The Powers That Be: Daily WBD Deal Heat & Wall Street Recession Chatter
Oct 24, 2025
Bill Cohan, a seasoned media and Wall Street writer, joins to dissect the Warner Bros. Discovery sale dynamics. He delves into David Zaslav's strategic maneuvers amid rising bids, particularly from Paramount's David Ellison. The discussion highlights increasing recession fears and the potential market crash on the horizon. Cohan also explores Zaslav's lucrative options upon exit and the complexities between a full sale and splitting assets. Insightful analysis on how all these factors interconnect keeps listeners engaged.
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Markets Look Overheated And Vulnerable
- Bill Cohan argues markets feel overdue for a major correction after long post-2008 gains and repeated Fed interventions.
- He lists overheating signals like concentrated mega-cap gains, risky AI froth, and policy-driven fiscal risk.
Zaslav Is Running A Competitive Sale Process
- Zaslav has shifted Warner Bros. Discovery into a formal sale process and is focused on maximizing shareholder value.
- He can pursue a sale to the highest bidder or argue a split-up plan yields more value for shareholders.
Split-Up Plan Gives Zaslav Leverage
- The Ellisons' bids have pushed WBD stock up but may still be below what would end the process.
- Zaslav can use the split-up plan as a valuation foil to extract higher offers from other suitors.