ZIM Integrated Shipping (ZIM) to be acquired by Hapag-Lloyd for $35 per share in $4.2 bln cash deal

 

 

 

 

• Chart the day before, Fri 13 Feb 2026 

 

  

Hapag-Lloyd (OTC: HPGLY) is buying Israeli competitor Zim Integrated Shipping Services for $4.2 billion as the shipping firm looks to bolster its capacity.

Germany-based Hapag-Lloyd said Monday that it signed a deal to buy Zim for $35 a share in cash, a 58% premium to Zim’s closing price of $22.20 on Friday. The total deal price of around $4.2 billion will be funded from cash reserves and external financing of up to $2.5 billion.

The combined business will have a standing capacity of more than 3 million twenty-foot equivalent units, the standard form of measurement in container shipping, and more than 400 vessels. Hapag-Lloyd currently has vessel capacity of 2.5 million TEU and 305 vessels, according to the company’s website.

The deal is expected to be completed by the end of this year, Hapag-Lloyd said. Any deal will require the consent of the state of Israel, Zim shareholders and regulators.

Zim is considered a strategic asset for the Israeli state. As part of the deal, Israel’s special stake in Zim will be transferred to a carved-out container business, which will be owned by Israeli private-equity firm FIMI, Hapag-Lloyd said. The new container line will start with 16 vessels, according to Hapag-Lloyd.

The move comes after Zim appointed an independent board that has spent the last several months conducting a strategic review to assess a range of options, including a sale of the company, capital allocation options and other measures to maximize shareholder value.

Zim recently reported a sharp drop in third-quarter earnings as freight rates tumbled and container volumes slipped, with the company warning that fourth-quarter conditions had weakened.

TrueCar (NASDAQ: TRUE) has been acquired by Fair Holdings for approx. $227 million

TrueCar (NASDAQ: TRUE) acquired by founder-led strategic and financial investor group in all-cash go-private transaction in an all-cash deal valued at approximately $227 million, which closed in Jan 2026. Shareholders received $2.55 per share, a move led by founder Scott Painter, following a period of declining performance and a 60% drop in stock value prior to the announcement. 

ticker:  TRUE

Key details regarding TrueCar's shift:

• Going Private: The deal, announced in October 2025 and finalized in January 2026, marks the end of TrueCar's time as a publicly traded company.

• Founder Return: Scott Painter, founder of TrueCar, returned as CEO to lead the company.

• Performance Challenges: Before the acquisition, TrueCar faced significant pressure, with shares tumbling following quarterly losses, such as a 14% drop in August 2024 after a reported $13.5 million net loss.

• Restructuring: To combat poor performance, the company had implemented restructuring plans, including reducing staff and changing leadership, prior to the buyout.

• Shareholder Support: Major investors like AutoNation supported the takeover. 

The stock had previously seen volatility, including a 59% surge on the news of the buyout announcement in October 2025. 

===OneStream (OS) to be acquired by Hg Capital ?

 

Bloomberg News reported, citing sources familiar with the matter, that buyout firm Hg Capital is nearing a deal to take the company private in a transaction valued around $4.3 billion, or about 6x projected 2026 revenue. This news emerged early Tuesday, sparking immediate buying interest as investors anticipated a premium offer for the financial software provider, which had been trading below its July IPO price. The development highlights renewed private equity interest in SaaS firms with stable cash flows, amplifying the premarket move amid light overall market volume.

==ON24 (ONTF) to be acquired by Cvent for $400 million in an all-cash deal

• Sector: Technology
• Industry: Software - Application
• Full Time Employees: 437
• Headquartered in San Francisco, California
• https://www.on24.com

 

ON24, Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Cvent

• The agreement reflects an all-cash transaction for a total consideration of approximately $400 million.
  
• The proposed transaction brings together two complementary platforms serving enterprise marketers and event professionals. ON24's reliable and secure enterprise-grade webinar and digital engagement capabilities, first party engagement data, and AI-powered workflows complement Cvent's robust event technology offerings. With a full suite of solutions that power high-impact digital and in-person experiences, Cvent and ON24 are well positioned to support marketing, sales, customer success and event teams as buying journeys become more digital and complex.
  
