DOJ Investigates Impact of Warner Bros. Sale
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 19 2026
0mins
Catch up on the top industries and stocks that were impacted, or were predicted to be impacted, by the comments, actions and policies of President Donald Trump with this daily recap compiled by The Fly.DOJ PROBE:The Department of Justice has summoned large theater chains to discuss the potential impact of a sale of Warner Bros. Discovery, with government antitrust lawyers seeking information on how a sale would impact the movie-going public and film releases in theaters, Bloomberg's Thomas Buckley. The Justice Department's review is focused on the potential impact of a sale to either Netflixor Paramount Skydanceon the cinema industry, people familiar with the matter say.BOARD OF PEACE:JPMorganis in discussions to provide banking services to the U.S.-backed "Board of Peace," an institution aimed at supporting Gaza's reconstruction and positioned by Donald Trump as a potential alternative to the United Nations, The Financial Times' Neri Zilber, James Shotter, Joshua Franklin, and Abigail Hauslohner. The initiative is part of a broader effort to establish a new governance framework for Gaza following the two-year war between Israel and Hamas. According to two people familiar with the situation, the bank is discussing providing services such as facilitating payments to and from the board.INVESTIGATION CLOSURE:Cassava Sciencesannounced that the U.S. Department of Justice Fraud Section has closed its inquiry into the company regarding allegations of research misconduct. That indictment was dismissed with prejudice by DOJ on October 23, 2025. As previously disclosed, the company reached a settlement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission of negligence-based disclosure charges in September 2024 and paid a monetary penalty without admitting or denying the SEC's allegations. The company cooperated fully with both the DOJ and SEC investigations. These outcomes end the investigations of the company by the DOJ and SEC.CASE CAN PROCEED:U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian ruled that Live Nationmust face an antitrust trial from Department of Justice and various states for allegedly monopolizing the live events market. Subramanian ruled that a jury should see evidence and decide whether Live Nation's conduct in the concert business amounts to illegal monopolization.
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Analyst Views on PSKY
Wall Street analysts forecast PSKY stock price to rise
15 Analyst Rating
1 Buy
7 Hold
7 Sell
Moderate Sell
Current: 10.090
Low
8.00
Averages
14.08
High
19.00
Current: 10.090
Low
8.00
Averages
14.08
High
19.00
About PSKY
Paramount Skydance Corp is a global media and entertainment company. The Company operates through three segments, including Studios, Direct-to-Consumer, and TV Media. Its TV Media segment includes domestic and international broadcast networks and owned television stations, domestic cable networks and international extensions of certain of its domestic cable network brands, and domestic and international television studio operations. The TV Media includes CBS television network, through which it distributes entertainment, news and public affairs, and sports programming. TV Media also includes a number of digital properties such as CBS News 24/7 and CBS Sports. Its Direct-to-Consumer segment consists of its portfolio of domestic and international pay and free streaming services, including Paramount+, Pluto TV and BET+. Its other portfolio includes Nickelodeon, MTV, BET, Comedy Central, Showtime, Paramount+, Skydance's Animation, Film, Television, Interactive/Games, and others.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Netflix Co-Founder Reed Hastings Steps Down from Board Amid Strategic Shifts
- Executive Departure: Netflix co-founder and CEO Reed Hastings stepped down from the board at the beginning of the month, a move that may impact investor confidence, particularly as he no longer holds any official role after announcing this decision.
- Acquisition Speculation: Reports indicate that Netflix bid for Roku and expressed interest in Lionsgate, although Netflix denied these claims, highlighting the company's search for new growth avenues amid slowing growth in core markets.
- Stock Decline: Netflix's stock has fallen over 40% from last year, with a 17% drop last month, reflecting market skepticism regarding its business strategy, especially as its core markets mature.
- Earnings Expectations: Despite challenges, analysts expect Netflix's Q2 revenue to grow by 13.6% to $12.6 billion, with earnings per share improving from $0.72 to $0.79, indicating that while the company continues to deliver solid results, it must address slowing subscriber growth.
See More
Netflix Shares Decline Amid Strategic Concerns and Leadership Changes
- Stock Decline: Netflix's stock fell 17% last month, reflecting investor skepticism about its business strategy, particularly as its core markets mature, leading to increased growth challenges for the company.
- Leadership Changes: Reed Hastings stepped down from the board at the beginning of the month, a decision announced in April, which may have impacted investor confidence; current Chairman Jay Hoag will no longer serve as an independent director.
- Acquisition Rumors: Although Semafor reported that Netflix was interested in acquiring Roku and Lionsgate, the company denied these intentions, indicating challenges in finding new growth avenues after losing out on Warner Bros. Discovery.
- Future Outlook: Despite Netflix's stock dropping over 40% from its peak, analysts expect a 13.6% revenue growth to $12.6 billion in Q2, with earnings per share projected to rise from $0.72 to $0.79, suggesting the company still possesses solid profitability.
