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TreeHouse Foods to Go Private in $2.9bn All-Cash Deal With Investindustrial

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TreeHouse Foods said Monday it has agreed to be taken private by European investment firm Investindustrial in an all-cash transaction valued at $2.9 billion, marking one of the largest private-equity acquisitions in the U.S. packaged food sector this year.

The announcement sent TreeHouse shares soaring 20% in early trading, as investors welcomed what analysts described as a “logical exit” for a company grappling with slowing growth and market pressures.

Under the deal, TreeHouse shareholders will receive $22.50 per share in cash and one contingent value right (CVR) per share, granting them potential future payments tied to proceeds from the company’s ongoing coffee business litigation. The offer represents a 38% premium over TreeHouse’s September 26 closing price of $16.30, before reports of a possible buyout surfaced.

Inflation-weary consumers and a shrinking shelf space

The move comes amid mounting pressure on U.S. food manufacturers as consumers continue to downshift toward cheaper, smaller-packaged goods to cope with inflation and trade-related uncertainty. Packaged food makers, once buoyed by pandemic-era demand, have struggled to maintain sales volumes in 2024 as shoppers seek private-label or discount alternatives.

Analysts see the buyout as a pragmatic outcome. “Likely the best path forward for the company given the still pressured macro and uncertainty around the Food sector,” said Jefferies analyst Scott Marks, who noted that persistent challenges around supply chain efficiency and declining volumes make TreeHouse a stronger candidate for private ownership, where it can restructure away from quarterly market scrutiny.

Financial performance and forecast withdrawal

TreeHouse withdrew its annual financial guidance following the announcement and reported third-quarter net sales of $840.3 million, which fell short of Wall Street expectations of $851.1 million, according to data from LSEG.

The company’s profitability has been squeezed by rising input costs and the lingering effects of logistics disruptions, even as it has diversified its private-label portfolio across snacks, beverages, and ready-to-eat meals.

A key feature of the deal is the CVR linked to TreeHouse’s 2014 lawsuit against Keurig Green Mountain, in which the company alleged antitrust and unfair competition violations tied to Keurig’s dominance in the single-serve coffee pod market.

The case, which has dragged on for years, is estimated to involve potential damages between $719 million and $1.5 billion. While no resolution has been announced, the CVR structure allows shareholders to benefit from any eventual payout.

Strategic fit for Investindustrial

The transaction expands Investindustrial’s growing footprint in the food and consumer goods sector, building on earlier acquisitions of U.S. private-label manufacturer Winland Foods and European ingredients suppliers CSM Ingredients and Italcanditi. The firm, which manages over €12 billion in assets, has been actively consolidating mid-sized food companies to create scale and operational synergies in the fragmented packaged goods industry.

Once the acquisition closes — expected in the first quarter of 2026, pending regulatory approval — TreeHouse Foods will be delisted from the New York Stock Exchange, marking its full transition into private hands.

Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, TreeHouse Foods has long positioned itself as a major player in private-label manufacturing, supplying store-brand products to some of the largest retailers in North America. However, the sector has become increasingly competitive as inflation drives grocers to tighten supplier margins while consumer behavior shifts rapidly.

It has been suggested that the company could benefit from private ownership under Investindustrial, allowing for longer-term investments in automation, product reformulation, and distribution efficiencies — changes that are harder to implement under public market pressures.

The deal underscores a growing private-equity appetite for U.S. mid-cap food producers, with global funds betting that strategic repositioning and private control can unlock value in an industry still adjusting to post-pandemic demand patterns and persistent economic uncertainty.

Visa Expands Crypto Ambitions With USDC Stablecoin Payout Pilot

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Visa is taking a significant step into the world of cryptocurrency by launching a pilot program to test USDC stablecoin payouts.

At a Web Summit today, the payments giant announced the breakthrough pilot allowing businesses and platforms to send payouts directly to recipients’ stablecoin wallets.

