Corporate

AT&T has reached an agreement to buy Time Warner Inc. for $85.4 billion, $107.50 a share, evenly split between cash and stock. AT&T, the nation’s second largest cell phone carrier, will gain control of TV networks like HBO, TNT and CNN in the biggest deal of its kind since Comcast acquired NBC Universal five years ago. The companies said they expect the deal to close by the end of 2017.

“Premium content always wins,” said Randall Stephenson, AT&T chairman and chief executive. “It has been true on the big screen, the TV screen, and now it’s proving true on the mobile screen.”

Now it’s official: Nissan bought 34% stake in Mitsubishi. The deal cost Nissan $2.3 billion, according to the Wall Street Journal, and brings Mitsubishi into the Nissan-Renault Alliance. Carlos Ghosn, CEO of both Nissan and Renault, has been nominated to be the new chairman of the Mitsubishi board. The agreement created the world’s fourth-largest auto group, after Toyota, Volkswagen and General Motors.

Mondo TV has reached an agreement with Nine Hong Technology, a Hong Kong-based company, for the purchase by the latter of a share of 70% of the exploitation rights of the new projects that Mondo TV will produce with Henan York Animation , announced a few days ago, and two other projects for China and 10% of the exploitation rights in the rest of the world.

Swatch CEO Nick Hayek claims to be optimistic, despite the difficulties in the Chinese market "We’ve seen growth in China since July, every month a bit blackberries," particularly as regards the trend of Omega but also that of Blancpain Longines, as he stated in an interview published today on the newspaper "Handelszeitung". Swatch is taking advantage of the weakness of the British pound due to Brexit

Johnson & Johnson closed Q3 with profits at $4.27 billion, an increase compared to $3.36 billion a year ago. The result per share in adjusted version, therefore net of extraordinary items, came in at $1.68, + 3c than previously estimated. Better than expected, sales rose by 4.2% to $17.82 billion ($17.74 billion to estimates). Domestic sales increased 6.7% while international sales increased 1.5%, reflecting operational growth of 1.7% and a negative currency impact of 0.2%.

Ryanair cut its full-year profit forecast by 5% Tuesday, lower than previously expected, due to the pound’s slump since Britain voted in June to exit the EU, heaping more turbulence on a troubled sector.

The Ireland-based company now expects full-year earnings of between €1.30 billion (£1.17 billion) and €1.35 billion (£1.22 billion), down from the previous range of €1.38 billion (£1.24 billion) to €1.43 billion (£1.28 billion).

BSI planned a series of layoffs, as reported yesterday by leaders of the bank’s to RSI television: cutting 14 employees (out of a total of 1,200 employees in Switzerland) are not part of a restructuring process, as "Dismissal it is an ordinary measure developed over time due to poor performance."

PepsiCo announced on Monday that it will start reducing the amount of sugar in its soft drinks all over the world and that by 2025 at least two thirds of its drinks will have 100 calories or fewer from added sugar per 12 oz serving, up from about 40% now.

PepsiCo and rival company Coca-Cola have faced mounting pressure from health experts and governments who point to their products as a driver for obesity and diabetes, Fortune reports. Its 2025 goals also include targets for lowering sodium and saturated fat.