See More
Media Companies Compete for World Cup Broadcast Rights
- Broadcast Rights Bidding: Companies like Netflix, Disney, and YouTube are vying for U.S. broadcast rights to the 2030 and 2034 World Cups, with budgets expected between $1.5 billion and $2 billion for each tournament, significantly enhancing their streaming service appeal.
- Language Rights Integration: FIFA plans to bundle English and Spanish broadcast rights, a strategy that could drive up bidding prices and attract more media partners, especially given that U.S. viewership has rivaled NFL playoff ratings.
- Viewership Potential: This year's World Cup has seen record viewership, with the U.S. match against Bosnia and Herzegovina attracting 26 million viewers, highlighting the immense advertising opportunities in the U.S. market and further boosting the value of broadcast rights.
- Time Zone Challenges: The 2030 and 2034 World Cups will be held in Morocco, Portugal, Spain, and Saudi Arabia, where time zone differences may affect U.S. viewership; however, the success of this year's tournament is likely to drive up broadcast rights prices.
See More
Netflix Abandons Warner Bros. Acquisition Attempt
- Acquisition Attempt Abandoned: Netflix walked away from its bid for key assets from Warner Bros. Discovery amid a costly bidding war with Paramount Skydance, reflecting its cautious approach to acquisitions and avoiding overpaying.
- Potential Acquisition Target: While Netflix has dismissed rumors of acquiring Lionsgate, the upcoming spinoff of NBCUniversal could present a new opportunity, particularly for its popular shows and streaming service.
- Positive Market Reaction: With a market cap of $320 billion, Netflix demonstrates strong investor confidence in its growth potential, especially as it successfully expands into live sports and other unexpected areas.
- Increased Investor Confidence: By abandoning the Warner deal, Netflix showcased prudent investment discipline, indicating it will not pursue acquisitions merely for growth, thereby enhancing market confidence in its long-term investment value.
See More
California May Sue Over Warner Bros. Discovery's $110 Billion Sale to Paramount Skydance
- Potential Lawsuit Risk: California has hired a law firm to prepare for a potential lawsuit regarding Warner Bros. Discovery's (WBD) $110 billion deal with Paramount Skydance (PSKY), which, while not guaranteeing a lawsuit, increases the likelihood of action from the California Attorney General, potentially impacting the transaction timeline.
- Antitrust Review Developments: Paramount Skydance (PSKY) proposed concessions last week to address European Union antitrust concerns, indicating the regulatory challenges faced during the acquisition of Warner Bros., which may complicate the deal's conditions further.
- Public Interest Intervention: A UK official has expressed a tendency to intervene in Paramount Skydance's (PSKY) acquisition of Warner Bros. on public interest grounds, which could affect the final approval of the deal and increase uncertainty surrounding the transaction.
- Transaction Timeline: Despite the deal between Paramount Skydance (PSKY) and Warner Bros. having cleared U.S. federal antitrust review, the companies are targeting a closing date in late summer 2026, contingent on remaining conditions, highlighting the complexity and potential delays of the transaction.
See More
Paramount Renewing Buyback Program and Declaring Dividend
- Buyback Program Renewal: Paramount Resources Ltd. has announced that its normal course issuer bid (NCIB) will commence on July 8, 2026, and expire on July 7, 2027, allowing the company to repurchase up to 7,711,129 common shares when market prices are below intrinsic value, thereby enhancing shareholder returns.
- Daily Purchase Limit: Under TSX regulations, Paramount can repurchase a maximum of 72,576 shares per day, representing 25% of the average daily trading volume over the past six months, which will help stabilize the stock price during market fluctuations.
- Dividend Declaration: The company's board has declared a cash dividend of $0.05 per share, payable on July 31, 2026, to shareholders of record on July 17, 2026, demonstrating a commitment to ongoing shareholder returns.
- Risk Advisory: While the company has declared a dividend, there are uncertainties regarding the future payment of dividends, which may be affected by factors such as free cash flow, operating results, and market conditions, necessitating careful monitoring of the company's financial health.
See More
Netflix Co-Founder Reed Hastings Steps Down from Board Amid Strategic Shifts
- Executive Departure: Netflix co-founder and CEO Reed Hastings stepped down from the board at the beginning of the month, a move that may impact investor confidence, particularly as he no longer holds any official role after announcing this decision.
- Acquisition Speculation: Reports indicate that Netflix bid for Roku and expressed interest in Lionsgate, although Netflix denied these claims, highlighting the company's search for new growth avenues amid slowing growth in core markets.
- Stock Decline: Netflix's stock has fallen over 40% from last year, with a 17% drop last month, reflecting market skepticism regarding its business strategy, especially as its core markets mature.
- Earnings Expectations: Despite challenges, analysts expect Netflix's Q2 revenue to grow by 13.6% to $12.6 billion, with earnings per share improving from $0.72 to $0.79, indicating that while the company continues to deliver solid results, it must address slowing subscriber growth.