The initiative allows U.S. businesses to pay in fiat currency while giving recipients the option to receive funds directly in USD-backed stablecoins like USDC. This expansion signals Visa’s commitment to bridging traditional financial systems with blockchain-based digital currencies, potentially reshaping the way businesses and individuals move money globally

Visa’s latest innovation also transforms how freelancers, creators, and gig workers receive payments, particularly for cross-border transactions, and has already generated considerable buzz within the crypto community. Visa’s research indicates that 57% of digital creators prefer payment methods that provide instant access to funds, making this innovation particularly relevant for the millions of users reliant on digital platforms.

The pilot is being conducted through Visa Direct, the company’s global payout network. Traditionally, payments were sent to bank accounts or cards, but under this program, businesses can now send funds straight to stablecoin wallets.

Speaking on the launch of the payout, President, Commercial and Money Movement Solutions, Visa, Chris Newkirk said,

Launching stablecoin payouts is about enabling truly universal access to money in minutes not days for anyone, anywhere in the world. Whether it’s a creator building a digital brand, a business reaching new global markets or a freelancer working across borders, everyone benefits from faster, more flexible money movement.

Visa Direct Stablecoin Payout Highlights:

  • Continuous convenience: Consumers, creators and freelancers will be able to access payouts in stablecoins with near-instant speed.
  • Borderless currency for the digital age: Stablecoins can unlock access for those in underbanked regions, or where USD bank accounts are not available.
  • Increased transparency: Every transaction is permanently logged on the blockchain, supporting auditability, compliance, and receipt confirmation.
  • Expanding access: The pilot launches with select partners, with broader rollout planned for the second half of 2026 as client demand grows and regulatory frameworks advance.

This is not Visa’s first foray into stablecoins. Recall that in September, the company conducted a pre-funding pilot that enabled businesses to utilize stablecoins for back-end treasury operations.

For Visa, the launch of a pilot program to test USDC stablecoin payouts is more than just an experiment in crypto payments. It positions the company as a forward-thinking financial infrastructure provider that embraces digital currencies.

By integrating stablecoins into its network, Visa can offer:

New Revenue Stream: Stablecoin payouts open doors for cross-border remittances, treasury management, and payments to gig economy workers.

Competitive Advantage: Visa strengthens its moat against other traditional payment networks and fintech companies by providing faster, more flexible settlement options.

Notably, the current pilot extends the concept further by allowing end users to receive payouts directly in stablecoins. By bypassing traditional banking hours, stablecoins can facilitate near-instant, cross-border payments, offering a reliable alternative for individuals in underbanked regions or countries with unstable currencies.

Visa is currently collaborating with select partners in the pilot phase and plans a broader rollout in 2026, contingent on regulatory developments and demand. Each transaction will be recorded on the blockchain, ensuring transparency and auditability. If successful, Visa could establish stablecoin payouts as a global standard, representing a major leap forward in payment innovation.

Visa’s stablecoin pilot represents a significant step toward integrating digital currencies into mainstream financial systems. As adoption grows, both Visa and the broader stablecoin market stand to benefit from increased utility, credibility, and innovation.

Ready for the Next 100x? Ozak AI’s $4.53M Presale Proves You Can’t Afford to Miss This AI Opportunity

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The Ozak AI presale has showcased why early investments are opportunities not to be missed. Investors who accumulated $OZ in Phase 1 have pocketed 12x ROI and are now aiming for a 1,000x growth. Even those who are accumulating in Phase 7 are aiming for a raise of at least 83x. Ozak AI has collected $4.53 million in funds and is on the path to sell more tokens to raise the bar.

The AI-powered crypto project comes as one of the great opportunities because of its offerings to community members. Holders of the token gain access to the architecture of DePIN, a real-time analytics feed, and a fusion of AI tools.

100x Gain with Ozak AI

There is immense potential for Ozak AI to generate a 100x gain even for investors who are getting on board during the $OZ presale Phase 7. The current offer value is $0.014, and a surge of 100x converts the value to $1.2. It is 20% over the target price of $1, estimated to be achieved during the 2026 crypto bull run.

