Private Equity Is Injecting New Capital into the Franchise Industry
A wave of deals is hitting the restaurant world as PE zeros in on franchise operators.
Private equity firms are on a buying binge, snapping up giant restaurant franchise groups at high speed. Rather than targeting entire restaurant chains, they’re devouring the franchisees who run huge blocks of locations.
The appeal is obvious. Franchise portfolios are cash machines with a built-in growth engine. Investors get three easy wins: boost performance at existing units, open new stores and buy out other franchisees in the same system. And because these operators already know the business cold, PE money can scale them at high speed.
Sellers are lining up, too, especially in hot categories like Mexican fast casual, chicken, and anything drive-thru.
Verizon Cuts Over 13,000 Jobs as New CEO Launches Major Makeover
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Verizon is laying off more than 13,000 employees as it begins a sweeping restructuring under new CEO Dan Schulman. The cuts—largely outside the company’s unionized workforce—come as the telecom giant says its existing cost structure limits investment in customer-facing services.
Schulman framed the move as a full-throttle “reorientation,” saying Verizon must simplify operations and eliminate friction that frustrates users just as rivals step up their game.
The job reductions account for about 20 % of Verizon’s non-union managerial ranks, marking the company’s largest-ever layoff. A $20 million Reskilling and Career Transition Fund is being set up to help affected employees adapt.
Paramount Is Back on the Auction Block. Who Will Buy It?
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Paramount Global is up for grabs again, and some of the biggest names in media are lining up. According to The New York Times, companies ranging from Warner Bros. Discovery to Comcast to Netflix are interested as the studio looks for a buyer willing to take it on. The company’s assets — from CBS to Paramount Pictures to its vast film and TV library — make it one of the last major prizes in Hollywood.
The challenge is figuring out what Paramount is worth. Its cable channels are losing subscribers, and its streaming service still burns cash. That makes any bid a complicated bet on whether a buyer can squeeze value out of legacy assets while restarting growth in a crowded streaming market.
Still, analysts expect a sale. With consolidation sweeping the industry and scale becoming essential, the question isn’t whether Paramount will be sold — it’s which giant ends up writing the check.
Jack in the Box Is Looking to Regain Mojo Amid Fast-Food Slowdown
Photo by Bryan Chan/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Jack in the Box is fighting to stay competitive in a tough time for fast food. Sales have slipped, traffic is down, and rising costs are squeezing both customers and operators. The chain says consumers are watching every dollar, and it’s feeling the impact.
Sales dropped 7.4% last quarter, causing management to focus on better value. The company is rolling out new “Munch Better” deals with bigger portions, lower prices, and simpler menu options. These offers will run well into 2026 as Jack tries to get back on track.
The strategy is clear. Instead of shrinking its footprint or retreating, Jack in the Box is doubling down on aggressive value in a slowing market.
Marketers Are Ditching Corporations for Sports Teams — Here’s Why
Photo by Andrew Bershaw/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Big-name marketers are walking away from steady corporate jobs and jumping to professional sports teams, according to The Wall Street Journal. The reason? Sports teams are aggresively recruiting them from tech, retail, and finance. In fact, nearly two-thirds of sports-team CMO hires this year came from outside the industry.
Many of the marketers who’ve made the move say they made the righ choice: the work feels faster, more creative, and a lot less bogged down in corporate red tape. “It gets them out of just selling products,” said one executive recruiter.
The new trend shows that pro sports franchises are acting more like entertainment brands these days, pulling talent straight from the Fortune 500. Marketers get freedom and impact. Teams get expertise and momentum. And the line between a company and a sports brand keeps getting blurrier by the month.
Eli Lilly Just Became the First Healthcare Company to Hit $1 Trillion Thanks to Weight-Loss Drugs
Photo Illustration by Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Eli Lilly made history on Friday, becoming the first healthcare company to reach a $1 trillion market value.
The surge came after another rally in Lilly’s stock, fueled by massive demand for its hit weight-loss and diabetes drugs, Mounjaro and Zepbound. The treatments have reshaped the obesity-drug market and turned the 149-year-old pharma giant into one of the year’s strongest performers.
Investors now see Lilly as more of a hyper-growth company than a traditional drugmaker, and its meteoric rise has pushed it into the same valuation conversation as the biggest names in tech.
Private equity firms are on a buying binge, snapping up giant restaurant franchise groups at high speed. Rather than targeting entire restaurant chains, they’re devouring the franchisees who run huge blocks of locations.
The appeal is obvious. Franchise portfolios are cash machines with a built-in growth engine. Investors get three easy wins: boost performance at existing units, open new stores and buy out other franchisees in the same system. And because these operators already know the business cold, PE money can scale them at high speed.
Sellers are lining up, too, especially in hot categories like Mexican fast casual, chicken, and anything drive-thru.
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