Mergers and Acquisitions

Executives at the highest ranks are now taking proactive measures, including spinning off less profitable businesses and rolling out more cash to shareholders, fearing a target by activist investors. 

Verizon Communications Inc has given Tim Armstrong, chief executive officer of its AOL unit, a leading role in exploring a possible bid for Yahoo Inc's assets, Bloomberg reported, citing a person with knowledge of the situation.

European telecommunications and cable company Altice has agreed to buy New York cable operator Cablevision for $17.7 billion, including debt, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Dish Network Corp. is in talks with banks about funding a bid for T-Mobile U.S. Inc. that would include as much as $15 billion in cash, in the latest sign the takeover effort is progressing.

French telecommunications group Altice SA is in talks with several banks about raising debt for a bid for Time Warner Cable Inc, the second-largest U.S. cable operator, according to people familiar with the matter.

Altice SA says it's buying a controlling stake in Suddenlink Communications in a deal that values the Missouri-based cable TV provider at $9.1 billion.

Charter Communications Inc. is buying fellow cable operator Bright House Networks LLC in a deal valued at $10.4 billion.

Liberty Global will expand operations in Puerto Rico through the acquisition of the country's second-largest cable operator, Choice Cable TV.

Nokia Corp. appears to have turned around its fortunes after the sale of its ailing cellphone unit to Microsoft, reporting a third-quarter net profit of 747 million euros ($950 million), from a loss of 91 million euros a year earlier.

A blockbuster year for deal making: 2014 is on track to see the greatest volume of M&A transactions on record thanks to 7,823 year-to-date proposals.

Sprint is replacing its longtime CEO Dan Hesse with Brightstar CEO Marcelo Claure on the heels of a report that it is dropping its bid for rival wireless carrier T-Mobile.

SoftBank cleared a major hurdle in its attempt to buy the U.S. wireless provider after Dish Network declined to make a new bid. 

To help fight a counter bid from Dish, SoftBank agreed to raise its offer for Sprint Nextel to $21.6 billion.

The proxy advisory firm has recommended Sprint Nextel shareholders vote for SoftBank's increased offer.

The satellite TV provider increased its bid for mobile-broadband operator Clearwire, beating Sprint's latest offer by 29%. Clearwire then delayed its shareholder meeting until June 13.

The companies have reached an agreement with U.S. authorities on the national security aspects of the Japanese firm's pending $20.1 billion deal.

Eaton's first-quarter earnings rose 22% with the help of its Cooper Industries acquisition, but revenue growth fell short of Wall Street views as global demand continued to slow.

Verizon Communications Inc is exploring a sale of its enterprise assets which could be worth as much as $10 billion, according to people familiar with the matter, as the largest U.S. wireless carrier seeks to focus on its core business.

Time Warner Cable Inc's shareholders approved the company's $56 billion takeover by Charter Communications Inc, according to preliminary votes at a special shareholder meeting.