For reference, an investment of $500 will collect ?35,714 $OZ tokens at $0.014 each. Their collective value at $1.20 per token would be ?$42,857 (?86× growth). If $OZ rises to $1.80, the base investment could convert to ?$64,285 (?129× growth). The success of the Ozak AI presale remains firm on the sale of over 989 million tokens.

Ozak AI Technicals Supporting 100x Growth

Technical specifications of Ozak AI that are supporting the estimated 100x growth are DePIN and a fusion of AI tools. Also, its recent launch of OSN is strengthening the support.

For starters, DePIN design is architected on the fundamentals of blockchain and IPFS nodes. This enables the mechanism to prevent data tampering and loss. Distribution of data across a network of nodes works well to keep the data structure intact.

The launch of OSN is often defined as a pivotal moment for Ozak AI. Ozak Streaming Network changes the way community members get live data from financial markets. It not only eliminates excessive delays, but it also compiles and processes data from various sources like stock markets and news reports, to mention a few.

Ozak AI Collaboration Accelerating the Pace to 100x

One out of many recent collaborations of Ozak AI that are accelerating its pace to 100x growth is with Phala Network. The association entails combining functionalities of Prediction Agents and the CPU-GPU-TEE stack to bring out AI predictions for financial markets.

Ozak AI and Phala Network have also agreed to work on strengthening cross-community initiatives and support shared developer tools.

Unmissable AI Opportunity with $OZ

Holding $OZ even from presale Phase 7 comes with the potential of marking a 100x growth. Ozak AI has set revisions to achieve the target price of $1, following which it is more likely to ride the crypto bull wave for further growth. Moreover, it will be supported by AI-based technicalities and strategic collaborations to sustain those gains.

 

For more information about Ozak AI, visit the links below:

Website: https://ozak.ai/

Twitter/X: https://x.com/OzakAGI

Telegram: https://t.me/OzakAGI

Abia State: From PPT 1.0 to PPT 2.0 – The Rise of a Knowledge Economy

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Every government operates with three catalytic pillars: the People, the Processes, and the Tools. In Abia State, our Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has spent the last two years strengthening these foundations; let’s call that phase PPT 1.0. The mission was simple but profound: make bureaucracy work by organizing the fundamental building blocks upon which everything runs. When these three align, the future becomes predictable, measurable, and transformational.
 
The People: For the first time in a long while, workers and pensioners in Abia State are being paid promptly. That single act restores dignity and confidence in government. Schools have been challenged to raise standards, ensuring that Abia’s sons and daughters become competitive in national examinations like WAEC, JAMB, and NECO. A society becomes great when its people rise in knowledge and capacity.
 
The Processes: Processes must run with speed and clarity. Decision-making must be transparent, predictable, and disciplined. Under Governor Otti, ministries were streamlined; yes, less bureaucracy, more efficiency. When everyone understands the destination, execution becomes frictionless. Roads are built faster, contracts are delivered with precision, and institutions regain the rhythm of performance.
 
The Tools: No government can function effectively without infrastructure. Roads, courts, hospitals, schools, etc are the visible instruments of democracy. Abia is rebuilding them. Roads are being built and paved, the judiciary is being strengthened, and the core infrastructure of governance is being renewed.
 
THE NEXT PHASE: Now, as we enter PPT 2.0, the real journey begins. The next frontier is skills, making skills a right for every Abia youth. The new economy is powered by capabilities, not just certificates. The vision is to build ecosystems that train, develop, and empower. Once our people acquire the right capabilities, the promise of “Prosperity Through Enterprise” as in Abia Coat of Arms becomes inevitable because enterprise is only possible when people have skills.
 
But to power this transformation, Abia must connect to the world. Broadband is no longer luxury; it is the oxygen of the digital economy. Governor Otti understands this equation. Through a public-private partnership with the West Indian Ocean Cable Company (WIOCC), Abia has launched a massive Fibre Duct Infrastructure Project. This initiative will expand broadband access, deepen digital inclusion, and ensure last-mile connectivity across every part of the state.
 
Good People, as PPT 2.0 unfolds, Abia is building not just roads and schools but the very architecture of a future-ready society. A state of enterprise. A home of opportunity. A digital Abia for the world. Invest in Abia, we’re building a great economy!
 
