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Major Shareholder Saudi prince Alwaleed bin Talal rejects Elon Musk's Twitter Takeover Bid
Reuters via Yahoo Finance ^ | 04/14/2022 | Omar Fahmy and Saeed Azhar

Posted on 04/14/2022 9:57:58 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

CAIRO, April 14 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabian investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal said on Thursday that as one of the major shareholders in Twitter he rejected a takeover bid by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk.

"I don't believe that the proposed offer by Elon Musk ($54.20 per share) comes close to the intrinsic value of Twitter given its growth prospects," the prince said in a Twitter post.

Musk took aim at Twitter Inc with a $43 billion cash takeover offer on Thursday, with the Tesla CEO saying the social media giant needs to be taken private to grow and become a platform for free speech.

(Excerpt) Read more at finance.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: alwaleedbintalal; bloomberg; elonmusk; elonmusktwitter; freespeech; internet; jeffbezos; musk; muslimimperialism; opec; robertreich; saudi; saudiarabia; saudiprince; socialmedia; takeover; twitter
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1 posted on 04/14/2022 9:57:58 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind
Saudi Prince Alwaleed just rejected the offer, via Twitter:

"I don't believe that the proposed offer by @elonmusk ($54.20) comes close to the intrinsic value of @Twitter given its growth prospects. Being one of the largest & long-term shareholders of Twitter @Kingdom_KHC & I reject this offer."

The Saudi Prince apparently owns 5.2% of TWTR (since 2015)...

...and just like that, the gains were gone...

We wonder exactly what the "intrinsic value" of TWTR is - according to Alwaleed above?

Of course, there is one winner if Musk's bid fails... "democracy."

* * *

Update (1105ET): Reuters reports Twitter will hold an 'all-hands meeting' with employees at 1400 PST (or 1700 ET) to discuss Elon Musk's offer to purchase the social media platform.

*TWITTER WILL HOLD AN ALL HANDS MEETING WITH EMPLOYEES AT 2PM PACIFIC TO DISCUSS MUSK OFFER -SOURCE

Twitter shares are fading quickly after reaching as high as $54 premarket.

Will Musk's bid satisfy Twitter management?

* * *

Update (1000ET): Twitter shares faded from premarket highs of $54 per share to around the mid-point of the $47 handle at the start of the US cash session. Some believe Elon Musk's offer is too low.

Here's what Wall Street analysts are saying about Musk's proposed takeover of the social media platform (courtesy of Bloomberg):

Piper Sandler (neutral; PT $45)

*"We are in uncharted territory with this situation," but a counteroffer is unlikely

*The offer price "seems reasonable"

Vital Knowledge

*"It seems hard to imagine TWTR's board would accept a $54.20/shr. bid given the stock was at $70 less than a year ago"

*The money might be a problem, as much of Musk's wealth is tied up in Tesla and SpaceX; while he could partner with other Twitter holders on a bid, "he would struggle to get together enough money to bump the price much beyond $54.20"

Bloomberg Intelligence

"Though there could be a competing bid, we believe any revised offer may not exceed $50 billion, given Twitter's mid- to high-teens growth"

CFRA

*Downgrades Twitter to hold from buy

*"The offer price should be viewed as enticing to shareholders (near our $55 target price) and will be difficult to reject"

*If the offer is rejected, Musk could walk away rather than raise his offer, "which would likely drive shares considerably lower"

Wedbush (neutral; PT $42)

*"In our view, the deal does not get done at this level, and Twitter's Board will not view this offer, or Mr. Musk leading a change in the company as in the best interest of the company or shareholders"

Loup Ventures

*"Investors should welcome Musk first principles approach to running companies," as "he has a high capacity to try new things including direct monetization"

Oppenheimer

*Downgrades to perform from outperform, removes $60 price target

*Twitter "should trade at a 20-30% discount to SNAP on '22E revenue which would represent TWTR shares between $48-$54 on our current estimates"

Meanwhile...

