- Early Bird
- Posts
- Papa John’s Private Bidder 🍕
Papa John’s Private Bidder 🍕
And, Stellantis' $13 billion pledge.
Today is Wednesday, October 15, 2025.
The Early Bird Index today is 87.16.
New to this newsletter? Sign up here
Papa John’s Private Bidder 🍕
Papa John’s $PZZA ( ▲ 6.71% ) surged 14.01% in after-hours trading on Tuesday after a report speculating about the pizza restaurant chain’s future was published.
Details: Reuters reported on Tuesday that Apollo Global Management submitted a new bid within the last week to take Papa John’s private at $64 per share.
The report said that multiple activists are also circling the pizza chain, which reportedly received a $60 per share bid a few months ago.
The situation is reportedly fluid, and no deal is guaranteed.
Background: Papa John’s stock was up 12% this year. Even though sales are up, its profits have declined.
Early Bird’s Nest Egg Gains: Profits are down for Papa John’s in 2025 due to higher marketing and loyalty program spending, increased incentive compensation, inflationary pressures, and slower domestic sales growth.
Final Thoughts: Papa John’s reports its next financial earnings results on November 6.
This Technology Makes Every City a Potential Surf Destination
Topgolf revolutionized golf by turning it into a social, tech-driven game for anyone. And they’ve made billions in annual revenue doing it. Surf Lakes is applying that same model to surfing. Their patented tech creates 2,000 ocean-quality rides per hour, anywhere in the world, across all skill levels.
Surf tourism is a $65B global industry, yet fewer than 1% of people live near real waves. Licenses sold across the U.S. and Australia, with plans for a first commercial park in the works.
3x world champ Tom Curren and surf icon Mark Occhilupo have joined as ambassadors and shareholders. Even actor Chris Hemsworth has praised Surf Lakes.
You have until October 30th at 11:59 PM PT to invest in Surf Lakes.
This is a paid advertisement for Surf Lakes’ Regulation CF offering. Please read the offering circular at https://invest.surflakes.com
Notables
Notable Earnings Today: United Airlines (Nasdaq: UAL), ASML (Nasdaq: ASML), Bank of America (NYSE: BAC), Progressive (NYSE: PGR), J.B. Hunt Transport (Nasdaq: JBHT), Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS), Home Bancshares (NYSE: HOMB), Synovus (NYSE: SNV), Pinnacle Financial Partners (Nasdaq: PNFP), Synchrony Financial (NYSE: SYF), Citizens Financial Group (NYSE: CFG), Abbott Labs (NYSE: ABT), PNC (NYSE: PNC), First Industrial Realty (NYSE: FR), First Horizon (NYSE: FHN), Prologis (NYSE: PLD), Rexford Industrial Realty (NYSE: REXR), Banner (Nasdaq: BANR), Enerpac Tool Group (NYSE: EPAC), Great Southern Bancorp (Nasdaq: GSBC), SL Green Realty (NYSE: SLG), Triumph Financial (NYSE: TFIN).
Notable IPOs Today: Smart Logistics Global Limited Ordinary Shares (Nasdaq: SLGB), TechCreate Group Ltd. (Nasdaq: TCGL).
Notable Equity Crowdfunding Campaigns Ending Today: Azure Printed Homes (Wefunder), Norr Organic (StartEngine).
Notable Economic Events Today: Consumer Price Index / Core CPI (8:30 a.m. ET), NY Empire State Manufacturing Index (8:30 a.m. ET), Fed Beige Book (2:00 p.m. ET), API Weekly Crude Oil Stock (4:30 p.m. ET).
Stellantis' $13 Billion Pledge
Jeep parent Stellantis $STLA ( ▼ 2.56% ) jumped 4.94% in after-hours trading on Tuesday after announcing plans to invest $13 billion in the United States over the next four years.
Details: The single largest investment in the company’s history, Stellantis said the new capital will support the introduction of five new vehicles and create more than 5,000 U.S. jobs at plants.
Final Thoughts: Shares of Stellantis have been down 22% this year. The company needs to turn things around.
The dating app Grindr $GRND ( ▼ 3.78% ) jumped 4.32% in after-hours trading on Tuesday after confirming that it received an offer from two board members to acquire the company and take it private.
Details: Although there is no formal proposal at this time, Grindr created a special committee to evaluate any potential deal.
Final Thoughts: Grindr’s stock was down 29% this year.
Trends to Watch
Good Question: Is Elon Musk Getting Interested in Bitcoin Again? (CoinDesk)
At a Crossroads: Fed’s Powell suggests tightening program could end soon, opens door to rate cuts (CNBC)
All Bets Are Off: In a Surprise, MGM Drops Bid for N.Y. Casino License, Leaving 3 Competitors (New York Times)
Streaming Partnership: Netflix to Stream Selection of Spotify Video Podcasts Starting in 2026 (Variety)
Super Bullish: Solana traders’ favorite metric flashes, but is $300 SOL by December possible? (Cointelegraph)
Thank you for reading!
Forward to a friend and tell them to sign up here.
Pick winning stocks: Upgrade to Early Bird Prime.
Be social: Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.
Want more investing tips? Listen to the podcast.
Show Your Support: Buy Me a Coffee.
Questions or comments? Hit reply to reach out.
The contents of Early Bird are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. They do not constitute trade or investment recommendations, and they are not financial or legal advice. Readers are encouraged to consult licensed professionals for personalized guidance regarding their financial or legal situations.