-Ndubuisi Ekekwe was honoured by the Abia People in 2021 as the Most Outstanding Abia Professional in the Diaspora, and Abia Ambassador.

AMD Eyes $1 Trillion Data Center Market by 2030 as AI Boom Reshapes Chip Industry

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Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) has set an ambitious target for its data center chip business, forecasting that the market could hit $1 trillion by 2030, driven largely by artificial intelligence.

Chief Executive Officer Lisa Su made the projection during the company’s analyst day in New York, highlighting AI as the most transformative force shaping the industry’s future.

“It’s an exciting market,” Su told investors. “There’s no question, data center is the largest growth opportunity out there, and one that AMD is very, very well positioned for.”

The trillion-dollar market projection includes AMD’s central processing units (CPUs), networking chips, and specialized AI accelerators—areas where the company has been aggressively investing to compete with rivals Nvidia and Intel. While AMD has carved out a strong position in the CPU market, Nvidia continues to dominate AI data center chips with its powerful GPUs, including the widely used H100.

AMD is now betting that its next-generation AI hardware and acquisitions will help close that gap. Its upcoming MI400 series—set for release in 2026—will feature chips optimized for generative AI and scientific applications. The company is also developing a full server rack system to rival Nvidia’s GB200 NVL72, signaling its intention to compete across the full AI infrastructure stack.

Chief Financial Officer Jean Hu told investors that AMD expects its overall business to grow by 35% annually and its data center segment by 60% over the next three to five years. The company also projects earnings to rise to $20 per share in that timeframe. Following the announcement, AMD’s stock gained nearly 4% in after-hours trading, after closing down 2.7% at $237.52.

The optimism comes amid a broader race to capture the AI hardware market, which Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang recently valued at between $3 trillion and $4 trillion by the end of the decade. AMD’s projection, while more conservative, underscores the enormous expectations around the long-term AI buildout—from cloud computing and hyperscale data centers to edge and enterprise deployments.

AMD’s expansion strategy includes a string of acquisitions aimed at strengthening its AI and data center ecosystem. Over the past year, it has acquired companies such as ZT Systems, a server manufacturer, and several software startups focused on AI applications. On Monday, it announced the acquisition of MK1, a move intended to bolster its AI software expertise.

“We’ll continue to do AI software tuck-ins,” Chief Strategy Officer Mat Hein told Reuters, adding that the acquisitions are as much about acquiring talent as technology.

The company’s recent partnership with OpenAI marks one of its most significant strategic wins yet. Under a multiyear deal signed in October, AMD will supply chips for OpenAI’s infrastructure, a contract estimated to generate more than $100 billion in revenue over four years from OpenAI and other related customers. In return, OpenAI will receive warrants allowing it to purchase up to a 10% stake in AMD—a rare equity-linked arrangement that reflects the growing interdependence between AI developers and chip suppliers.

The partnership also gives AMD a direct foothold in the high-performance AI computing market, an area in which it has lagged compared to Nvidia. Analysts view the deal as a critical inflection point for AMD, which until recently had been overshadowed by Nvidia’s dominance in AI accelerators.

AMD’s last analyst day was in 2022, before the generative AI wave reshaped global chip demand. Since then, the Santa Clara-based company has sought to pivot from being primarily a CPU manufacturer into a diversified AI computing powerhouse. The timing appears favorable: data center operators and cloud firms worldwide are racing to expand infrastructure for AI workloads, a trend that could keep demand elevated for years.

Still, the competitive landscape remains unforgiving. Nvidia continues to capture the lion’s share of AI spending, while Intel is repositioning itself through its Gaudi AI chips and new manufacturing strategy. Yet AMD’s combination of a diversified chip portfolio, strategic acquisitions, and a landmark partnership with OpenAI could help it capture a meaningful share of the projected trillion-dollar market.

Now, AMD’s future is believed to rest on how effectively it can merge its hardware strength with AI-specific software and systems integration—turning its growing presence in CPUs into a full-fledged player across the AI computing spectrum.