Well this is awkward: TWTR board hired Goldman to "advise" it that the @elonmusk $54.20 offer is too low. Only problem: Goldman has a SELL rating with a $30 price target. Oops. pic.twitter.com/ViQXnXBD3C — zerohedge (@zerohedge) April 14, 2022

* * *

Update (0925ET): Shortly after the news broke that Elon Musk offered to purchase 100% of Twitter for around $43 billion with a bid of $54.20, Twitter acknowledged the offer. A few hours later, the social media company will hold a board meeting around 1000 ET to discuss the offer.

Ahead of the board meeting, here are the top shareholders that matter the most. The question is which way they will vote...

* * *

It's a worst-case scenario for the easily triggered snowflake employees at Twitter: Elon Musk has just offered to buy the entire company. And even in doing so, he hasn't stopped trolling.

Elon Musk has made a bold move by offering to purchase 100% of Twitter for around $43 billion with a bid of $54.20.

According to an updated 13D filing read that Musk offered "to acquire all of the outstanding Common Stock of the Issuer not owned by the Reporting Person for all cash consideration valuing the Common Stock at $54.20 per share (which values the company around $43 billion)," warning Twitter management this is his "high price" and "if the deal doesn't work," he would "reconsider my position as a shareholder."

pic.twitter.com/DmCsJYnO9l — ForexLive (@ForexLive) April 14, 2022

Here is the letter Musk sent to Twitter's chairman disclosed in the 13D filing.

Bret Taylor

Chairman of the Board,

I invested in Twitter as I believe in its potential to be the platform for free speech around the globe, and I believe free speech is a societal imperative for a functioning democracy.

However, since making my investment I now realize the company will neither thrive nor serve this societal imperative in its current form. Twitter needs to be transformed as a private company.

As a result, I am offering to buy 100% of Twitter for $54.20 per share in cash, a 54% premium over the day before I began investing in Twitter and a 38% premium over the day before my investment was publicly announced. My offer is my best and final offer and if it is not accepted, I would need to reconsider my position as a shareholder.

Twitter has extraordinary potential. I will unlock it.

-Elon Musk

Reminiscent of Musk's previous '420'-related faux pas, we do note that the boiler plate in the filing also raises the specter of whether this deal is 'funding secured'...

"The Proposal is non-binding and, once structured and agreed upon, would be conditioned upon, among other things, the (i) receipt of any required governmental approvals; (ii) confirmatory legal, business, regulatory, accounting and tax due diligence; (iii) the negotiation and execution of definitive agreements providing for the Proposed Transaction; and (iv) completion of anticipated financing," the filing noted.

Here's a text Musk sent Twitter management:

"As I indicated this weekend, I believe that the company should be private to go through the changes that need to be made. After the past several days of thinking this over, I have decided I want to acquire the company and take it private. I am going to send you an offer letter tonight, it will be public in the morning. Are you available to chat?"

And the transcript of a voicemail:

Best and Final:

a. I am not playing the back-and-forth game.

b. I have moved straight to the end.

c. It's a high price and your shareholders will love it.

d. If the deal doesn't work, given that I don't have confidence in management nor do I believe I can drive the necessary change in the public market, I would need to reconsider my position as a shareholder.

i. This is not a threat, it's simply not a good investment without the changes that need to be made.

ii. And those changes won't happen without taking the company private.

2. My advisors and my team are available after you get the letter to answer any questions

a. There will be more detail in our public filings. After you receive the letter and review the public filings, your team can call my family office with any questions.

Shares in the social media platform soared as much as 18% on the news.

It's been a wild rollercoaster of events over the few weeks.

Elon Musk went from:


2 posted on 04/14/2022 9:58:56 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

Doesn’t this POS Muslim own a big chunk of Foxnews? Why is this Muslim POS in charge of what we can and can’t say here in America? What the hell is going on?


3 posted on 04/14/2022 9:59:45 AM PDT by imabadboy99
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To: SeekAndFind

It has no growth prospects. The left has taken it over and made it extremely clear that it’s THEIR tool. The stock is going to only keep going lower.


4 posted on 04/14/2022 10:00:11 AM PDT by DouglasKC
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To: imabadboy99

Good question, relative noob, good question.


