1. Trump Nearly Assassinated While Playing Golf
2. Carlyle-Backed Chemical Firm Nouryon Revives IPO Plan
3. Walmart Family Wealth Grows by $30 Billion
4. Apple’s California Office Buildings Listed for Sale
5. Amazon Ends Remote Work, Restructures Management
6. Goldman Sachs Trading Desk: Time to Buy the Dip in AI Stocks
7. Tupperware Plans Bankruptcy Filing
1. Trump Nearly Assassinated While Playing Golf
Last Sunday, former President Donald Trump was targeted in an assassination attempt while golfing at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. The suspect, 58-year-old Ryan Routh, was arrested today for violating federal gun laws.
The FBI believes Routh intended to assassinate Trump, although the investigation is ongoing. A Secret Service agent reportedly spotted a rifle emerging from the bushes and fired in that direction. Routh then attempted to flee in a car but was apprehended.
Routh had prior charges: in 2002 for possessing weapons of mass destruction, and in 2010 for possessing stolen goods—both in North Carolina.
If convicted, Routh faces up to 15 years in prison plus an additional 5 years.
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2. Carlyle-Backed Chemical Firm Nouryon Revives IPO Plan
Sources say specialty chemical manufacturer Nouryon, backed by private equity giant Carlyle, has restarted its IPO process. The company has hired Barclays and Goldman Sachs to lead the deal, which could happen as soon as early next year.
Nouryon produces chemicals used in agriculture, paints, and personal care products, and may be valued at up to $14.5 billion.
In 2018, Carlyle and Singapore’s GIC acquired Nouryon for €10.1 billion — still one of Europe’s largest buyouts.
With Fed rate cuts expected, the IPO and M&A environment is improving, prompting private equity firms to start exiting investments.
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3. Walmart Family Wealth Grows by $30 Billion
Last Friday, Walmart stock hit an all-time high, pushing the net worth of Sam Walton’s heirs — Jim Walton and Rob Walton — to $102.5 billion and $100.4 billion respectively, while Alice Walton reached $99.7 billion.
The Walton family remains one of the wealthiest in the world, with a combined fortune of around $350 billion. The three siblings gained nearly $30 billion in wealth this year alone.
Walmart’s stock is up 53% year-to-date, driven by strong growth in its e-commerce business.
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4. Apple’s California Office Buildings Listed for Sale
New York-based developer Tricap is selling several California office buildings leased to Apple.
Tricap hired Newmark Group to manage the sale of the 350,000-square-foot Sunnyvale property, which brokers estimate could fetch $270–$300 million.
Apple currently leases three of Tricap’s buildings in Sunnyvale, with one lease expiring in six years. The area boasts robust fiber-optic infrastructure, critical for tech companies.
Earlier this year, Nvidia also acquired part of its headquarters campus in nearby Santa Clara.
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5. Amazon Ends Remote Work, Restructures Management
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy announced in a letter to staff today that the company will streamline its management structure and eliminate unnecessary layers.
Beginning January, Amazon employees will be required to return to the office five days a week.
Jassy believes a bloated org chart leads to redundant meetings and inefficiencies. He urged teams to identify unnecessary tasks and cut them out.
He wants Amazon to operate like “the world’s largest startup,” emphasizing urgency and accountability.
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6. Goldman Sachs Trading Desk: Time to Buy the Dip in AI Stocks
In a note to clients last Thursday, Goldman Sachs’ trading desk said the recent pullback in AI-related stocks presents a buying opportunity, thanks to strong fundamentals and the Fed’s anticipated rate cuts.
Goldman’s AI stock basket includes Nvidia, Microsoft, Apple, Google, Amazon, Meta, and Oracle. The basket has dropped 11% since its July 10 peak.
Earlier this year, Goldman launched two new stock portfolios focused on data centers and energy providers supporting AI infrastructure. Both have seen recent declines: -8% and -5%, respectively.
Some traders expect the Fed may cut rates by 50 basis points this Wednesday.
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7. Tupperware Plans Bankruptcy Filing
Food storage container brand Tupperware Brands plans to file for bankruptcy as early as this week, after years of declining demand and failed turnaround strategies.
The company carries $700 million in debt and previously defaulted this year, although creditors granted limited concessions. The business has continued to deteriorate.
In June, Tupperware closed its only U.S. factory and laid off 150 workers. Leadership changes, including a new CEO and several board members last year, failed to reverse its fortunes.
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This content is sourced from Financial Times, Bloomberg, and The Real Deal, among other financial news outlets.