• Under the terms of the agreement, ON24 shareholders will receive $8.10 per share in cash, representing a premium of approximately 62% over ON24's closing share price on November 10, 2025, the last trading day prior to ON24's disclosure that it had received several indications of interest regarding a potential transaction and a 51% premium to ON24's 90-day volume weighted average price.
• The proposed transaction, which has been unanimously approved by the ON24 Board of Directors, is expected to close in the first half of 2026, subject to approval by ON24 shareholders, the satisfaction of regulatory approvals, and other customary closing conditions. Upon completion of the transaction, ON24's common stock will no longer be publicly listed, and ON24 will become a privately held company.

Cidara Therapeutics (CDTX) to be acquired by Merck (MRK) for $9.2B or $221.50 per share

Cidara Therapeutics to be acquired by Merck (MRK) for $221.50 per share in cash

• Merck (MRK) agreed to acquire Cidara Therapeutics (CDTX) for $221.50/share in cash, valuing the transaction at ~$9.2B, as part of its strategy to broaden its infectious disease pipeline.
• Deal centers on CD388, a long-acting, strain-agnostic antiviral in Phase 3 (ANCHOR) for preventing influenza in high-risk individuals; the candidate has Breakthrough Therapy and Fast Track designations and showed strong efficacy in the Phase 2b NAVIGATE trial.
• CD388 combines a neuraminidase inhibitor with a proprietary Fc-antibody fragment, aiming to provide a durable prevention option beyond vaccines and traditional antivirals.
  
• Boards of both companies have approved the transaction; closing is expected in Q1 2026, pending a successful tender offer, HSR clearance, and customary conditions.

  

 

The company was formerly known as K2 Therapeutics, Inc. and changed its name to Cidara Therapeutics, Inc. in July 2014. 

• Sector: Healthcare
• Industry: Biotechnology
• Full Time Employees: 38
• Incorporated in 2012 
• Based in San Diego, California
• https://www.cidara.com

==Core Scientific (CORZ) to be acquired by CoreWeave (CRWV)

 

CoreWeave to acquire Core Scientific (CORZ) in an all-stock transaction implying a total equity value of $9 bln, expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2025 

• Under the terms of the merger agreement, Core Scientific (CORZ) stockholders will receive 0.1235 newly issued shares of CoreWeave Class A common stock for each share of Core Scientific common stock based on a fixed exchange ratio.
• Following CoreWeave's successful IPO in March 2025, this acquisition will help CoreWeave verticalize its data center footprint to future-proof revenue growth and enhance profitability.
• Through this acquisition, CoreWeave will own approximately 1.3 GW of gross power across Core Scientific's national data center footprint1 with an incremental 1 GW+ of potential gross power available for expansion.
• As of July 3, 2025, the agreed-upon exchange ratio implies a total equity value of approximately $9.0 billion.
• This is calculated on a fully diluted basis and based on CoreWeave's 5-day VWAP. This represents a $20.40 per share value based on the closing price of CoreWeave Class A common stock as of July 3, 2025, and a premium of approximately 66% to the unaffected Core Scientific closing share price of $12.30 on June 25, 2025.
• The final value will be determined at the time of transaction close.
• Upon close, CoreWeave expects Core Scientific's stockholders' ownership of the combined company will be less than 10%.

European Wax Center (EWCZ) : 4-year performance

May 2026: an all-cash (approx. $330 million) acquisition by the private equity firm General Atlantic.  The stock ceased trading and was officially delisted from the Nasdaq Stock Market on May 8, 2026.

European Wax Center, Inc. operates as the franchisor and operator of out-of-home waxing services in the United States. It offers body and facial waxing services; and pre- and post-service products, including ingrown hair serums, exfoliating gels, brow shapers, and skin treatments, as well as skincare retail products. 

Q1 2025: 1,067 centers in 45 states.

• Sector: Consumer Defensive
• Industry: Household & Personal Products
• Full Time Employees: 124
• Founded in 2004 
• Headquartered in Plano, Texas
• https://waxcenter.com

IPO: August 5, 2021

Ticker: EWCZ

 

Ocugen (OCGN) : 10-year performance

Sector: Healthcare

Industry: Biotechnology

Founded: 2013

Headquarters: Malvern, Pennsylvania

Website: https://www.ocugen.com

Employees: 95

IPO: December 3, 2014

Ticker: OCGN

September 30, 2019: Ocugen (OCGN) completed a reverse merger with Histogenics (Nasdaq: HSGX), creating a company focused on developing therapies for ocular diseases, operating under the Ocugen name.

