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☆ Crowdstrike Holdings warning sparks selloff in cybersecurity stocks
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nov 30 (Reuters) - A warning from Crowdstrike Holdings Inc (CRWD.O) that clients were cutting back on spending and delaying purchases due to an economic slowdown slammed cybersecurity stocks on Wednesday, inflicting fresh pain on the battered sector. "Increased macroeconomic headwinds elongated sales cycles with smaller customers and caused some larger customers to pursue multi-phase subscription start dates," Crowdstrike Chief Executive Officer George Kurtz said. The results are the latest in a series of dour reports from cybersecurity firms, whose business boomed during the pandemic but is now seeing a slowdown, making them a hot target for private equity buyouts. "Resilient, but not immune is a theme that will likely dominate the narrative during our October quarter-cohort earnings cycle," Piper Sandler analysts said. Still, some analysts see long-term benefits from the rising demand for cybersecurity as more businesses take to the web and high-profile hacks force companies to be more cautious.

☆ This software stock surged 37% last week, and analysts say it could rise by another 14%
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Weizhen Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Global stocks inched higher over the past week, but one stock stood out. That stock is U.S.-based software firm Coupa Software , which jumped nearly 37% over the week. Coupa was among only six global stocks under the MSCI World index to rise more than 10% over the week. Retailer Burlington Stores surged around 24% after last week's release of its third-quarter earnings. Its performance comes off per-share earnings and revenue beats reported in third-quarter earnings Tuesday.

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves premarket: Activision Blizzard, Tesla, Manchester United and others
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Peter Schacknow | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Tesla (TSLA) – Tesla said its Full Self Driving Beta software is now available to everyone in North America. Tesla rose 2% in premarket trading. Manchester United Shares jumped 14.7% Tuesday and rocketed 25.8% on Wednesday. Nonetheless, the stock rose 1% in the premarket. Deutsche Bank (DB) – The German bank's U.S.-traded shares added 2.4% in the premarket, following a report by RBC Capital that said Deutsche Bank's restructuring progress has been overlooked by investors.

☆ What the Club is watching Friday — China locks down (again), Black Friday sales
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Jeff Marks | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB.

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves midday: Apple, Manchester United, Activision Blizzard and more
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Microsoft logo is seen on a smartphone placed on displayed Activision Blizzard logo in this illustration taken January 18, 2022. Apple — Apple's stock shed 2% on Friday after protests occurred at the iPhone maker's major Foxconn supplier in China earlier this week. Activision Blizzard – Shares of the video game company slid more than 4% after Politico reported the Federal Trade Commission is likely to sue to block Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Manchester United — Manchester United's stock surged 12.8%, building on this week's earlier gains following news that the soccer team's owners are weighing a potential sale. Canoo – The electric vehicle company's stock price traded 4.6% higher after a Securities and Exchange Commission filing revealed that CEO Tony Aquila purchased shares.

☆ Vista exploring deal to buy Coupa Software - Bloomberg News
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Nov 23 (Reuters) - Private equity firm Vista Equity Partners is exploring an acquisition of Coupa Software Inc (COUP.O), Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. Shares of the software firm, which had a market capitalization of nearly $3.5 billion as of Tuesday close, surged 27% to $58.15 following the report. Vista declined to comment, while Coupa did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Vista has held talks with Coupa, which is working with an adviser, according to the report, adding that private-credit lenders could provide financing for a potential deal. Reporting by Tiyashi Datta in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj KalluvilaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Banks struggled to find demand from junk-bond investors for $2.4 billion of secured bonds and loans that is part of the debt package after a weeks-long marketing effort, the sources said. It showed the challenges banks face to sell down highly leveraged debt this quarter as bond yields spiked in response to a hawkish Fed policy and recessionary fears. The source would not say whether that would mean re-offering the debt to investors at even juicier terms. The end result is the banks involved are digging into their own pockets to provide the whole debt for the Tenneco acquisition which closed on Thursday. So it's almost like investors have seen this cycle occur that makes them question the outlook of something like Tenneco," he added.

☆ Op-ed: Opportunities await investors in the tech sector. Here is a corner that’s ripe for growth
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Robert F. Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

However, on close examination, investing specifically in enterprise software will continue to be one of the best uses of capital anywhere in the financial and technology markets. As we have seen, enterprise software is a disruptive force with the potential to unlock unprecedented productivity and innovation. The pandemic accelerated reliance on enterprise software, as companies turned to technology to connect employees and customers, conduct meetings and facilitate payments. Conversely, as more businesses face commodity and wage inflation, they recognize the value that enterprise software can deliver to help manage the cost of day-to-day workflows while increasing efficiency. Selecting the right investmentsThat said, even in the private markets, generating favorable outcomes in turbulent times requires investors to execute against two factors.

