American Airlines Fights Acquisition

Airlines have often suffered losses and were hit particularly hard during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, American Airlines (AA) has amassed significant losses. In fact, AA has an accrued tax benefit benefit due to $16.5 billion in net operating losses. To help avoid a hostile takeover which would allow the acquirer to claim the tax benefit, as well as a takeover for any other reason, AA has implemented a rights offering. Under the terms of the rights offering, AA will issue one preferred stock purchase right in the form of a dividend to each shareholder if an outside investor acquires more than 4.9 percent of the stock in the company. Each right will allow investors to purchase one share of stock at a 50 percent discount. This would serve to make a hostile takeover more expensive.

Apple Shines

Moody's recently upgraded its rating on Apple's long-term debt. Apple joins Microsoft and and Johnson & Johnson as the only three U.S non-financial corporations with AAA rated debt. Moody's credits the better credit rating with substantial operating scale, large installed base of products and services, strong customer loyalty, and brand positioning. 

Peloton And The City

In HBO's limited series reboot of Sex and the City, a Peloton bike has a major role. And even though Peloton was aware that the bike would be used, it was unaware (spoiler alert) that a major character would suffer a fatal heart attack after using the bike. And while using a product in a television show is generally more of a Marketing topic, it is also related to Finance as Peloton stock crashed 11.35 percent the day after the show first aired. Shares of the company are down 73 percent for the year, so this is not the first time the stock's foot slipped off the pedal.