks with Intelsat.

Persons: BoE, Shreyashi Sanyal Organizations: Bank of, Wednesday, Federal Trade Commission, SES SA, Intelsat, Thomson Locations: London, Bengaluru

☆ Satellite stray’s lonely orbit has a cash booster
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, June 22 (Reuters Breakingviews) - SES and Intelsat are orbiting away from each other. After being locked in merger talks since March, the two satellite operators have decided instead to pursue their own turnaround plans independently. Both companies operate in the stagnant satellite-video market and so would have been doubling down on an old technology. And the combined company would have been burdened with a heavy initial net debt load of around 4 times combined EBITDA, according to Deutsche Bank analysts. It wants to broaden its business to new areas, like the medium earth orbit constellations, which provide quick internet connections in hard-to-reach places.

Persons: Steve Collar, Pamela Barbaglia, Neil Unmack, Oliver Taslic Organizations: Reuters, SES, Intelsat, Deutsche Bank, Elon, SpaceX, U.S, Twitter, Intel, Thomson Locations: Luxembourg

☆ Intelsat, SES end talks on $10 bln merger - Bloomberg News
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

June 21 (Reuters) - Intelsat SA has ended negotiations to combine with SES SA (SESFg.LU) as it was not able to reach an agreement with the satellite company and its major stakeholders, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday citing people familiar with the matter. SES had said in March it was in talks with Intelsat over a possible combination of their businesses that would create an industry giant. Bloomberg News reported in March the two companies were nearing a deal valued at more than $10 billion, including debt. Intelsat and SES did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. Reporting by Nilutpal Timsina in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra EluriOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Nilutpal, Krishna Chandra Organizations: Intelsat SA, SES SA, Bloomberg, SES, Intelsat, Bloomberg News, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ Intelsat ends merger talks with rival satellite communications giant SES
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

U.S. satellite communications giant Intelsat walked away from merger discussions with Luxembourg-based competitor SES on Wednesday, CNBC confirmed. Intelsat ended the discussions after differences arose with SES over business priorities, a person familiar with the situation told CNBC. It also wasn't clear whether the merger would lead to more value creation compared with Intelsat continuing on its own, the person said. The collapse of the merger talks comes shortly after SES announced CEO Steve Collar would step down at the end of this month. The move came as a surprise within the space industry, as Collar's career at SES spans more than 20 years.

Persons: Elon Musk's, Steve Collar Organizations: Intelsat, SES, Wednesday, CNBC, Elon, Elon Musk's SpaceX, Bloomberg Locations: Luxembourg, U.S

☆ Investing in Space: Here are the rockets chasing to compete with SpaceX's Falcon 9
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +14 min

SpaceXCNBC's Investing in Space newsletter offers a view into the business of space exploration and privatization, delivered straight to your inbox. Overview: Chasing the FalconNo rocket has been better-described as a "workhorse" than SpaceX's Falcon 9. Aside from Blue Origin's New Glenn, the early theme is rockets that are close to the capability of Falcon 9 and less expensive. – CNBC, which the lawsuit says were used for NASA projects including the International Space Station and the Space Launch Systems rocket. – Firefly Aerospace: The rocket builder says the deal will bolster its launch, spacecraft, and lunar lander businesses.

Persons: CNBC's Michael Sheetz, Phil Smith, SpaceX's, Glenn, Smith, –, Smith doesn't, CNBC ULA, Tory Bruno, Jeff Bezos, ULA, – Read, Shepard, Bob Smith, Jim Free, Artemis, HawkEye, – Hydrosat, Leonardo DiCaprio, – Momentus, Westinghouse EchoStar's Hughes, – EchoStar, Iris Lan, Sumara Thompson, King, Lan, – NASA Celeste Ford, Ford, – SpiderOak Melissa Quinn, Quinn Organizations: SpaceX CNBC's, SpaceX, Falcon, Boeing, NASA, CNBC, CNBC Department of Defense, Ukraine, Starlink, Pentagon, –, Space Station, Systems, CNBC SpaceX, Cargo, International Space, FAA, Intelsat, Japan Airlines, Embraer, – Intelsat, Rocket, ONE, Washington, Spaceflight, Aerospace, Aerospace Spacecraft, York, MaC Venture Capital, Broom Ventures, Veto, TechCrunch Viasat, Air Force, Viasat, Westinghouse, U.S . Department of Justice, – NASA, Ford, Stellar Solutions Locations: Florida, China, Russia, Colorado, Ukrainian, Bellevue , Washington, Cortado, Cornwall

☆ Investing in Space: Intelsat signs up for Northrop Grumman satellite servicing
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

CNBC's Investing in Space newsletter offers a view into the business of space exploration and privatization, delivered straight to your inbox. A division within Northrop Grumman has in recent years become the world leader in extending the life of valuable satellites that are already in orbit. I chatted this week with Jean-Luc Froeliger, senior vice president of space systems at Intelsat, whose company announced an order from Northrop Grumman's Space Logistics unit for its latest service technology iteration. A quick step back: In 2020, Northrop Grumman's robotic spacecraft MEV-1 successfully docked with an old Intelsat satellite and extended its life by five years, marking an industry first. A year later, the companies took that feat a step further, docking MEV-2 with an active Intelsat satellite.