Weber , which went public in August 2021 and is trading at half its offering price, is the latest example of a recent IPO to attract a bid to go private. Recent IPOs ducking for the door First, to understand why we selected these criteria, let's look at the recent deals. Kennedy Lewis' $4 per share cash offer was an 83% premium to F45's closing price ahead of the deal announcement, even though it was far below the stock's $16 IPO price. Even with the lift from the deal news, shares are only trading at less than half its $14 IPO price. Private equity company AEA Investors had a 28.4% stake in the company, and CEO Jeremy Andrus owns an 11% stake, according to FactSet.

☆ Vista's Robert Smith says investing in DEI businesses vitally important in a bear market
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Robert F. Smith, chairman and CEO at Vista Equity Partners, said investing in businesses and managers that emphasize diversity, equity and inclusion remains vital, especially in a bear market. The billionaire investor, who spoke with CNBC's Frank Holland at the Disruptor 50 Summit, said that venture capital and private equity funding should continue to expand to minority-owned businesses. The recent drop in venture capital funding, due to growing recession fears, has disproportionately hit African American, Latinx business owners and founders, he said. They're seeing some outsized reductions in their funding," Smith said. Some venture capital firms that he said are effectively identifying opportunities include the New Voices Fund.

☆ Vista Equity Nears Roughly $4.5 Billion Deal for Cybersecurity Provider
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Laura Cooper | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The private-equity firm Vista Equity Partners is near a deal to purchase the cybersecurity provider KnowBe4 for about $4.5 billion, according to people familiar with the matter, a rare leveraged buyout as financing for such deals has become harder to secure. The deal, which is expected to be unveiled Wednesday assuming the talks don’t drag out or fall apart, values KnowBe4 shares at nearly $25 each. The stock closed at $21.59 on Tuesday.

☆ Vista Equity Strikes Deal to Acquire Cybersecurity Provider
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Laura Cooper | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

KnowBe4, based in Clearwater, Fla., is a platform for security-awareness training and simulated phishing. Private-equity firm Vista Equity Partners has struck a deal to purchase cybersecurity provider KnowBe4 for $4.6 billion in an increasingly rare leveraged buyout as financing for such deals has become harder to secure. The company unveiled the news on Wednesday, confirming an earlier report from The Wall Street Journal.

☆ Cybersecurity firm KnowBe4 to go private in $4.6 bln deal with Vista Equity Partners
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Oct 12 (Reuters) - KnowBe4 Inc (KNBE.O) on Wednesday agreed to go private in a sweetened $4.6 billion deal with Vista Equity Partners, the latest cybersecurity firm to be snapped up by private equity in this year's market downturn. Private equity firms have been scooping up technology companies whose shares have taken a beating this year from worries over rising interest rates and an economic slowdown. The KnowBe4 deal, expected to close in the first half of 2023, will be financed through a mix of debt and equity financing. Morgan Stanley & Co LLC was serving as financial advisor to KnowBe4's special committee and Guggenheim Securities LLC was financial advisor for Vista. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Savyata Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika SyamnathOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves premarket: PepsiCo, Intel, Philips and more
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Peter Schacknow | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Intel (INTC) – Intel added 1% in premarket trading following a Bloomberg report that the chip maker was planning to cut thousands of jobs to deal with a slumping personal computer market. Philips (PHG) – Philips shares slumped 8.1% in the premarket after the Dutch health technology company said its third-quarter core profit would be down about 60% from a year ago. Diamondback Energy (FANG) – Diamondback Energy announced a deal to buy energy producer FireBird Energy for $1.6 billion in cash and stock. El Pollo Loco (LOCO) – El Pollo Loco shares rallied 15.2% in premarket action after the restaurant operator announced a $1.50 per share special dividend and a stock repurchase program worth up to $20 million. Lyft (LYFT) – Lyft gained 4.3% in the premarket after Gordon Haskett upgraded the stock to buy from hold.