Salarius Pharma (SLRX) Merges with AI Drug Designer Decoy Therapeutics

 

 

 

 

HOUSTON and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Salarius Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: SLRX), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing therapies for patients with cancer in need of new treatment options, and Decoy Therapeutics, Inc., a privately held preclinical biopharmaceutical company engineering the next generation of peptide conjugate therapeutics, announce the signing of a definitive agreement under which Decoy Therapeutics will merge with a wholly-owned subsidiary of Salarius Pharmaceuticals, subject to the closing conditions set forth in the definitive agreement. The newly formed company will be named Decoy Therapeutics.

This proposed transaction is expected to facilitate multiple value-creating inflection points with Decoy’s pipeline of peptide conjugate therapeutics engineered by its IMP3ACT platform, which allows for the rapid computational design and manufacturing of innovative peptide conjugate therapeutics including rapid response to novel viral pathogens such as avian H5N1 flu. Decoy’s product pipeline targets unmet needs in respiratory infectious diseases and gastroenterology (GI) oncology indications.

SAGE Therapeutics (SAGE) : acquisition proposal from Biogen (BIIB)

• SAGE Therapeutics (SAGE) was acquired by Supernus Pharma (SUPN). (31 Jul 2025)

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

SAGE Therapeutics confirms receipt of acquisition proposal from Biogen (BIIB) 

• Sage Therapeutics, Inc. (SAGE) confirmed that Biogen Inc. (BIIB) has submitted to the Company an unsolicited, nonbinding proposal to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Sage Therapeutics not already owned by Biogen for $7.22 per share.
• Consistent with its fiduciary duties and in consultation with its independent financial and legal advisors, the Sage Board of Directors will carefully review and evaluate the proposal made by Biogen to determine the course of action that it believes is in the best interest of the Company and all Sage shareholders.

Smart Share Global (EM) : 3-year performance

April 30, 2026: Smart Share Global Limited merged with an affiliate of Mobile Charging Group Holdings Limited and was delisted from Nasdaq in late April 2026.

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Smart Share Global Limited, a consumer tech company, provides mobile device charging services in the People's Republic of China. 

• Sector(s): Consumer Cyclical
• Industry: Personal Services
• Full Time Employees: 3,198
• Incorporated in 2017 
• Headquartered in Shanghai, the People's Republic of China
• https://ir.enmonster.com
• Ticker: EM

 

Longboard Pharma (LBPH) to be acquired by Lundbeck for $60.00 per share

Danish drugmaker Lundbeck has agreed to spend $2.6 billion acquiring a young biotechnology company with an experimental brain medicine that could become a blockbuster product.

• Longboard was formed in January 2020 by Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to advance a portfolio of centrally acting product candidates designed to be highly selective for specific G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs).
• Longboard’s lead asset, bexicaserin, is under development for neurological diseases, including Dravet syndrome.

ticker:  LBPH

 

 

 

Longboard Pharmaceuticals to be acquired by Lundbeck (HLUYY) for $60.00 per share in cash 

• H. Lundbeck A/S (HLUYY) and Longboard Pharmaceuticals (LBPH) announced an agreement for Lundbeck to acquire Longboard. Under the terms of the agreement, Lundbeck will commence a tender offer for all outstanding shares of Longboard common stock, whereby Longboard shareholders will be offered a payment of $60.00 per share in cash. The transaction is valued at approximately $2.6 billion equity value and $2.5 billion (~DKK 17 billion) net of cash, on a fully diluted basis.
  • Through the acquisition of Longboard, Lundbeck gains access to bexicaserin, a novel 5-HT2C agonist in development for the treatment of seizures associated with DEEs, including Dravet syndrome, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, and other rare epilepsies.
  • Under the terms of the agreement, Lundbeck will commence a tender offer for all outstanding shares of Longboard common stock, whereby Longboard shareholders will be offered a payment for $60 per share in cash. The cash consideration represents a 77% premium to the 30-day volume-weighted average price of shares of Longboard common stock as of September 30, 2024.

