Deal Files · ReferenceThe
The
acquisition
log
The deals that shaped careers, told from the seat nobody writes about. With the paper trail.
26Deals logged
6Live now
$0.6TStated value
Live now
Rumored, under review or still integrating.Integrating$35.3BDiscoverby Capital OneStep 5 of 5Closed May 2025 →Integrating$34.5BCox Communicationsby CharterStep 5 of 5Closed Aug 2026 →IntegratingAll-stockInterpublic (IPG)by OmnicomStep 5 of 5Closed Nov 2025 →Under review$85BNorfolk Southernby Union PacificStep 3 of 5Pending review →Under review$31/share cashWarner Bros. Discoveryby Paramount SkydanceStep 3 of 5Pending review →RumoredNo dealAmerican Airlineswith United AirlinesStep 1 of 5No deal announced →
All 26 deals · newest first
2020s13 deals
2026Capital One acquires BrexFinance$5.15BClosed
What happened to employees
Nothing on the record yet. If you were there, tell us what happened.
- Announced
- Jan 22, 2026
- Closed
- Apr 7, 2026
- Value
- $5.15B stock and cash
- Searches
- 1,600/mo in the US for “capital one brex”
2026Paramount Skydance to acquire Warner Bros. DiscoveryMedia$31/share cashUnder review
What happened to employees
- Sep 21, 2026State AG settlement: $47.5M workforce fund over 5 years for workers displaced by the merger; must honor existing collective bargaining agreements (CBAs); $1.5B added US film production investment; 30-32 films a yearCompany-confirmed ↗
- Announced
- Feb 27, 2026
- Closed
- Pending
- Value
- $31.00/share cash; ~$81B equity / ~$110-111B enterprise value
- Searches
- 6,600/mo in the US for “paramount warner bros merger”
Paper trailParamount press release: to acquire WBDPress release ↗WBD 8-K exhibit 99.1SEC filing ↗Netflix 8-K (termination of WBD agreement)SEC filing ↗California AG settlement release 2026-09-21Regulator ↗CBS News 2026-09-21News ↗TheWrap: judge holds off on settlement rulingNews ↗
Deal FileComing
Last checked Sep 25, 2026.2026United Airlines approached American AirlinesTransportNo dealRumored
What happened to employees
Nothing on the record yet. If you were there, tell us what happened.
From the employee seat
There is no deal. United approached, American said no. Searches for it are up 875% anyway, which tells you how fast rumors travel inside an airline.
- First reported
- Apr 13, 2026
- Announced
- No deal announced
- Closed
- —
- Value
- No deal. Approach reported, then rejected.
- Searches
- 5,400/mo in the US for “united american merger”
2025Union Pacific to acquire Norfolk SouthernTransport$85BUnder review
What happened to employees
- Aug 6, 2025Pledge: every union employee at combination keeps a job; efficiencies through attrition; ~1,200 net new union jobs projected by year 3Company-confirmed ↗
- Jul 22, 2026STB ordered the applicants to make the employee-impact exhibits (positions abolished/created/transferred) public by 2026-07-27Company-confirmed ↗
From the employee seat
The companies pledged that every union employee keeps a job. The review runs into 2027, which is a long time to wonder where you fit.
- Announced
- Jul 29, 2025
- Closed
- Pending
- Value
- $85B enterprise value for NS (1 UNP share + $88.82 cash per NS share; ~$320/share)
- Searches
- 5,400/mo in the US for “union pacific norfolk southern merger”
Paper trailSTB UP-NS merger resources (FD 36873)Regulator ↗STB PR 26-18 employee dataRegulator ↗UNP 8-K announcement exhibit (2025-07-29)SEC filing ↗NS press release: America's first transcontinental railroadPress release ↗UNP 10-Q Q2 2026 (close expected 2027)SEC filing ↗
Deal FileComing
Last checked Sep 25, 2026.2025Charter acquires Cox CommunicationsTelecom$34.5B
What happened to employees
- Oct 23, 2025 · 1,200Charter to cut ~1,200 corporate/back-office roles (~1% of ~95k), including Stamford HQ; front-line sales/service excluded. First reported by WSJ, then confirmed by Charter. Pre-close; some coverage ties it to Cox integration prep, Charter framed it as streamlining.Company-confirmed ↗
- Aug 21, 2026CEO Chris Winfrey: overhead/duplicate-title reductions will be 'de minimis' and won't hit front line; 1,000+ new neighborhood sales jobs; Cox offshore sales/service roles moved onshore within 18 months. No number given.Reported ↗
From the employee seat
Charter says it will hire 1,000+ sales roles in Cox markets and keep overhead cuts “de minimis.” Both can be true while your specific title is the duplicate.