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves midday: Moderna, Pepsi, Lyft and more
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Pepsi products are displayed for sale in a Target store on March 8, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. Check out the companies making the biggest moves midday Wednesday:Moderna — Shares of Moderna surged 10% after the drug maker announced it will partner with Merck to jointly develop and sell a cancer vaccine. It reported preliminary month-end assets under management of $1.23 trillion as of Sept. 30. Pepsi also raised its guidance for the year as it was able to successfully raise prices on its products. Lyft — Lyft shares gained 5.8% following an upgrade from Gordon Haskett to buy from hold.

☆ Insight Partners to acquire stake in software firm Aptean
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Oct 10 (Reuters) - New York-based private equity and venture capital firm Insight Partners will acquire a minority stake in Aptean, the business software firm said on Monday. Existing investor TA Associates has also invested, Aptean said, making the investment firm its largest shareholder. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterVista Equity Partners, previously equal partners in Aptean with TA Associates, will fully exit its stake in the company. Charlesbank Capital Partners, a private investment firm that joined TA Associates and Vista Equity as stakeholder in 2020, will continue to be a shareholder, Aptean said. The investment firm then merged CDC Software with Consona Corp to form Aptean.

☆ Vista Equity Partners is exploring a deal to take Compass private, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-05 | by ( Ben Bergman | Alex Nicoll | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Vista Equity Partners is exploring taking the real-estate brokerage private, sources say. A Compass rep said "no private-equity firm has contacted Compass expressing any interest in taking the company private." Vista Equity Partners is exploring a deal to take the residential real-estate brokerage Compass private, according to three people familiar with the discussions. The chief technology officer Joseph Sirosh, who left Microsoft to run Compass' tech operations, was let go shortly after the call. Vista has taken numerous tech companies private this year, including an $8.4 billion deal for the tax-software company Avalara and a $16.4 billion deal for Citrix.

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves premarket: Planet Fitness, PG&E, Las Vegas Sands and more
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Check out the companies making headlines before the bell:Planet Fitness — Shares of the gym franchise jumped nearly 3% in premarket trading after Raymond James upgraded the stock to strong buy from market perform. The Wall Street firm said the company has a resilient and recession-resistant business with no interest rate risk and very little near-term debtmaturities. PG&E — The utility stock climbed more than 5% premarket after S&P Dow Jones Indices on Friday said PG&E will replace Citrix Systems in the S&P 500, effective prior to the opening of trading on Monday, October 3. Lyft — Shares of the ride-hailing company fell nearly 4% premarket after UBS downgraded the stock to neutral from buy. The Wall Street firm cited its driver survey that indicates drivers prefer Uber and Lyft is not their main app.

☆ Wall Street ends choppy session higher with focus firmly on Fed
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-19 | by ( David French | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Focus will also be on new economic projections, due to be published alongside the Fed's policy statement at 2 p.m. A majority of the 11 S&P 500 sectors rose. read moreIndustrial stocks (.SPLRCI) rebounded 1.4% after a sharp drop on Friday, while banks (.SPXBK) gained 1.9%. Tech heavyweights Apple Inc (AAPL.O) and Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) rose 2.5% and 1.9%, respectively, to provide the biggest boost to the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq. read moreThe S&P 500 posted one new 52-week high and 28 new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 29 new highs and 378 new lows.

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterUnexpectedly hot August inflation data last week also raised bets on increased rate hikes down the road, with the terminal rate for U.S. fed funds now at 4.46%. It's a lower volume market, which means that folks are probably just sitting tight at this point waiting to see the next step." Focus will also be on new economic projections, due to be published alongside the Fed's policy statement at 2 p.m. Four of the 11 S&P 500 sectors were lower. Tech heavyweights Apple Inc (AAPL.O) and Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) rose more than 1% each to provide the biggest boost to S&P 500 and the Nasdaq.

☆ KnowBe4 gets $4.22 billion go-private offer from Vista Equity Partners
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Sept 19 (Reuters) - Cybersecurity firm KnowBe4 Inc (KNBE.O) said on Monday that Vista Equity Partners had offered to take it private for $4.22 billion in cash, the latest sign of private equity interest in a sector whose valuations have declined in this year's downturn. The offer of $24 per share represents a premium of nearly 39% to KnowBe4's closing price on Sept. 16. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterKnowBe4 provides security awareness training with simulated phishing attacks on its platform. KnowBe4, whose shares surged 25% in the morning hours on Monday, said it had formed a special committee to review the offer. The bid from Vista comes amid a string of large investments by the Austin, Texas-based fund this year.

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