<h2>New On The Block</h2>



<ul>
<li>Francisco Partners is exploring a potential sale of MyHeritage, the genealogy and DNA-testing platform, in a deal that could value the company at around $1 billion, according to Bloomberg News. Jefferies is helping shop the Israeli-founded company, though talks are still in the early stages and a sale isn't guaranteed. Founded in 2003, MyHeritage lets users trace long-lost relatives and shared ancestors, drawing on a database of 58 million family trees. Francisco Partners bought the company in 2021 and may yet decide to keep it. Francisco Partners is also trying to sell BeyondTrust Software.</li>
</ul>



• Trump Media &amp; Tech stock is charging ahead with explosive momentum. What’s behind DJT gains?



<h2>Updates From The Block</h2>



<ul>
<li>Trump Media &amp; Technology Group Corp. (NASDAQ:DJT) stock rose on Thursday after the company announced a major merger tied to its fusion energy ambitions. The company said it will combine with TAE Technologies, Inc. in an all-stock transaction valued at above $6 billion. As of Sept. 30, Trump Media had cash and equivalents worth $166.072 million. Trump Media’s long-term debt currently stands at $946.08 million. According to Axios, the combined company will focus on energy. Therefore, expect the MAGA-affiliated Truth Social and other TMTG media assets to either be put up for sale or spun out.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>TikTok has signed an agreement to create a new U.S.-based joint venture with major American investors. The video app agreed to divest its U.S. operations to a joint venture controlled by Oracle Corp (NYSE:ORCL), Silver Lake and MGX. The three firms will collectively own 45% while existing ByteDance investors will hold nearly one-third, ByteDance will retain just under 20%, with final ownership details to be disclosed at closing on Jan. 22, 2026. The transaction values TikTok U.S. at about $14 billion. Oracle’s CEO and CTO, Safra Catz and Larry Ellison, are Trump donors. Details on how this new deal will mitigate national security remain unclear.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Sony Group Corp (NYSE:SONY) is acquiring majority control of Snoopy and Charlie Brown-related IP by buying WildBrain's 41% stake in Peanuts Holdings LLC for about CA$630 million (roughly $457 million), pending regulatory approval. Combined with its existing stake, Sony Music Entertainment Japan and Sony Pictures Entertainment will own 80% of the business, while the Schulz family retains 20%. The deal makes Peanuts Holdings a consolidated Sony subsidiary, with SMEJ leading management alongside Sony Pictures. Per Variety, WildBrain will use the proceeds to eliminate all its debt but will remain a long-term partner, continuing distribution, licensing, YouTube management and production of new Peanuts content, including an animated feature for Apple TV.</li>
</ul>



<h2>Off The Block</h2>



<ul>
<li>Also from Variety, Abel Tesfaye (aka The Weeknd) has closed a deal with Lyric Capital Group to form a joint venture around his music catalog from inception through 2025, without selling it outright. Lyric has invested in the catalog, while Tesfaye’s team retains creative control, ownership stakes and full rights to both publishing and masters. The deal excludes future releases and keeps The Weeknd's existing label and publishing relationships intact. Financial terms weren't disclosed, but industry reports value the assets at $1 billion or more, making it one of the largest catalog-related deals ever for a single artist.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Advent International closed its $2.5 billion purchase of insurance software firm Sapiens International, marking the largest deal in a busy day for alternative asset investors.</li>
</ul>



<h2>Bankruptcy Block</h2>



<ul>
<li>According to Bloomberg Law, Conscious Content Media filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Dec. 17, reporting $100–$500 million in assets and liabilities. The company, known for its play-based learning programs for kids, is pursuing a pre-negotiated restructuring to eliminate about $106.5 million in funded debt and raise at least $20 million in new capital, while keeping its Begin Learning brands — such as HOMER, codeSpark and Little Passports — operating. The filing follows liquidity pressures after a failed Series E raise, and the company has secured a $10 million debtor-in-possession financing led by 212Media to fund the process.</li>
</ul>



<h2>Notes From The Block</h2>



Global M&amp;A activity surged in 2025, with announced deal value climbing 46% year over year to about $4.4 trillion, according to Wall Street Journal’s tracker, which pulls LSEG data. This puts the market on pace for its second-strongest year on record behind only 2021’s $5.49 trillion boom. 



The rebound was broad-based. In Japan, deal value more than doubled to $214 billion, while Africa and the Middle East rose 65% to $119.3 billion and Asia-Pacific (excluding Japan) jumped 49% to $715 billion. 



Europe posted a 20% increase to $788.6 billion, while Latin America saw a more modest 14% rise to $88.3 billion. 



Despite the surge in dollars, activity has thinned, with the number of deal announcements down 7% year to date — underscoring a market defined by fewer transactions, but much bigger checks.



In the U.S., for example, M&amp;A deal value surged 54% to $2.23 trillion, while activity cooled, with roughly 11,300 transactions, a 14% decline from 2024.



For the previous edition of Deal Dispatch, click here.



Now Read:



<ul>
<li>Musk, Huang, Zuckerberg Top Time’s 2025 Person Of The Year List: Who Are The Architects Of AI?</li>
</ul>



Image: Edited by Benzinga using Shutterstock

ORCL

SONY

BYTED

Francisco Partners is exploring a potential sale of MyHeritage for around $1 billion. Trump Media & Technology Group announced a merger with TAE Technologies valued at over $6 billion. TikTok will create a U.S.-based joint venture with Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX. Sony is acquiring a majority stake in Peanuts Holdings for about $457 million. The Weeknd formed a joint venture with Lyric Capital Group for his music catalog. Global M&A activity surged in 2025, with deal value climbing 46% year over year to about $4.4 trillion.

- Francisco Partners is considering selling MyHeritage, potentially valuing it at $1 billion, with talks still in early stages.  
- Trump Media & Technology Group has announced a merger valued over $6 billion with TAE Technologies to focus on energy, while TikTok will form a U.S.-based joint venture controlled by Oracle and others, valuing its U.S. operations at approximately $14 billion.  
- Global M&A activity rose 46% to $4.4 trillion in 2025, although the number of transactions decreased by 7%, indicating a trend of larger deals amidst fewer announcements.

Deal Dispatch: Snoopy, TikTok, Trump And The Weeknd Are In The Mix