latest news in companies
Yum! Brands Reviews Pizza Hut Sale Amid Plans to Close 250 U.S. Locations
Louisville, Friday, 6 February 2026.
Yum! Brands is actively exploring the divestiture of its Pizza Hut division, signaling a major strategic shift to optimize its portfolio. This review coincides with the planned closure of approximately 250 underperforming U.S. restaurants in the first half of 2026 under the “Hut Forward” initiative. The decision follows a challenging 2025, where Pizza Hut saw a 5% decline in domestic same-store sales, weighing down the parent company’s otherwise strong performance driven by Taco Bell and KFC. Notably, Yum! has excluded Pizza Hut from its 2026 growth guidance, suggesting a committed path toward separating the legacy brand to focus on its higher-growth assets.
Fox Broadcast Ratings Hit 14-Year High as Murdoch Weighs Future Sports Rights Costs
Los Angeles, Friday, 6 February 2026.
Fox Corporation CEO Lachlan Murdoch reported the network’s strongest midseason broadcast performance in over a decade, defying linear television trends. While Q2 revenues climbed to $5.18 billion, Murdoch delivered a crucial strategic signal: the company is prepared to “rebalance” its lucrative sports portfolio if NFL rights fees become prohibitive, prioritizing profitability over retaining every asset.
Taylor Swift Challenges Ad-Supported Streaming With Exclusive Video Premiere
Los Angeles, Friday, 6 February 2026.
Withholding her star-studded Opalite video from YouTube for 48 hours, Swift leverages her market power to prioritize paid subscriptions, effectively devaluing ad-supported platforms for premium releases.
Govtech Giant Conduent Reveals Data Breach Now Affects Millions More Americans
Florham Park, Friday, 6 February 2026.
The scope of Conduent’s security failure has exploded, with confirmed victims in Texas alone jumping to over 15 million, significantly widening the impact of this government contractor breach.
Jennifer Garner’s Organic Brand Secures $720 Million Valuation in IPO
New York, Friday, 6 February 2026.
Jennifer Garner’s organic nutrition brand, Once Upon a Farm, successfully priced its IPO at $18 per share, raising nearly $198 million. Valued at roughly $720 million, the company tests investor appetite for premium health foods as it debuts on the NYSE today, despite reporting recent net losses.
Coty Pivots to Core Brands and Scraps Financial Outlook Amid Leadership Transition
New York, Friday, 6 February 2026.
On February 5, 2026, Coty Inc. withdrew its full-year financial guidance, signaling a major strategic reset under new interim CEO Markus Strobel. Facing a 15% decline in adjusted EBITDA and sluggish performance in its consumer beauty segment, the company unveiled its “Coty. Curated” framework to streamline operations and prioritize high-performing assets. Despite a revenue increase to $1.68 billion in Q2, the market reacted negatively, with shares dropping over 8% as the company missed earnings forecasts. The most critical development lies in Strobel’s immediate move to halt smaller projects and terminate licenses like Orveda, focusing instead on powerhouses like Burberry and Kylie Cosmetics. With leverage at a nine-year low following the $750 million Wella stake sale, Coty is positioning itself for a leaner future, though it warns of continued headwinds in the coming quarter.
Reddit Surpasses Earnings Estimates and Launches $1 Billion Stock Buyback Program
San Francisco, Thursday, 5 February 2026.
Reddit posted 70% revenue growth to $726 million, significantly beating estimates. Management signaled confidence in sustained profitability by authorizing a massive $1 billion share repurchase program.
Amazon Shares Slide as Rising AI Costs Overshadow Strong Cloud Revenue Beat
Seattle, Thursday, 5 February 2026.
Despite Amazon Web Services accelerating to 24% growth, shares tumbled over 7% as investors scrutinized a slight earnings miss and forecasts for aggressive infrastructure spending on artificial intelligence.
CuriosityStream Targets AI Revenue Growth with New Commercial Chief
Silver Spring, Thursday, 5 February 2026.
CuriosityStream pivots toward high-tech revenue streams, tasking industry veteran John Vilade with monetizing its massive factual content library specifically for artificial intelligence model training.