5 posted on 04/14/2022 10:01:44 AM PDT by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist!)
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To: SeekAndFind

Isn’t this the guy Trump called the Dopey Prince?
Lol


6 posted on 04/14/2022 10:03:24 AM PDT by rainee (Trump won! )
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To: SeekAndFind

And now folks had better understand that foreign countries have control over large parts of our country.


7 posted on 04/14/2022 10:03:51 AM PDT by joma89 (Buy weapons and ammo, folks, and have the will to use them.)
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To: DouglasKC
The stock is going to only keep going lower.

I agree. Twitter has "first mover" status and scale, but anyone can create a similar app that does the same thing. Participants will flee Twitter as it becomes the "unfashionable" place to play. I can't imagine what potential Musk saw in Twitter. Maybe he is just trolling or black-mailing them.

8 posted on 04/14/2022 10:04:14 AM PDT by PGR88
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To: SeekAndFind

Imagine a Saudi prince being opposed to free speech. Surprise, surprise, surprise.


9 posted on 04/14/2022 10:04:26 AM PDT by gunnut
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To: SeekAndFind

Musk can just keep slurping up public shares… regardless of what the board does


10 posted on 04/14/2022 10:04:48 AM PDT by HamiltonJay
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To: SeekAndFind

Everyone should study that investor list to understand who’s been stomping on our ability to speak out and especially squelching Don Trump.


11 posted on 04/14/2022 10:05:26 AM PDT by Regulator (It's fraud, Jim)
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To: joma89

Stop noticing things!


12 posted on 04/14/2022 10:05:35 AM PDT by proust (All posts made under this handle are, for the intents and purposes of the author, considered satire.)
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To: DouglasKC

“It has no growth prospects. The left has taken it over and made it extremely clear that it’s THEIR tool. The stock is going to only keep going lower.”

Yep. If Elon is willing to spring for the cost, then a five percent stake isn’t going to be calling the shots.


13 posted on 04/14/2022 10:06:41 AM PDT by Gen.Blather (Wait! I said that out loud. Sorry.)
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To: DouglasKC
It has no growth prospects. The left has taken it over and made it extremely clear that it’s THEIR tool. The stock is going to only keep going lower.

Agree, unless they stop the Leftist crap, it's not a good investment, just like CNN.

14 posted on 04/14/2022 10:06:45 AM PDT by 1Old Pro
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To: DouglasKC

twitter has never made a profit and never will. It’s full of bots and trannies that yell at each other. There’s a few legit marketing and news stuff, but it’s got the worst customer base of any company I’ve seen. If Musk backs down, I wouldn’t be surprised if the stock drops to $15 or so and stays there.


15 posted on 04/14/2022 10:06:54 AM PDT by Houserino
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To: SeekAndFind

SOURCE?

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/best-and-final-offer-elon-musk-offers-buy-twitter-5420-share


16 posted on 04/14/2022 10:07:02 AM PDT by thouworm ("To anger a conservative, lie to him. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth"---Theodore Roosevelt)
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To: SeekAndFind
And right on cue, the DOJ and the SEC have opened up investigations (fishing expeditions) into Telsa. This gives the twitter board the cover to say that they are "concerned about Musk's regulatory troubles", hence they will have to reject the offer for the "good of the shareholders".

Isn't the definition of fascism when the government works hand in hand with business to exercise control over the economy? How is twitter's incestuous relationship with the government not fascist in nature?

17 posted on 04/14/2022 10:07:17 AM PDT by American Infidel (Instead of vilifying success, try to emulate it)
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To: SeekAndFind
intrinsic value of Twitter given its growth prospects

That's utter BS. Twitter hasn't been growing. Intrinsic value is in the eye of the beholder. It ain't real in other words.

18 posted on 04/14/2022 10:07:20 AM PDT by ConservativeInPA (Scratch a leftist and you'll find a fascist )
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To: gunnut
Imagine a Saudi prince being opposed to free speech. Surprise, surprise, surprise.

Imagine an Arab not haggling.

19 posted on 04/14/2022 10:08:23 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: SeekAndFind
"The Saudi Prince apparently owns 5.2% of TWTR (since 2015)"

I call BS!

I see no proof he owns such a position.

20 posted on 04/14/2022 10:08:28 AM PDT by G Larry (Anybody notice that Satan is hard at work?)
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