- Announced
- May 16, 2025
- Closed
- Aug 19, 2026
- Value
- $34.5B (Cox enterprise value)
- Searches
- 1,900/mo in the US for “charter cox merger”
Paper trailCharter 8-K (Items 2.01 etc.), filed 2026-08-20, completion 2026-08-19SEC filing ↗Charter press release: transaction completePress release ↗Charter/Cox definitive agreement release (2025-05-16)Press release ↗FCC approvalRegulator ↗Variety: Charter closes $34.5B Cox dealNews ↗
Deal FileComing
Last checked Sep 25, 2026.2025Huntington acquires VeritexFinance$1.9BClosed
What happened to employees
- Nov 21, 2025 · 63Texas WARN notice: 63 Dallas employees, reported effective 2026-01-19WARN notice ↗
- Announced
- Jul 14, 2025
- Closed
- Oct 20, 2025
- Value
- $1.9B all-stock (1.95 HBAN shares per VBTX share)
- Searches
- 20/mo in the US for “huntington veritex merger”
2024Capital One acquires DiscoverFinance$35.3B
What happened to employees
- Mar 3, 2026 · 1,139Illinois WARN notice: 1,139 employees (532 on-site in Riverwoods, 69 Illinois remote, 538 remote elsewhere reporting to Riverwoods). Most leave May 4, 2026; the last group by Oct 2, 2026. The company cited enhanced severance, benefits and outplacement.WARN notice ↗
- Mar 5, 2026 · 1,748Reported total: 1,748 integration layoffs scheduled between October 2025 and October 2026, across two rounds of notices.Reported ↗
From the employee seat
Ten months after close, a WARN notice for 1,139 people. “No immediate changes” has an expiration date.
- Announced
- Feb 19, 2024
- Closed
- May 18, 2025
- Value
- $35.3B all-stock
- Searches
- 2,900/mo in the US for “capital one discover merger”
Paper trailCapital One: Completes Acquisition of DiscoverPress release ↗Capital One: Receives Final Regulatory ApprovalsPress release ↗Capital One 8-K Feb 2026 (executive severance plan amended/restated, eff. 2026-03-01)SEC filing ↗Chicago Sun-Times (WARN filed Mar 3, 2026)News ↗Banking Dive, 2026-03-05News ↗
Deal FileComing
Last checked Sep 25, 2026.2024Synopsys acquires AnsysTech~$35BClosed
What happened to employees
- Nov 12, 2025 · 2,8008-K Item 2.05 restructuring: ~10% of Synopsys workforce (as of FY2025 year-end); $300-350M pre-tax charges (severance, site closures); most cuts in FY2026, substantially complete by end of FY2027. Press reported this as up to ~2,800 of ~28,000.Company-confirmed ↗
From the employee seat
Four months after close, an 8-K announcing a roughly 10% workforce reduction.
- Announced
- Jan 16, 2024
- Closed
- Jul 17, 2025
- Value
- ~$35B enterprise value ($197 cash + 0.3450 SNPS shares per Ansys share)
- Searches
- 90/mo in the US for “synopsys ansys acquisition”
2024HPE acquires Juniper NetworksTech~$14BClosed
What happened to employees
Nothing on the record yet. If you were there, tell us what happened.
- Announced
- Jan 9, 2024
- Closed
- Jul 2, 2025
- Value
- $40.00/share cash; ~$14B equity value
- Searches
- 170/mo in the US for “hpe juniper acquisition”
2024Omnicom acquires Interpublic (IPG)MediaAll-stock
What happened to employees
- Dec 1, 2025 · 4,000Omnicom to eliminate ~4,000 roles after close; ~10,000 more affected by divestitures/exits (PR Daily says ~10,000 eliminations in total since announcement, ~8% of workforce). DDB, FCB and MullenLowe networks retired and folded into BBDO, TBWA and McCann.Reported ↗
From the employee seat
Searches for this deal peaked at 18,100 in December 2025, the month the cuts were announced. Not at the announcement, and not at close.
- Announced
- Dec 9, 2024
- Closed
- Nov 26, 2025
- Value
- All-stock; 0.344 OMC shares per IPG share
- Searches
- 2,400/mo in the US for “omnicom ipg merger”
Paper trailOmnicom: Completes Acquisition of InterpublicPress release ↗Omnicom 8-K (Dec 2024 merger agreement)SEC filing ↗Axios 2025-12-02News ↗PR DailyNews ↗Last checked Sep 25, 2026.
