In recent years, Venture Capital firms around the country have enjoyed the surplus of “unicorn” companies, companies that have not gone public but are privately funded and valued over one billion dollars. However, despite attempts to accelerate valuation growth in tech companies, the stock market seems to indicate that exorbitantly high valuations may take a […]
Your Uber Receipt is About to Change
Last week, Uber agreed to settle an unlawful-business-practice lawsuit. The terms of the settlement require Uber to pay a total of $28.5 million to some 25 million people. That is $1.14 per person before attorney fees. Windfall. There are many reasons companies will settle suits, not the least of which is to avoid a protracted […]
University of Phoenix to Be Taken Private Amid Mounting Investigations and Losses
Apollo Education Group, the owner of for-profit education giant University of Phoenix, agreed on February 8 to a $1.1 billion sale to a group of private investors. The for-profit education industry has been quite controversial in recent years, especially as educational institutions have historically been almost entirely non-profit, including private institutions. For-profit education exploded after […]
Johnson Controls among the First Tax Inverters of 2016
In one of the first big mergers of the year, Milwaukee-based Johnson Controls will combine with Tyco and move their corporate domicile abroad to Cork, Ireland. The move will save Johnson Controls an estimated $150 million in taxes per year. Johnson Controls is not the first American company to seek a tax haven abroad. This […]
Twitter in Turmoil, but Acquisition Unlikely
Twitter is facing turmoil as its market cap and shares dipped to an all-time low since it went public in November 2013. Since its initial public offering, the company has lost more than half of its market cap. Twitter’s market cap this week is approximately $10 billion, a significant drop from the $40 billion it […]
Event Recap: Berkeley Sustainable Business & Investment Forum (Part I)
On November 10 & 11, 2015 the University of California, Berkeley School of Law and Berkeley Haas School of Business jointly hosted the inaugural Berkeley Sustainable Business & Investment Forum at the University Club on campus. Key players from across all industries and academia attended the two-day event to share perspectives and insight on evolving […]
Event Recap: Berkeley Sustainable Business & Investment Forum (Part II)
On November 10 & 11, 2015 the University of California, Berkeley School of Law and Berkeley Haas School of Business jointly hosted the inaugural Berkeley Sustainable Business & Investment Forum at the University Club on campus. Key players from across all industries and academia attended the two-day event to share perspectives and insight on evolving […]
Event Recap: Berkeley Sustainable Business & Investment Forum (Part III)
On November 10 & 11, 2015 the University of California, Berkeley School of Law and Berkeley Haas School of Business jointly hosted the inaugural Berkeley Sustainable Business & Investment Forum at the University Club on campus. Key players from across all industries and academia attended the two-day event to share perspectives and insight on evolving […]
GM Entering the Race toward the Future of Driverless Cars
With places like California, Nevada, Florida, Michigan, and D.C. already allowing autonomous car testing and federal legislation being considered to make such cars safer, driverless cars are in our near future. Google has been eager to dominate this untapped market, but it’s starting to see competition from large automakers. General Motors’ Cadillac CT6 will be […]
Square’s IPO and the Tech Industry
Much speculation surrounded Square’s IPO. Facing a struggling IPO market and steep competition from companies such as Apple and PayPal, many wondered if Square could reach its fundraising goals. These fears were confirmed when Square set its IPO price at $9 per share, well below the expected range of $11-$13. However, after its public debut […]