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THE LATEST ARTICLES
William D. Cohan
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March 16, 2025
Trump’s M&A Poison Pill
News and notes from around the financial sector: an update on the latest pseudo obstacle to the Skydance bid for Paramount Global, a banker’s lament for the frozen M&A pipeline under Trump II, and a close look at how Elon Musk’s businesses have been faring since the election.
William D. Cohan
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March 12, 2025
Between Clare Locke & A Hard Place
The ultrawealthy are feeling emboldened to file lawsuits against journalists and their publishers, perhaps inspired by Donald Trump’s giddy disregard for a free press. In his new book, ‘Murder the Truth,’ David Enrich forecasts a dangerous endgame.
William D. Cohan
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March 9, 2025
Bloods & Crypto Bros
The crypto faithful believe the new consensus in Washington—a $Trump-empowered, zero-regulation, free-for-all—will make all their dreams come true, starting with a plan to create a Bitcoin Fort Knox.
William D. Cohan
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March 6, 2025
Ackman’s Oedipus Complex
Ackman’s professed admiration for his hero Warren Buffett was questioned in some quarters after a recent podcast appearance, where the hedge fund billionaire appeared to second-guess the Oracle of Omaha’s strategy.
William D. Cohan
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March 2, 2025
Has Zaz Finally Seen His Shadow?
Three years after the fraught inception of David Zaslav’s Warner Bros. Discovery, the company’s Q4 earnings report suggests that things are finally turning a corner—and investors seem to agree. But can Zaz continue to outrun the decline of the TV business?
William D. Cohan
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February 26, 2025
Ackman’s Olympus
The flamboyant hedge fund billionaire, Ivy president basher, and prolific X poster is back with a revised bid to attempt to turn a middling real estate company into a Berkshire-style cash machine, and give himself the inside track to becoming his generation’s Warren Buffett.
William D. Cohan
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February 23, 2025
Sorkin Dialogue
The indefatigable Andrew Ross Sorkin spills the tea on his enigmatic and highly anticipated forthcoming tome on the Great Depression.
William D. Cohan
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February 20, 2025
The Wise Men of Wall Street Sound Off on Trump
A survey of industry machers on the Elon factor, the yet-to-materialize investment banking boom, Treasury troubles, that $2 trillion deficit, and the good ideas hiding inside the White House’s agenda.
William D. Cohan
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February 16, 2025
Elon’s X Turnaround-ish Miracle
The first glimmers of hope are starting to emerge for Elon and his $44 billion deal for X, which was once derided as one of the worst acquisitions since the financial crisis. With the debt now trading at or near par (!!), here’s a deconstruction of an entirely improbable turnaround.
William D. Cohan
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February 12, 2025
Buying the Goldman Double-Dip
The latest boardroom trend among the top banks is the phenomenon of “double bonuses”—paying ur-top executives not only for their performance, but also to stick around without screwing the pooch.
