The Wall Street Skinny

Netflix Changes WBD Offer to All Cash | Emergency Update

Send us a textNetflix just announced it plans to revise its Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition offer to an all-cash deal — but why? Wasn’t the bidding war already over? And why did Netflix stock drop after the announcement?In this episode, Kristen breaks down the latest twist in the Netflix–Warner Bros.–Paramount saga. Paramount is now suing Warner Bros. Discovery, claiming the Netflix offer is vague and potentially undervalued. Meanwhile, Netflix’s original $27.75/share offer, which included a mix of cash and stock, is losing value as Netflix’s stock price drops. The equity portion had a collar to protect WBD shareholders — but with the stock trading below the floor, the effective deal price has lost over $0.50 per share.We explain:Why Netflix is switching to all-cashHow the mechanics of collars and exchange ratios affect deal valueWhy Wall Street didn’t love the all-cash revision, even though it sounds shareholder-friendlyThe math behind how stock vs. debt financing impacts EPS and acquisition costWhat to expect next (spoiler: Paramount could still raise its bid)This is a real-world case study in M&A strategy, capital structure, and valuation. Stick around for the full breakdown.Shop our Self Paced Courses: Investment Banking & Private Equity Fundamentals HEREFixed Income Sales & Trading HERE Wealthfront.com/wss. This is a paid endorsement for Wealthfront. May not reflect others’ experiences. Similar outcomes not guaranteed. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. Rate subject to change. Promo terms apply. If eligible for the boosted rate of 4.15% offered in connection with this promo, the boosted rate is also subject to change if base rate decreases during the 3 month promo period.The Cash Account, which is not a deposit account, is offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC ("Wealthfront Brokerage"), Member FINRA/SIPC. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. The Annual Percentage Yield ("APY") on cash deposits as of 11/7/25, is representative, requires no minimum, and may change at any time. The APY reflects the weighted average of deposit balances at participating Program Banks, which are not allocated equally. Wealthfront Brokerage sweeps cash balances to Program Banks, where they earn the variable APY. Sources HERE.

Citi's Global Head of Research | Covering Private Companies, Crypto, and what AI means for Analysts

Send us a textLucy Baldwin, the Global Head of Research at Citigroup, is leading one of the most consequential shifts in how institutional research is done today. In this episode, we unpack how the sell-side research role is being completely redefined, moving beyond spreadsheets and earnings models to incorporate AI, storytelling, and differentiated data sets. Lucy explains why today's best analysts are as much creators and communicators as they are forecasters, and why research that can’t break through the noise is effectively worthless.We also dig into how Citi is expanding its coverage beyond public equities to include private companies like OpenAI and SpaceX—companies too large and important to ignore, even if they aren’t public. Lucy shares what that research looks like, how Citi is navigating regulatory and disclosure constraints, and why institutional clients are hungry for guidance in the growing universe of private markets. This isn’t research as we knew it 10 years ago—and Lucy gives us a front-row seat to the transformation.Finally, we discuss how the perception of research on Wall Street is changing. Once viewed as a role that would pigeon hole you in terms of exit opportunities, research is now a launchpad for careers across the buy side, corporates, and private capital. Lucy shares how Citi is rethinking talent development, how AI is helping expand coverage capacity, and why the future belongs to analysts who can combine analytical rigor with creativity, conviction, and clarity of voice.Shop our Self Paced Courses: Investment Banking & Private Equity Fundamentals HEREFixed Income Sales & Trading HERE Wealthfront.com/wss. This is a paid endorsement for Wealthfront. May not reflect others’ experiences. Similar outcomes not guaranteed. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. Rate subject to change. Promo terms apply. If eligible for the boosted rate of 4.15% offered in connection with this promo, the boosted rate is also subject to change if base rate decreases during the 3 month promo period.The Cash Account, which is not a deposit account, is offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC ("Wealthfront Brokerage"), Member FINRA/SIPC. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. The Annual Percentage Yield ("APY") on cash deposits as of 11/7/25, is representative, requires no minimum, and may change at any time. The APY reflects the weighted average of deposit balances at participating Program Banks, which are not allocated equally. Wealthfront Brokerage sweeps cash balances to Program Banks, where they earn the variable APY. Sources HERE.

TWSS x CNBC's Dan Nathan & Guy Adami: "He Said She Said" | Powell Under Pressure, Credit Card Cap Concerns & Real Estate Supply Issues

