Anthropic seeks $10 billion funding to double valuation
Anthropic, the AI startup known for its Claude chatbot, is seeking to raise $10 billion in funding that would value the company at approximately $350 billion, nearly doubling its worth from four months ago. The financing round, expected to be led by Coatue Management and Singapore's sovereign wealth fund GIC, follows a previous $13 billion investment in September that valued Anthropic at $183 billion. The company, founded in 2021 by Dario and Daniela Amodei, has raised a total of at least $40 billion to date and is reportedly considering an initial public offering within the next 12 to 18 months.
Samsung Electronics Posts Record Q4 Profit Driven by AI Demand
Samsung Electronics reported a record operating profit of 20 trillion won ($13.82 billion) for the fourth quarter, more than tripling from 6.49 trillion won a year earlier, driven by increased demand for memory chips from artificial intelligence applications. Revenue rose 23% to 93 trillion won, as the company shifted production towards high-end chips for AI giants, exacerbating shortages in standard memory. Contract prices for DRAM chips surged 313% year-on-year in Q4, reflecting the tight supply and strong demand in the market.
Warner Bros. Rejects Paramount's $108.4 Billion Bid
Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. has rejected an amended $108.4 billion takeover bid from Paramount Skydance Corp., urging shareholders to support its existing agreement with Netflix Inc., which it claims offers greater value and certainty. The Warner Bros. board expressed skepticism about Paramount's ability to complete the deal, citing significant risks associated with the proposed leveraged buyout, which would leave Paramount with $87 billion in debt. Warner Bros. reaffirmed its commitment to Netflix's offer of $27.75 per share in cash and stock for its studios and streaming business.
JPMorgan to Acquire Apple Credit Card Portfolio from Goldman
JPMorgan Chase is set to take over Apple’s $20 billion credit card portfolio from Goldman Sachs, marking the end of Goldman’s involvement in the Apple Card initiative. The transition, expected to take about two years, will involve JPMorgan logging a $2.2 billion provision for credit losses in preparation for potential risks associated with the portfolio. Goldman Sachs has been seeking to exit the consumer credit card business, which has resulted in significant losses.
KKR invests $1.5 billion in Global Technical Realty
KKR has announced a $1.5 billion equity investment in Global Technical Realty (GTR), a European data center platform, with an additional $400 million from Oak Hill Capital. Founded in 2020 by Franek Sodzawiczny and KKR, GTR has become a leading developer and operator of data center capacity in Europe, and the new funding will support its expansion into new markets and the development of greenfield capacity to meet increasing demand for high-performance data center infrastructure.
BlueScope Steel rejects $8.8 billion takeover bid
BlueScope Steel has rejected an $8.8 billion takeover bid from Steel Dynamics and SGH, stating that the offer, which valued the company at $30 per share, significantly undervalued its assets and growth potential. This marks the fourth approach from Steel Dynamics since late 2024, with previous offers ranging from $27.50 to $29 per share, all of which were also rejected by BlueScope's board due to concerns over undervaluation and regulatory risks.