2022Microsoft acquires Activision BlizzardMedia$68.7BClosed
What happened to employees
- Jan 25, 2024 · 1,900Microsoft Gaming cuts ~1,900 of ~22,000 roles, per a Phil Spencer memo citing areas of overlap after the acquisitionReported ↗
From the employee seat
1,900 gaming roles cut about three months after close. The memo pointed to areas of overlap.
- Announced
- Jan 18, 2022
- Closed
- Oct 13, 2023
- Value
- $68.7B all-cash ($95.00/share)
- Target staff
- 9,800 (2021-12-31)
- Searches
- 170/mo in the US for “microsoft activision blizzard”
2022Broadcom acquires VMwareTech$61BClosed
What happened to employees
- Nov 27, 2023 · 1,267California WARN notice from Broadcom Inc.: 1,267 layoffs at 3401 Hillview Ave, Palo Alto (former VMware HQ). Received 2024-01-03; effective 2024-01-26; permanent.WARN notice ↗
- Dec 1, 2023News reports put total VMware-related layoffs across states at more than 2,800.Reported ↗
- Feb 4, 2024Broadcom recognized $712M of restructuring charges, mainly employee termination costs, in the quarter ended 2024-02-04, tied to the VMware integration.In a filing ↗
From the employee seat
Closed on a Wednesday; a California WARN notice for 1,267 people at VMware’s headquarters was dated five days later. Speed is a strategy.
- Announced
- May 26, 2022
- Closed
- Nov 22, 2023
- Value
- About $61B equity (cash and stock, based on AVGO's 2022-05-25 close) plus $8B of VMware net debt assumed
- Target staff
- 38,300 (2023-02-03)
- Searches
- 320/mo in the US for “broadcom vmware acquisition”
Paper trailVMware 8-K Ex. 99.1: Broadcom to acquire VMware (2022-05-26)SEC filing ↗Broadcom 8-K Ex. 99.1: Broadcom completes acquisition of VMware (2023-11-22)SEC filing ↗Broadcom 10-Q, quarter ended 2024-02-04 (consideration; restructuring)SEC filing ↗VMware 10-K FY2023 (38,300 employees)SEC filing ↗CA EDD WARN report 7/1/2023–6/30/2024Regulator ↗Fortune: Tan tells VMware staff to return to office (secondary)News ↗Last checked Sep 25, 2026.
2022Elon Musk acquires TwitterTech$44BClosed
What happened to employees
- Nov 4, 2022 · 3,700Mass layoff of about half the workforce (~3,700 people, per reports). Employees were notified Nov 4.Reported ↗
- Nov 4, 2022 · 983California WARN notices, as reported: 784 in San Francisco, 106 in San Jose, 93 in Santa Monica (983 total), effective around Jan 4, 2023.Reported ↗
From the employee seat
About half the staff were notified within eight days of close. The textbook case against “wait and see.”
- Announced
- Apr 25, 2022
- Closed
- Oct 27, 2022
- Value
- ~$44B all-cash ($54.20/share)
- Target staff
- 7,500 (2021-12-31)
- Searches
- 90/mo in the US for “musk buys twitter”
Paper trailTwitter 8-K Ex.99.1 'Elon Musk to Acquire Twitter' (2022-04-25)SEC filing ↗Twitter 8-K, merger agreement (filed 2022-04-26)SEC filing ↗Twitter 8-K, completion of merger 2022-10-27SEC filing ↗Twitter 10-K FY2021 (headcount)SEC filing ↗Twitter DEFM14A proxySEC filing ↗Last checked Sep 25, 2026.
2010s8 deals
2017Disney acquires 21st Century FoxMedia$71.3BClosed
What happened to employees
- Mar 21, 2019Layoffs begin at 20th Century Fox the day after close, starting with senior film marketing and distribution executives. About 4,000 cuts were widely reported; Disney did not confirm a number.Reported ↗
- May 17, 2019Further 'widespread' Disney/Fox post-merger layoffs reportedReported ↗
From the employee seat
A studio absorbed into a studio: overlap in every back-office function. Layoffs began the day after close.