Send us a textIn this episode of 'He Said, She Said', Guy Adami, Kristen Kelly & Jen Saarbach dive into the theme of unintended consequences. The discussion begins with Jerome Powell's saga and its implications on the Fed's independence and market reactions, highlighting potential political maneuvers and their backfires. Transitioning to monetary policy, they analyze the complexities of interest rate decisions and the perceptions of Fed control over the yield curve. Shifting to consumer finance, they debate the Biden administration's proposal to cap credit card rates and its potential repercussions on the economy. Corporate drama takes center stage with an in-depth analysis of the bidding war for Warner Brothers, involving Netflix, Paramount, and regulatory hurdles, likened to a real-life 'Succession'. They conclude by addressing headlines about Blackstone's housing market involvement and the impact on prices, underscoring the intricate web of economic policies and market behaviors. The episode wraps with discussions on gold and silver markets, oil prices, and the weakening US dollar, showcasing the multifaceted landscape of global finance.Timecodes00:00 - Jerome Powell and the Federal Reserve06:55 - Credit Card Rates13:10 - Media Mergers and Industry Drama21:00 - Real Estate MarketShop our Self Paced Courses: Investment Banking & Private Equity Fundamentals HEREFixed Income Sales & Trading HERE Wealthfront.com/wss. This is a paid endorsement for Wealthfront. May not reflect others’ experiences. Similar outcomes not guaranteed. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. Rate subject to change. Promo terms apply. If eligible for the boosted rate of 4.15% offered in connection with this promo, the boosted rate is also subject to change if base rate decreases during the 3 month promo period.The Cash Account, which is not a deposit account, is offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC ("Wealthfront Brokerage"), Member FINRA/SIPC. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. The Annual Percentage Yield ("APY") on cash deposits as of 11/7/25, is representative, requires no minimum, and may change at any time. The APY reflects the weighted average of deposit balances at participating Program Banks, which are not allocated equally. Wealthfront Brokerage sweeps cash balances to Program Banks, where they earn the variable APY. Sources HERE.

Industry S4E2 "The Commander and the Grey Lady" | The Henry Muck Episode

Send us a textHenry Muck is a key character in Season 4, and this episode gives us a much richer picture of who he actually is. In an unexpectedly cinematic, poetic installment that departs from our typical finance-driven fare, this episode plays like a haunting (both literal and emotional) centered around his character. We fill in the missing backstory of Henry and Yas' early engagement, early marriage, and his failed attempt to get a political career off the ground. But the mood shifts from public failure to private collapse, as Henry descends into an infantilized state of drug dependence and depression. Yasmin is thrust into the role of caretaker against her will, and we see their relationship framed in a new light, one that ultimately culminates in an epic confrontation. Both Yas and Henry are forced to confront the ghosts of their past: Henry's being the emotional inheritance of his father's suicide, and Yas being the twisted inheritance of her father and his sexual deviance.Will Yas be able to pull Henry out of his darkness by orchestrating a lifeline through a job at Tender? Or will Henry succumb to his genetic inheritance and take his own life? And will something better be born out of this union? Or is their union in fact going to birth something upon the world? Make sure you follow our NEW, DEDICATED YouTube channel where all of our Industry companion content will live!  Head over to https://www.youtube.com/@HBOIndustryPodcast and hit subscribe now!Shop our Self Paced Courses: Investment Banking & Private Equity Fundamentals HEREFixed Income Sales & Trading HERE Wealthfront.com/wss. This is a paid endorsement for Wealthfront. May not reflect others’ experiences. Similar outcomes not guaranteed. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. Rate subject to change. Promo terms apply. If eligible for the boosted rate of 4.15% offered in connection with this promo, the boosted rate is also subject to change if base rate decreases during the 3 month promo period.The Cash Account, which is not a deposit account, is offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC ("Wealthfront Brokerage"), Member FINRA/SIPC. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. The Annual Percentage Yield ("APY") on cash deposits as of 11/7/25, is representative, requires no minimum, and may change at any time. The APY reflects the weighted average of deposit balances at participating Program Banks, which are not allocated equally. Wealthfront Brokerage sweeps cash balances to Program Banks, where they earn the variable APY. Sources HERE.

Four Drivers That Could Crash or Save the Market in 2026 feat. Head of US Macro at Wellington

Send us a textWe're two weeks into the new year and you can already toss all the consensus forecasts out the window. We sat down with Mike Medeiros to talk about the big risks to all the predictions: from equities to interest rates, the yield curve, currencies, credit markets, and more, so we can understand where the next big moves will come from.Mike gives us a thoughtful framework within which to understand why he's still constructive on equities for the first half of the year, pointing to a mix of fiscal support, accommodative funding conditions, tailwinds from deregulation, and increased certainty around trade policy. From there though, we explore the big risks to the bond market that remain despite the fact that the yield curve may still structurally be too flat. What does an increasingly politicized Federal Reserve mean for the front end? It might be the opposite of what you'd suspect from the headlines. And why is term premium at the crux of every conversation?We also tackle the "affordability" conversation head on, including the headline proposal to cap credit card interest rates in the near term, as well as the housing policy proposals that may unintentionally raise prices in the near term.If you're trying to make sense of the markets in a year that is clearly refusing to follow the script, you've come to the right place. Shop our Self Paced Courses: Investment Banking & Private Equity Fundamentals HEREFixed Income Sales & Trading HERE Wealthfront.com/wss. This is a paid endorsement for Wealthfront. May not reflect others’ experiences. Similar outcomes not guaranteed. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. Rate subject to change. Promo terms apply. If eligible for the boosted rate of 4.15% offered in connection with this promo, the boosted rate is also subject to change if base rate decreases during the 3 month promo period.The Cash Account, which is not a deposit account, is offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC ("Wealthfront Brokerage"), Member FINRA/SIPC. Wealthfront Brokerage is not a bank. The Annual Percentage Yield ("APY") on cash deposits as of 11/7/25, is representative, requires no minimum, and may change at any time. The APY reflects the weighted average of deposit balances at participating Program Banks, which are not allocated equally. Wealthfront Brokerage sweeps cash balances to Program Banks, where they earn the variable APY. Sources HERE.