☆ Satellite Operators SES, Intelsat Discuss Merger as Industry Looks to Consolidate
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Denny Jacob | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Starlink, operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, uses a fleet of satellites to enable what is designed to be high-speed internet connections. Satellite operator SES SA on Wednesday said it is in talks with Intelsat about a possible combination, the latest example of satellite-internet providers seeking to merge as competition intensifies. Any deal between the two companies would position them to better compete with Starlink, the satellite-internet service operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

☆ Satellite company SES confirms tie-up talks with Intelsat
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, March 29 (Reuters) - Satellite company SES (SESFg.LU) confirmed on Wednesday that it was in talks with U.S. rival Intelsat over a possible combination of their businesses that would create an industry giant. "In response to rumours in the market, SES S.A. confirms that the company has engaged in discussions regarding a possible combination with Intelsat," SES said. SES is aiming to reach an agreement with Intelsat as soon as the next few weeks, Bloomberg said, citing sources. Merger talks between the two signal further consolidation in the rapidly changing satellite Internet industry to challenge the likes of Elon Musk-owned SpaceX's Starlink and Amazon.com's (AMZN.O) Project Kuiper. The Paris-listed shares of Luxembourg-based SES (SESFg.LU), rose 3.4% on the report of the two sides nearing a deal, according to traders.

☆ Satellite company SES confirms talks with Intelsat
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

PARIS, March 29 (Reuters) - Satellite company SES (SESFg.LU) confirmed on Wednesday that it was in talks with its peer Intelsat over a possible combination of their businesses. "In response to rumours in the market, SES S.A. confirms that the company has engaged in discussions regarding a possible combination with Intelsat. At this stage, there can be no certainty that a transaction would materialise," said SES. Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta, Editing by William MacleanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ EU regulators to rule on Viasat's Inmarsat takeover by Feb. 13
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, Jan 9 (Reuters) - EU antitrust regulators will decide by Feb. 13 whether to clear U.S. company Viasat's (VSAT.O) $7.3 billion takeover of satellite rival Inmarsat, a European Commission filing showed on Monday. The EU antitrust enforcer can either clear the deal with or without remedies or it can open a full-scale investigation if it has serious concerns about the tie-up. The companies compete with market leaders Panasonic (6752.T) and Intelsat in the market for in-flight Wi-Fi on long-haul flights. Viasat offers connectivity services to residential, aviation and defence customers in North America while Inmarsat's clients include the shipping and aviation sectors as well as government departments. Reporting by Foo Yun Chee Editing by David GoodmanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Crypto meltdown a boon for bankruptcy lawyers
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Andrew Goudsward | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

“You’ve got to pay the gravedigger,” said Adam Levitin, a law professor at Georgetown University who specializes in bankruptcy law. Law firm billing rates are normally not public, but in bankruptcy cases lawyers for the debtor company must detail their billings and request a judge's approval for their fees. The lawyers are paid from the assets of a bankruptcy estate, and experts said judges rarely demand significant reductions in professional fees. Lawyers in the crypto cases must deal with a host of issues new to bankruptcy law, including whether digital assets deposited on a platform are owned by the customer or the platform itself, according to bankruptcy law experts. Levitin, a former member of the restructuring department at law firm Weil, Gotshal, & Manges, said such complex questions call for top-shelf lawyers.

REUTERS/Michael Weekes Jr./File PhotoNov 15 (Reuters) - Elon Musk’s rocket and satellite company SpaceX is in talks about an offering of mostly secondary shares that could value the company at up to $150 billion, representing a 20% increase in valuation, sources told Reuters. The offering would be aimed at helping employees and shareholders cash out, two of the sources said. That view appears to contradict earlier information from a separate source that the offering would raise up to $1 billion for SpaceX via a new share issuance. Talks with potential investors are centering around a price of $85 apiece for SpaceX shares, up from a split-adjusted $70 per share fetched earlier this year, sources said. The valuation is still fluid and any share sale plan, which requires SpaceX’s approval, could still change, the sources cautioned.

REUTERS/Michael Weekes Jr./File PhotoNov 15 (Reuters) - Billionaire Elon Musk's SpaceX is in talks to raise nearly $1 billion in a new round that would value the rocket-launch and satellite company at about $150 billion, sources told Reuters. The ongoing talks offer SpaceX's share at about $85 apiece, up from the $125 billion valuation the company fetched earlier this year, sources said, suggesting strong investors' appetite while many late-stage venture capital-backed startups have to cope with valuation cut. Investors could buy new shares issued by SpaceX, or from employees who opt to sell via a private placement, or tender offer. The primary raise could fetch nearly $1 billion, one of the sources added. Investors have shown strong interest in SpaceX as the company has had a series of breakthroughs this year.

☆ U.S. satellite giant Viasat's $7.3 billion takeover of UK rival Inmarsat faces in-depth competition probe
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The U.K.'s competition regulator launched an in-depth probe into American satellite internet company Viasat's $7.3 billion deal to buy British rival Inmarsat. Specifically, the CMA is worried the deal would lead to higher prices for onboard Wi-Fi on plane flights. The watchdog has said Viasat and Inmarsat "compete closely in the aviation sector, particularly for the supply of onboard wifi for passenger use." The merger of Viasat and Inmarsat could therefore "lock in a large part of the customer base" before rival suppliers emerge. Combined, Intelsat and rival Panasonic represent more than 75% of the long-haul IFC market, the regulator stated.

☆ Elon Musk's Starlink held an in-flight WiFi demo on a private jet after Delta passed on a deal with SpaceX
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

SpaceX hosted a demo of its Starlink satellite internet service on a JSX jet last week. The event was held on a JSX jet, a regional carrier that describes itself as a "hop-on jet service." Since SpaceX entered the satellite internet market it has been vying with more established providers, including Viasat and Intelsat. What's more, regulators have expressed doubt in SpaceX's satellite internet service. Last month, Royal Caribbean announced it had launched the satellite internet service across its fleet of ships.

Search resuls for: "Intelsat"

23 mentions found