#corporatestrategy

Ford has lost over $17 billions in Model E since 2022. Model E will lose $4 billion in 2026.

Ford hopes to break even in 2029. If you are in a business knowing that your products are bad, people don't want to buy it. You are hoping that you will break even in a few more years. Ford needs to get out of Model E business.

Pulled from the bottom of this article: https://www.ccgcatalyst.com/thought-leadership/commentary/one-year-after-the-worst-day-what-fiservs-earnings-told-bankers/
Funny how they ignore employee attrition/layoffs for improvement and only concentrate on customer attrition in the analysis. Hmmm.

Our View: What Comes Next for Fiserv
Fiserv is no longer a vendor in freefall, but it is not yet a vendor in recovery. The quarter showed stabilization – guidance held, attrition improving, investment visible – and the strategy is finally coherent: fewer cores, common components, a smaller portfolio. What it has not shown is proof. For institutions on Premier, Precision, or Cleartouch, the direction now points toward CoreAdvance, and CoreAdvance itself is still being built in phases; negotiate which phases you are entitled to, and on what dates, in your next contract, while Fiserv needs retention wins. For DNA institutions, the call placed DNA among Fiserv’s leading client wins, but it still sits outside the CoreAdvance consolidation – get the investment commitment in writing. For banks evaluating Fiserv, this is a buyer’s market: a vendor rebuilding its sales motion will trade price, terms, and conversion support for a reference. Our test for the next 12 to 18 months: named CoreAdvance clients live on phases beyond infrastructure consolidation, attrition improvement appearing in reported banking revenue by late 2027, and divestitures that leave the bank-facing business intact.

My final comment: a year after the worst day, the most useful thing the crash taught the industry has nothing to do with Fiserv in particular. Every critical vendor – public, private equity-owned, or cooperative – has a financial condition, a strategy under revision, and an owner with options. The banks that handled last October calmly were not the ones with the best stock forecasts; they were the ones that already knew which risks they were carrying, had the contract language to match, and could answer their boards from their own files. Yesterday’s call was the best one Fiserv’s bank clients have heard in two years – attrition peaking, guidance held, investment visible, a named, $20 billion CoreAdvance go-live. Put it in the file next to the five questions, and ask the sixth one in writing: the call promised that common componentry will end the question of how many cores Fiserv has – so which componentry, on what dates, reaches the core your institution runs?

CCG Catalyst advises banks, credit unions, and fintech companies on core evaluation, vendor selection, and contract negotiation. If your institution is approaching a core decision, reach out to our team at www.ccgcatalyst.com.

See our latest announcement: CCG Catalyst’s Paul Schaus Named a 2026 Top Consultant by Consulting Magazine

By: Paul Schaus | Founder & Managing Partner, CCG Catalyst Consulting

Confirmed here: https://www.computerworld.com/article/1374043/sas-plans-to-go-public.html

Digital Packaging was the next big evolution for X. New vertical with high margins and market share opportunities. As with the Ethernet, the mouse, windows ui etc the C Suite quickly cancelled the effort as well as cancelled the igen platform into the ether.

Now former major clients are running completely competitive gear doing digital packaging in addition to their declining base volume with a net growth in volume you.

Think about it. Strong sell.

To top off this glorious performance by our SLT…today the founders of Poppi launched a product directly targeting Gatorade. They’re laughing all the way to the bank while flipping Pepsi the bird. Truly amazing Pepsi bought Poppi from them for most $2B but didn’t think to add a clause in the purchase to prohibit them from launching another product directly in competition with another Pepsi product?!?!?! If this isn’t cause for the whole lot of SLT to be replaced, what next hairbrained move will they make to nail the final nails in the coffin??? (Project. Mustang, Poppi and now the Jetty Hydration debacle.) I can’t make this sh-t up - truly remiss!!!!

Oracle’s main problem is that AI is about to become very cheap.

A year ago, anything but a frontier model was absolutely stupid and barely usable. But now they are OK-ish, and in a year they will be actually very good. Why, then, pay an expensive "frontier model tax"? It’s like, if a Ford can get you to work as much as a Bugatti, why buy the Bugatti?

So Amazon Bedrock I somehow grasp (and each of the other big three is developing "cheaper chips than NVIDIA" on top). But Oracle looks weirdly expecting that people will just like that continue to pay premium pricing.

Curious what the market is going to make of yet another quarter of declining revenue at OpenText. It doesn't seem like worldwide sales leadership setting strategy has been successful. TC has had several years to turn things around. Hasn't happened. Why is he still here??

This is coming from a guy who used to work at Qualcomm. Qualcomm's third attempt at data centers... apparently the first two weren't enough to teach us that data centers are harder than Investor Day slides.

https://www.cnbc.com/video/2026/11/04/qualcomms-data-center-business-barely-offsetting-losses-in-smartphones-seaports-jay-goldberg.html

Low IQ decision after low IQ decision. This will blow up in our faces.

CVS to Split Off Pharmacy Business, Ending the Healthcare Conglomerate Era

In a breakup planned for 2028, CVS Health intends to split off its pharmacies into a new company, while keeping together its businesses in insurance and pharmacy benefits.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/11/04/business/cvs-health-split.html

Down ~20% while the stock markets are soaring. You go girl!!!!

