Animoca Brands puts IPO plan on hold after suspending merger talks with Currenc (CURR)

AMD is acquiring World Labs, an AI startup founded by Fei-Fei Li, for $8.2 billion in an all-stock deal. World Labs specializes in creating 3D worlds from single inputs, which AMD plans to use to shape future hardware and software roadmaps. The acquisition is AMD's second-largest and is expected to close by year-end, pending regulatory approval.

Gold Fields, a South African miner, is pursuing a $38.7 billion takeover of Australia's Northern Star Resources, aiming to create a global gold production powerhouse. Northern Star's board rejected the initial offer, valuing the company at a 22% premium. Gold Fields is meeting with investors to gain support, while Northern Star's shares have risen over 10% since the bid was revealed.

Proofpoint, owned by Thoma Bravo, agreed to acquire Varonis Systems for $49.75 per share, valuing the deal at $6.3 billion. The transaction, expected to close in early 2027, aims to combine their AI-driven data security offerings. Varonis's board approved the sale, which represents an 18% premium over its recent stock price. The deal is subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals.

Bumble agreed to a $1.3B take-private deal with Ithaca Holdings at $6.05 per share, a 138% premium over the stock's pre-announcement close. The deal, approved by a special committee and major shareholders, requires no shareholder vote. Bumble's revenue fell 15.2% YoY to $210.5M in Q2, with paying users dropping 16.4%. Founder Whitney Wolfe Herd will stay involved but step down as CEO, with Ithaca co-founders Ravi Gupta and John Hegeman taking over.

Varonis Systems (VRNS) shares rose 2.5% after Proofpoint announced a $6.3B cash acquisition, backed by Thoma Bravo. VRNS trades at a P/S ratio of 8.15x, above its historical median, with a GF Score of 78/100, indicating strong growth and valuation but weak profitability. Insiders have shown confidence with net buying of $1.2M in the past year.

AMD agreed to acquire World Labs, a spatial intelligence startup founded by Fei-Fei Li, for $8.2 billion in an all-stock deal. Li will join AMD as executive vice president and chief scientist, reporting to CEO Lisa Su. The acquisition is AMD's second-largest, following its $49 billion purchase of Xilinx. World Labs develops world models for AI, focusing on 3D environments, which AMD sees as crucial for future AI hardware design.