 

Chuy's (CHUY) to be acquired by Darden Restaurants (DRI)

 

 

Darden Restaurants expands into Mexican category with Chuy's acquisition 

• Darden Restaurants (DRI -1.1%) is back on the M&A hunt. Just over a year since its closed on its acquisition of Ruth's Chris Steak House, the company announced last night it will acquire Chuy's (CHUY +48%) for $37.50 per share, a Tex-Mex-inspired full-service casual dining restaurant chain. It's an all-cash transaction with an enterprise value of approximately $605 mln.
• DRI sees Chuy's as complementing its existing portfolio, which includes Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Yard House, Ruth's Chris, Cheddar's, The Capital Grille, Seasons 52, Eddie V's and Bahama Breeze. What's notable about Chuy's is that it's Darden's first foray into the popular Mexican dining category.
• Darden describes Mexican as one of the fastest growing dining categories, and Chuy's is the largest full-service operator with strong unit economics. Chuy's currently has 101 restaurants, all of which are company-owned, so no franchisees. Average restaurant sales at Chuy's are $4.5 mln, with an average check of $19 and an impressive restaurant level EBITDA margin of almost 20%. DRI expects to use its scale to drive further cost benefits.
• While CHUY, not surprisingly, is sharply higher on the news, DRI is trading modestly lower. Perhaps investors are worried that Darden is biting off more than it can "Chuy", so soon after it just closed on Ruth's Chris in June 2023. Also, CHUY's shares have been trending lower over the past year as results have not been great. Investors may be balking at DRI paying a huge 48% premium over CHUY's $25.27 closing price yesterday, and all in cash.

==Viela Bio (VIE)

 Viela Bio was a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on severe inflammation and autoimmune diseases. Spun out of AstraZeneca in 2018, it developed Uplizna, an FDA-approved treatment for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). 

• In 2021, the company was acquired by Horizon Therapeutics for $3 billion.
• Horizon Therapeutics (HZNP) was acquired by Amgen in October 2023 for $27.8 billion.

History & Acquisition

• Founding: Launched in 2017 as a spinoff from AstraZeneca's MedImmune, led by CEO Bing Yao.
• Acquisition: In 2021, Horizon Therapeutics acquired Viela Bio in a $3 billion deal ( $53 per share). Horizon was subsequently acquired by Amgen in 2023.
• Legacy: The company was headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

Core Pipeline & Products

• Uplizna (inebilizumab-cdon): Viela Bio's flagship asset. It is a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting CD19, used to treat adults with NMOSD who are anti-AQP4 antibody-positive. 
• Research Pipeline: Viela developed candidates for a range of autoimmune conditions, including myasthenia gravis, IgG4-related diseases, and systemic lupus erythematosus.

Imara Inc. (Nasdaq: IMRA) to merge with Enliven Therapeutics (Nasdaq: ELVN)

Tickers:  IMRA   ELVN

 

Imara Announces Stockholder Approval of Merger With Enliven

-- Combined Company to Trade on Nasdaq Under Ticker “ELVN” --

-- Imara Announces 1-for-4 Reverse Stock Split of Common Stock --

BROOKLINE, Mass., Feb. 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Imara Inc. (Nasdaq: IMRA) today announced the results of the special meeting of its stockholders held on February 22, 2023. At the special meeting, Imara’s stockholders voted in favor of all proposals, including the proposal to approve the issuance of shares of Imara’s common stock to the stockholders of Enliven Therapeutics, Inc. (“Enliven”) pursuant to the terms of the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of October 13, 2022, pursuant to which a direct, wholly-owned subsidiary of Imara will merge with and into Enliven, with Enliven surviving the merger as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Imara (the “Merger”).

The closing of the Merger is anticipated to take place on or around Thursday, February 23, 2023. Following the closing of the Merger, the combined company will change its name from Imara Inc. to Enliven Therapeutics, Inc., trade on The Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker symbol “ELVN,” will be led by Enliven’s existing management team, and will focus on Enliven’s business related to the discovery and development of small molecule inhibitors to help patients with cancer live not only longer but better.

In addition, Imara today announced that it will effect a 1-for-4 reverse stock split of its common stock that will be effective on Thursday, February 23, 2023, prior to the closing of the Merger. The combined company’s common stock will begin trading on Nasdaq on a split-adjusted basis when the market opens on Friday, February 24, 2023. The new CUSIP number for the combined company’s common stock following the Merger and the reverse stock split is 29337E 102.