- Announced
- Dec 14, 2017
- Closed
- Mar 20, 2019
- Value
- $52.4B all-stock at announcement; $71.3B cash and stock after the 2018-06-20 amendment
- Searches
- 390/mo in the US for “disney buys fox”
Paper trailDisney 8-K Ex.99.1 original agreement, $52.4B stock (2017-12-14)SEC filing ↗Disney 8-K Ex.99.1 amended agreement, $71.3B (2018-06-20)SEC filing ↗New Disney 8-K12B Ex.99.1 closing / per-share value (2019-03)SEC filing ↗Disney 10-Q XBRL acquisitions note ($69.5B consideration)SEC filing ↗Variety: Layoffs hit Disney and Fox film groupsNews ↗Last checked Sep 25, 2026.
2017Amazon acquires Whole Foods MarketConsumer$13.7BClosed
What happened to employees
- Mar 23, 2018Whole Foods laid off in-store/regional marketing and graphic-design staff as operations were centralized. No official count was given.Reported ↗
- Announced
- Jun 16, 2017
- Closed
- Aug 28, 2017
- Value
- $13.7B (all cash, $42.00/share, including Whole Foods' net debt)
- Target staff
- 87,000 (2017-06-16 (announcement))
- Searches
- 720/mo in the US for “amazon buys whole foods”
2016Bayer acquires MonsantoIndustrial~$66BClosed
What happened to employees
- Nov 29, 2018 · 12,000Bayer announces about 12,000 job cuts group-wide by the end of 2021 (confirmed in its 2018 annual report). About 4,100 were reported to be in Crop Science, where Monsanto was integrated.Company-confirmed ↗
- Announced
- Sep 14, 2016
- Closed
- Jun 7, 2018
- Value
- About $66B aggregate; $128/share, all cash
- Target staff
- 20,000 (2016-09-14 ('more than 20,000'))
- Searches
- 320/mo in the US for “bayer monsanto merger”
Paper trailMonsanto 8-K: Bayer/Monsanto merger press release (2016-09-14)SEC filing ↗Monsanto 8-K Ex. 99.1: Bayer Closes Monsanto Acquisition (2018-06-07)SEC filing ↗Bayer: Bayer closes Monsanto acquisition (2018-06-07)Press release ↗Bayer: Bayer completes biggest acquisition in its history ($63B incl. debt)Press release ↗Bayer Annual Report 2018 (mirror on annualreports.com)Press release ↗DOJ: largest negotiated merger divestiture ever (2018-05-29) — not openedRegulator ↗CNN: Bayer cutting 12,000 jobs (secondary)News ↗Last checked Sep 25, 2026.
2016Microsoft acquires LinkedInTech$26.2BClosed
What happened to employees
Nothing on the record yet. If you were there, tell us what happened.
- Announced
- Jun 13, 2016
- Closed
- Dec 8, 2016
- Value
- $26.2B (all cash, $196/share, inclusive of LinkedIn's net cash)
- Target staff
- 10,113 (2016-09-30)
- Searches
- 90/mo in the US for “microsoft linkedin acquisition”
Paper trailMicrosoft News: Microsoft to acquire LinkedIn (2016-06-13)Press release ↗LinkedIn 8-K Ex. 99.1 joint releaseSEC filing ↗LinkedIn: Microsoft completes acquisition of LinkedIn (2016-12-08)Press release ↗Official Microsoft Blog (2016-12-08)Press release ↗Microsoft 10-K FY2017 ($27.0B total purchase price)SEC filing ↗Last checked Sep 25, 2026.
2014Facebook acquires WhatsAppTech~$16BClosed
What happened to employees
Nothing on the record yet. If you were there, tell us what happened.
- Announced
- Feb 19, 2014
- Closed
- Oct 6, 2014
- Value
- ~$16B ($4B cash + ~$12B stock) plus $3B RSUs = ~$19B
- Searches
- 260/mo in the US for “facebook buys whatsapp”
2014Apple acquires BeatsConsumer$3.0BClosed
What happened to employees
Nothing on the record yet. If you were there, tell us what happened.
- Announced
- May 28, 2014
- Closed
- Jul 31, 2014
- Value
- $3.0B: about $2.6B purchase price plus about $400M in Apple stock vesting over time
- Searches
- 170/mo in the US for “apple buys beats”
2012Disney acquires LucasfilmMedia$4.05BClosed
What happened to employees
Nothing on the record yet. If you were there, tell us what happened.
- Announced
- Oct 30, 2012
- Closed
- Dec 21, 2012
- Value
- $4.05B, ~50% cash / ~50% stock (~40M shares)
- Searches
- 170/mo in the US for “disney buys lucasfilm”
2012Facebook acquires InstagramTech~$1BClosed
What happened to employees
Nothing on the record yet. If you were there, tell us what happened.