Why does everyone keep bringing up XFS? Xerox sold that off to PEAC two years ago, and PEAC has managed to do nothing but run it into the ground. Why is the activist investor so hellbent on talking up an entity that doesn’t exist anymore?

got the results for my team and, as expected, the lowest ratings are for corporate strategy and direction. There is confusion about roles and a much worse morale because of the new PMP system which is likely to disappoint many.

Name one candidate from outside the company that would even consider taking over after Stankey.
Who can shovel out 30 years of muck he created?
And create a successful strategy for the next 30?

Btw, no help will come from the Board.
Remember, they're all intermarried friends and family; they are just as complicit.
Which means internal successors are just more of the same.

So, who?

Had a meeting earlier with T---H---Looks like they are selling the Montney asset early as the new year to “shift capital to other areas “

I personally think they are setting up Comcast to be sold off either as a whole or in chunks. All the businesses that the "new" Comcast will be in (cable, internet, home security, mobile) are hypercompetitive and hard to survive in. Then NBC/Sky etc. can be the growth end.

Sounds a bit far-fetched to me.

Do we really think it will actually be for sale? I’m just curious on why a media statement was necessary if they are just thinking about selling?

I heard that McKinsey has identified a new business vertical for Comcast, something fundamentally different from the businesses the company has operated for decades (more about it below). The proposed restructuring is designed to position us for this new direction. We need to be gradually shifting resources, investments and priorities away from our traditional business - that's the only way for us to survive and therefore keep our jobs (if we are lucky to survive).

Comcast's legacy businesses face increasing pressure from cord-cutting + changing consumer behavior + competition. We got to build an org capable of competing in markets where future growth and profitability may be stronger.

Still, nobody seems to know exactly what this new vertical will be. But one thing appears seems to be apparent we are preparing for a future that looks VERY different from its past and the current restructuring may be only the beginning.

Humana is sitting on a massive gold mine! We are one of the few companies with the scale to dominate this market. If we can keep cutting costs, keep boosting profits, and rewarding shareholders we win. It is that simple folks that is how you win in AMERICA!

Now with the right policies in place and strong execution, Humana is poised to start roaring back. USA!!

Ramon says it’s your execution.

Countless other articles point back to failed executive leadership

Ramon seems intent on self preservation and gaslighting his employees

One thing that is true is employees overwhelmingly believe executives are not providing a clear direction or have the right plans to improve business.

Now people are hoping they are the lucky ones to be given the severance package.

Ram now wants your feedback.

Ram - the analysts are correct, your people are defeated, and the plans are unclear.

PEPNA is a bad idea. PepsiCo has failed under vertical integration. We are are getting outmaneuvered by companies who can specialize and adapt. We are too big and carry way to many priorities. To many silos, to many internal obstacles.

It’s time to hand the keys over to operators.

Hope it happens soon.

Do you really think a company who's been struggling for as long as fiserv is going to be selling a positive story when publishing the results when they've scheduled it for the same day as the midterms?

Restructuring is necessary, we have too many levels of CEO, EVP and SVP. Most are just ex consultants looking for a payday.

Shell and ExxonMobil are jointly exploring a sale of their 50% stakes in UK-based specialty chemicals joint venture Infineum, targeting an indicative valuation of about $8 billion, but the process is early and may not lead to a deal

What’s happening
According to the Financial Times and Reuters, Shell and ExxonMobil have appointed Bank of America to run a sale process for Infineum

The Oxfordshire‑headquartered company, founded in 1999, produces fuel and lubricant additives sold in roughly 90 countries, with products used in about one‑third of all vehicles worldwide and 70% of electric vehicles

Valuation and financials
Target valuation: ~$8 billion

Annual EBITDA: $700 million–$800 million

Implied multiple: ~10x–11.4x EBITDA

Potential proceeds: ~$4 billion gross to each parent if sold

This is a premium to BP’s $10.1 billion sale of 65% of Castrol in late 2025, which traded at ~8.6x EBITDA

Strategic context
The sale aligns with Shell’s plan to reduce its chemicals exposure by 2030 and refocus capital on oil and gas

ExxonMobil has not publicly commented on the strategy, but both owners must agree to any sale

The move comes amid industry pressures from electric vehicle adoption (reducing engine oil demand) and base oil oversupply

Status and outlook
Stage: Early, exploratory; no deal confirmed

Potential buyers: Private equity firms are expected to be among the main suitors

Market impact: Analysts expect limited immediate effect on crude oil or commodity markets, but a competitive auction could influence specialty chemicals valuations

In summary: Shell and ExxonMobil have placed Infineum on the sales block at an $8 billion target, but the process is preliminary, and a transaction is not guaranteed. The sale reflects both corporate strategy shifts and sector‑wide pressures in the lubricants and chemicals markets

https://stoptherailmerger.com/fact-check-up-ns-claim-of-majority-union-support-doesnt-add-up/

Universal Music Group's Nashville division, MCA, has implemented layoffs affecting approximately fourteen employees. This move follows broader cost-cutting measures initiated by the parent company. Several key executives, including the COO, were among those let go. These reductions are part of a larger corporate restructuring aimed at achieving significant annual savings. The company cited the need to adapt to industry changes and enhance efficiency.

https://www.billboard.com/pro/universal-music-mca-layoffs-staff-cut-restructuring/

Acquiring Sky, a complete European company was the d-mbest move ever made by a US company. Europe is generally considered a laid back culture where people don’t hustle beyond work hours and extend their work and more priority is given to wlb, unlike US which is more capitalistic and squeezes the employees. Whoever suggested and approved the Sky acquisition should be blamed for where the company stands now.

