Companies

Bruce S. Sherman, chief executive of Private Capital Management LP in Naples, is known for having a golden touch with investments and brass knuckles when it comes to personal relationships. And it's a safe bet Sherman made no friends at Knight Ridder Inc. in San Jose, Calif., Tuesday when he issued an ultimatum to the nation's second-biggest newspaper chain: Put yourself up for sale. Or else PCM...

NEW YORK: One of Knight Ridder's major shareholders, Southeastern Asset Management, notified the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that it wants to open discussions with the company about a potential sale. Southeastern, based in Memphis, Tenn., filed a SC 13D form relating to 6,585,800 shares of Knight Ridder common stock, constituting 8.9% of the 73,664,308 shares outstanding. Southeastern...

A potential sale of Knight Ridder Inc. might be the first shoe to drop in the long-talked-about consolidation of the newspaper industry. If so, somebody better deliver the news to prospective buyers. There don't seem to be many out there, at this point. Knight Ridder's biggest shareholder, Legg Mason Inc.'s Private Capital Management LP, this week called for the sale of the San Jose, Calif...

The media moguls are busier than ever. In the last few months, Rupert Murdoch, the News Corporation chairman, has announced a series of Web deals including the purchase of Myspace.com, a social networking site. Time Warner is in talks to sell a stake in a suddenly hot AOL. Walt Disney, meanwhile, agreed to shake up its business model and distribute some of its television shows on the latest Apple...

Nov 2, 2005 – NEW YORK (Reuters) - Time Warner Inc. on Wednesday reported an 80 percent jump in third-quarter profit, beating analyst expectations, as high-speed Internet and digital phone services drew more subscribers and online advertising sales increased. Addressing concerns by billionaire activist Carl Icahn, Time Warner also said it more than doubled its stock buyback commitment to $12.5...

NEW YORK: The news that Knight Ridder's largest shareholder, Private Capital Management (PCM), sent a letter to the board urging a sale of the company set off rampant speculation in the industry. While the stocks enjoyed a rally on the news of a potential takeover (similar to the Dow Jones rumor), most analysts weighing in think the sale of Knight Ridder is unlikely. Goldman Sachs is staying on...

NEW YORK: Deutsche Bank Securities upgraded its rating on Knight Ridder Wednesday from "sell" to "hold" based on Tuesday's news that Knight Ridder's largest shareholder, Private Capital Management (PCM), is pushing for a sale of the company. The firm's analysts think the probability of a transaction is "high." Additionally, the research firm expects other major shareholders -- including...

With many Knight Ridder employees still emptying their desks in the wake of the latest round of layoffs and buyouts, company executives found themselves faced with potential pink slips of their own this week, courtesy of the company's biggest shareholder, Private Capital Management. PCM warned the Knight Ridder board Tuesday that if it fails to take its advice and sell the company, PCM will likely...

NEW YORK: Private Capital Management LP, Knight Ridder Inc.'s largest shareholder, called for a sale of the newspaper publisher on Tuesday, citing management's inability to boost profit and the company's share price, according to a Bloomberg News report. In a letter dated Nov. 1, Bruce S. Sherman, CEO of PCM, asked Knight Ridder’s board of directors to consider breaking up the company. "In light...

When a gadfly independent legislator and television personality called Li Ao did a round of lectures at some of China's top universities last month, the meeting halls were packed, with swarms of students trying to catch his words on video monitors outside. Li, making his first visit to the mainland 56 years after fleeing as a teenager with his parents just before the communist victory in 1949...