Imago BioSciences (IMGO) to be acquired by Merck (MRK) for $36.00/share

 

 

Imago BioSciences to be acquired by Merck (MRK) for $36.00/share 

• Cos announced that the companies have entered into a definitive agreement under which Merck, through a subsidiary, will acquire Imago for $36.00 per share in cash for an approximate total equity value of $1.35 billion.
• “This acquisition of Imago augments our pipeline and strengthens our presence in the growing field of hematology,” said Merck Chief Executive Robert Davis in a news release.
• 
  
• Hematology is the branch of medicine that focuses on the study of blood diseases. Imago is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing new medicines for the treatment of several bone marrow diseases.

McAfee (MCFE)

McAfee Corp. (Nasdaq: MCFE) went public on the NASDAQ in October 2020, raising $740 million in its IPO with a valuation of about $8.6 billion. The stock traded publicly until March 1, 2022, when McAfee was acquired by an investor group led by Advent International, including Permira, Crosspoint Capital, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, GIC Private Limited, and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, in a $14 billion all-cash deal at $26 per share.  

As a result of this acquisition, McAfee was taken private, and its shares were delisted from the NASDAQ, meaning MCFE is no longer publicly traded. The last recorded trade was on April 28, 2022, with a share price of $25.99 as of March 10, 2022, and a market capitalization of approximately $4.9 billion.

Spirit Airlines (SAVE) to be acquired by Frontier Group (ULCC)

•  May 01, 11:55 :  Spirit Airlines preparing to shut down after $500 million government bailout talks collapse

Frontier Group (ULCC), the parent company of Frontier Airlines, announced Monday that it will buy discount rival Spirit Airlines (SAVE) to better compete with mainline carriers. 

The deal will create the No. 5 airline in the U.S., Spirit equity holders will receive 1.9126 shares of Frontier plus $2.13 in cash for each existing Spirit share they own. That's equal to $25.83 as of Friday's close. The transaction values Spirit Airlines at $2.9 billion, but the deal is valued at $6.6 billion when accounting for the assumption of net debt and operating lease liabilities.

Frontier shareholders will own approximately 51.5% of the combined airline. Spirit shareholders will own approximately 48.5%. The new company is expected to have annual revenues of approximately $5.3 billion based on 2021 results.

The airlines said the deal will "create America's most competitive ultra-low fare airline for the benefit of consumers" and would offer travelers more destinations options in the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean.

The merger should close in the second half of the year. A name for the airline and new branding will be determined prior to the deal's close.

Frontier Earnings

Frontier also announced fourth-quarter results Monday. The carrier reported a loss of 24 cents per share, less than the 32 cents-per-share loss FactSet analysts expected. Revenue was $609 million, under analyst expectations for $642.4 million.

Frontier operated an average of over 450 flights per day in Q4, up 10% vs. Q4 2019. Total revenue per passenger during the quarter was approximately $103.

The carrier ended 2021 with a total fleet of 110 aircraft. It has a massive Airbus (EADSY) order in the works with 91 additional A321neo aircraft are slated for delivery between 2023 and 2029.

Frontier and Spirit only fly Airbus jets, making it easier to combine operations.

Del Taco (TACO) to be acquired by Jack in the Box (JACK) for $12.51/share in cash

San Diego, California-based Jack in the Box, which would now have over 2,800 restaurants spanning 25 states, said the deal would help the chain beef up its off-restaurant premise sales. About 99% of Del Taco restaurants feature a drive-thru. 

  

** TACO **

Del Taco to be acquired by Jack in the Box (JACK) for $12.51/share in cash

• Cos announced that the companies have entered into a definitive agreement pursuant to which Jack in the Box will acquire Del Taco for $12.51 per share in cash in a transaction valued at approximately $575 million, including existing debt. While this price per share offers an attractive premium to Del Taco shareholders, Jack in the Box estimates that the transaction values Del Taco at a synergy adjusted multiple of approximately 7.6x trailing twelve months Adjusted EBITDA.
• Jack in the Box expects the transaction to be mid-single-digit accretive to earnings per share excluding transaction expenses in year one and meaningfully accretive beginning in year two once full synergizes are realized.
• Jack in the Box expects the combined company to realize run-rate strategic and cost synergies of approximately $15 million by the end of fiscal year 2023, with approximately half of the synergies achieved in the first year. Jack in the Box expects to achieve these synergies largely through procurement and supply chain savings, technology and digital efficiencies and other financial benefits, as well as knowledge-sharing initiatives.