See More
Netflix Shares Decline Amid Strategic Concerns and Leadership Changes
- Stock Decline: Netflix's stock fell 17% last month, reflecting investor skepticism about its business strategy, particularly as its core markets mature, leading to increased growth challenges for the company.
- Leadership Changes: Reed Hastings stepped down from the board at the beginning of the month, a decision announced in April, which may have impacted investor confidence; current Chairman Jay Hoag will no longer serve as an independent director.
- Acquisition Rumors: Although Semafor reported that Netflix was interested in acquiring Roku and Lionsgate, the company denied these intentions, indicating challenges in finding new growth avenues after losing out on Warner Bros. Discovery.
- Future Outlook: Despite Netflix's stock dropping over 40% from its peak, analysts expect a 13.6% revenue growth to $12.6 billion in Q2, with earnings per share projected to rise from $0.72 to $0.79, suggesting the company still possesses solid profitability.
See More
Media Companies Compete for World Cup Broadcast Rights
- Broadcast Rights Bidding: Companies like Netflix, Disney, and YouTube are vying for U.S. broadcast rights to the 2030 and 2034 World Cups, with budgets expected between $1.5 billion and $2 billion for each tournament, significantly enhancing their streaming service appeal.
- Language Rights Integration: FIFA plans to bundle English and Spanish broadcast rights, a strategy that could drive up bidding prices and attract more media partners, especially given that U.S. viewership has rivaled NFL playoff ratings.
- Viewership Potential: This year's World Cup has seen record viewership, with the U.S. match against Bosnia and Herzegovina attracting 26 million viewers, highlighting the immense advertising opportunities in the U.S. market and further boosting the value of broadcast rights.
- Time Zone Challenges: The 2030 and 2034 World Cups will be held in Morocco, Portugal, Spain, and Saudi Arabia, where time zone differences may affect U.S. viewership; however, the success of this year's tournament is likely to drive up broadcast rights prices.
See More
Netflix Abandons Warner Bros. Acquisition Attempt
- Acquisition Attempt Abandoned: Netflix walked away from its bid for key assets from Warner Bros. Discovery amid a costly bidding war with Paramount Skydance, reflecting its cautious approach to acquisitions and avoiding overpaying.
- Potential Acquisition Target: While Netflix has dismissed rumors of acquiring Lionsgate, the upcoming spinoff of NBCUniversal could present a new opportunity, particularly for its popular shows and streaming service.
- Positive Market Reaction: With a market cap of $320 billion, Netflix demonstrates strong investor confidence in its growth potential, especially as it successfully expands into live sports and other unexpected areas.
- Increased Investor Confidence: By abandoning the Warner deal, Netflix showcased prudent investment discipline, indicating it will not pursue acquisitions merely for growth, thereby enhancing market confidence in its long-term investment value.
See More
California May Sue Over Warner Bros. Discovery's $110 Billion Sale to Paramount Skydance
- Potential Lawsuit Risk: California has hired a law firm to prepare for a potential lawsuit regarding Warner Bros. Discovery's (WBD) $110 billion deal with Paramount Skydance (PSKY), which, while not guaranteeing a lawsuit, increases the likelihood of action from the California Attorney General, potentially impacting the transaction timeline.
- Antitrust Review Developments: Paramount Skydance (PSKY) proposed concessions last week to address European Union antitrust concerns, indicating the regulatory challenges faced during the acquisition of Warner Bros., which may complicate the deal's conditions further.
- Public Interest Intervention: A UK official has expressed a tendency to intervene in Paramount Skydance's (PSKY) acquisition of Warner Bros. on public interest grounds, which could affect the final approval of the deal and increase uncertainty surrounding the transaction.
- Transaction Timeline: Despite the deal between Paramount Skydance (PSKY) and Warner Bros. having cleared U.S. federal antitrust review, the companies are targeting a closing date in late summer 2026, contingent on remaining conditions, highlighting the complexity and potential delays of the transaction.
See More
Paramount Renewing Buyback Program and Declaring Dividend
- Buyback Program Renewal: Paramount Resources Ltd. has announced that its normal course issuer bid (NCIB) will commence on July 8, 2026, and expire on July 7, 2027, allowing the company to repurchase up to 7,711,129 common shares when market prices are below intrinsic value, thereby enhancing shareholder returns.
- Daily Purchase Limit: Under TSX regulations, Paramount can repurchase a maximum of 72,576 shares per day, representing 25% of the average daily trading volume over the past six months, which will help stabilize the stock price during market fluctuations.
- Dividend Declaration: The company's board has declared a cash dividend of $0.05 per share, payable on July 31, 2026, to shareholders of record on July 17, 2026, demonstrating a commitment to ongoing shareholder returns.
- Risk Advisory: While the company has declared a dividend, there are uncertainties regarding the future payment of dividends, which may be affected by factors such as free cash flow, operating results, and market conditions, necessitating careful monitoring of the company's financial health.
See More