Fox may have been a better acquisition, but Disney thwarted it. 40 Billion dollars spent for the acquisition and years of work integrating the systems which was just completed last year, but not one thought on whether the cultures would align between 2 geographically and politically different companies. Add to this the rise of AI and intense competition from FWA, fiber and satellite players - it’s as if Comcast has no leverage left on any front.

RV has executed an aggressive labor overhaul, gambling that a mix of heavy offshoring, headcount reduction, and rapid AI automation can replace deep institutional knowledge without destabilizing operations. This approach has successfully optimized the short-term bottom line, but signs of friction raise the question: is this corporate strategy starting to fracture? Although this aggressive cost-restructuring has yielded spectacular short-term financial performance, industry observers are increasingly asking if this high-stakes gamble is sustainable.

I am not sure they are using this word correctly. To transform a company you would take it from bad to good. This is not happening

Hollywood's entertainment industry is increasingly adopting a private equity model. This approach involves acquiring companies, consolidating them, and then slashing costs to extract value. This strategy has led to significant layoffs and debt accumulation, mirroring past failures in other sectors like retail and healthcare. Executives are criticized for enriching themselves while thousands of employees face job losses. The article questions whether these actions are saving Hollywood or dismantling it for profit.

Los Angeles, California

https://theankler.com/how-many-layoffs-does-hollywood-need-to-save-itself/

The HIRE Act (Halting International Relocation of Employment)

Introduced in the Senate by Senator Bernie Moreno (R-OH), this is the actual outsourcing bill tied to the administration's broader crackdown on companies like Wipro. It is designed to aggressively penalize corporations that move American jobs overseas by hitting them with a 25% excise tax on outsourcing payments and eliminating standard corporate tax deductions for international labor.

Sound familiar? We need HIRE ACT

Meg will unveil new bp startegy on 15 Dec in New York. What can be be this new strategy?

Which asset is next for the chopping block?

https://theconversation.com/why-the-paramount-warner-merger-is-a-problem-for-democracy-293798

Cut entire transformation group and anyone with transformation in their title

Corporate sent all the salespeople could not sell there for instance, especially from foodservice

If they were the CEO of DoubleTree hotel, they would cut the cookies.

If they were the CEO of San Pellegrino, they would cut the foil top.

There are so many people that were hired in 2022-2025 for "risk and resiliency".

Seems like it was all just a hasty response to the 2022 bank crisis, where c-suite said here, go out and hire a bunch of people to make up some BS paperwork to make it seem like we're safe. Though, in reality, these "risk and resiliency" people do very little. All the regulatory paperwork already exists. Seems like "risk and resiliency" is the next "ESG" or "DEI", once management realizes they don't do a thing, it's a major cost center that is easy to cut.

I know in particular the entire "Capital Markets" (located within Asset Servicing) risk and resiliency team is already gone. From 5 people to zero in a matter of months.

Top down to Tara - R&D and Athena - S&T they have been told to bring in the McKinsey model -Only 7 layers in the business and you either have 0 direct reports or 5 or more. This is going to be brutal for both organisations. Major changes could lead to a big cut in workforce. They are going to try to minimise layoffs. US and Europe MEA will have the biggest shift / change

Interviewer: I feel like over the last three or four years, every six months you guys are cutting people and restructuring.

Dana Walden: I think that’s probably an exaggeration.

Interviewer: But it’s not just Disney. It happened at Warner Bros. Discovery. It happened at Paramount. I’m just wondering, how are there still people to fire? And how is there still restructuring when you’ve already fired thousands of people?

Dana Walden: Wow. The snarkiest possible version of this question.

I would start with this: we’re not firing people every six months.

I think, like all of our similarly situated competitors, and certainly our competitors in the tech industry, there is a need to constantly evaluate how you’re structured.

Disney, along with core Disney, is a series of amazing acquisitions. So we had to make decisions around centralizing and functioning more as a television business, rather than as a group of silos.

And that required us, again, to evaluate: How many people do we need? At what point do you have so many people that it’s actually keeping you from being agile and slowing down the speed of decision-making?

I really don’t think, in this exact moment, that we’re the company that’s going to be the tip of the spear around any kinds of efficiency targets or layoffs.

It is extremely painful. We’ve exited colleagues who I’ve worked with for most of my career.

In many ways, it is a harsh reality.

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZN8hVjDPF/

Injury is part of sports. And we are calling our latest strategy for corporate recovery as REHAB.