- Announced
- Apr 9, 2012
- Closed
- Aug 2012
- Value
- ~$1B cash + stock
- Searches
- 480/mo in the US for “facebook buys instagram”
2000s4 deals
2009Disney acquires Marvel EntertainmentMedia~$4BClosed
What happened to employees
Nothing on the record yet. If you were there, tell us what happened.
- Announced
- Aug 31, 2009
- Closed
- Dec 31, 2009
- Value
- ~$4.0B cash + stock ($30 cash + ~0.745 DIS share per Marvel share)
- Searches
- 320/mo in the US for “disney buys marvel”
2007Cerberus Capital buys 80.1% of ChryslerIndustrial$7.4BClosed
What happened to employees
Nothing on the record yet. If you were there, tell us what happened.
- Announced
- May 14, 2007
- Closed
- Aug 3, 2007
- Value
- €5.5B ($7.4B) capital contribution for 80.1%; DaimlerChrysler retained 19.9%
- Searches
- 50/mo in the US for “cerberus chrysler”
Paper trailDaimlerChrysler 6-K: Cerberus takes over majority interest (2007-05-14)SEC filing ↗DaimlerChrysler 6-K: closes transaction (2007-08-03)SEC filing ↗Last checked Sep 25, 2026.
2006Google acquires YouTubeMedia$1.65BClosed
What happened to employees
Nothing on the record yet. If you were there, tell us what happened.
- Announced
- Oct 9, 2006
- Closed
- Nov 13, 2006
- Value
- $1.65B all-stock
- Searches
- 210/mo in the US for “google buys youtube”
2000AOL merges with Time WarnerMediaAll-stockClosed
What happened to employees
- Jan 24, 2001Company-wide job cuts announced right after closing (reported as about 2,000–2,400)Reported ↗
- Dec 31, 2002 · 6,400Merger-related workforce reduction at Time Warner units. About 8,200 employees were initially identified for involuntary termination or relocation, and about 6,400 had occurred by the end of 2002.In a filing ↗
From the employee seat
About 8,200 employees were identified for termination or relocation; about 6,400 of those had happened by the end of 2002.
- Announced
- Jan 10, 2000
- Closed
- Jan 11, 2001
- Value
- Stock-for-stock: 1 AOL Time Warner share per AOL share and 1.5 per Time Warner share. No total deal value appears in the primary filings I opened.
- Searches
- 590/mo in the US for “aol time warner merger”
Paper trailAOL Time Warner 8-K, merger effective 2001-01-11SEC filing ↗AOL Time Warner 10-K transition report FY2000 (merger agreement dated 2000-01-10; ~$147B cost; 88,500 combined employees)SEC filing ↗FTC approves AOL/Time Warner merger with conditions (2000-12-14)Regulator ↗AOL Time Warner 10-K FY2002 (net loss $98.696B; impairments)SEC filing ↗Last checked Sep 25, 2026.
1990s1 deal
1998Daimler-Benz merges with ChryslerIndustrialAll-stockUnwound
What happened to employees
- Feb 26, 2001 · 26,000Chrysler Group Turnaround Plan: workforce reduction of 26,000 (20%) over three years, announced from Dec 2000/Jan 2001; 19,300 in 2001In a filing ↗
- Feb 14, 2007 · 13,000Chrysler Group Recovery and Transformation Plan: 13,000 employee reduction (about 16%) over 2007–2009In a filing ↗
From the employee seat
Sold as a “merger of equals.” Within three years Chrysler announced 26,000 job cuts; nine years later it was sold off.
- Announced
- May 7, 1998
- Closed
- Nov 12, 1998
- Unwound
- Aug 3, 2007
- Value
- Not stated as a purchase price. Chrysler holders got 0.6235 DaimlerChrysler shares per share (0.547 in the original release, before capital adjustments).
- Target staff
- 121,000 (1997 (per joint release of 1998-05-07))
- Searches
- 210/mo in the US for “daimler chrysler merger”
No deals match. This search didn't survive the integration.
How to read the log
Every deal here traces to a primary source: an SEC filing, a company release, a regulator or a court. Values are headline values as the companies announced them, in US dollars; value at close is noted when it differed. Layoff figures are labelled by basis: a WARN notice or a company statement, or “reported” when only the press has the number. Search volumes are measured US monthly searches, not a ranking.
Held back until a primary source turns up: Google–Android.
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