e-commerce
The Warner Bros-Netflix-Paramount scrap: The real winners
NEW YORK: In the high-stakes poker game for Warner Bros Discovery, there’s one guaranteed winner: the bankers. While Netflix and Paramount Skydance slug it out over the media giant’s carcass, JPMorgan and Allen & Company are already counting their chips—a cool $90 million each, win or lose.
It’s the ultimate hedge. No matter which suitor carries Warner Bros Discovery down the aisle, the investment banks walk away with bulging pockets. Talk about having your cake and eating it too.
JPMorgan has been particularly busy feathering its nest. The bank pocketed roughly $189 million in fees over the past two years for “financial advisory and other services”—a wonderfully vague phrase that covers everything from strategic counsel to arranging a whopping $17.5 billion bridge loan. That loan, incidentally, holds the dubious honour of being Wall Street’s largest-ever non-investment-grade bridge facility. Warner Bros Discovery used it to buy back about half its bonds at a discount, part of a cunning plan to split itself in two.
For over two years, JPMorgan boffins huddled with Warner Bros Discovery executives, war-gaming merger-and-acquisition scenarios. The grand result? A plan to carve the company into separate entities—streaming and studios on one side, legacy assets on the other.
Now Netflix has upped the ante this week with a sweetened bid for the streaming and studio bits, whilst Paramount Skydance’s tender offer for the whole enchilada closes on Wednesday. Investors are glued to their screens, waiting to see who blinks first.
But the real drama? That’s already been written. Whatever happens next, the bankers have already secured their happy ending.
e-commerce
Flipkart rolls out 105 per cent bonus for 20,000 employees
Strong FY25 performance drives payouts even as layoffs and shifts unfold.
MUMBAI: In a year where belts were tightened and rewards loosened, Flipkart seems to be playing both offence and defence trimming roles on one hand while handing out a generous 105 per cent bonus on the other. The Walmart owned e commerce major has rolled out a 105 per cent bonus payout for 2025, covering nearly 20,000 employees, signalling a year of steady operational momentum even as the company navigates restructuring pressures. The payout, communicated internally by chief human resources officer Seema Nair, is tied to performance across key metrics including growth, operational efficiency, financial outcomes and people indicators, a combination that suggests the company is inching closer to its long stated goal of sustainable profitability.
Employees at SD level and below are set to receive their bonuses in March, while payouts for senior leadership, including vice presidents and senior vice presidents, will follow after the close of the performance cycle. The elevated 105 per cent multiplier stands out in a sector where cautious payouts have increasingly become the norm, pointing to what appears to be a relatively strong internal scorecard for FY25.
Yet, the announcement arrives with a noticeable contrast. Earlier this year, Flipkart reduced its workforce by around 300 roles as part of its annual performance review process. While officially framed as performance driven, the juxtaposition of layoffs alongside above target bonuses reflects a more nuanced balancing act, one that prioritises cost discipline while continuing to reward and retain high performing talent.
This dual approach is becoming increasingly common across the technology and e commerce landscape, where companies are navigating an uneven hiring environment while under pressure to deliver profitability. Rewarding top contributors, even amid selective workforce reductions, allows firms to maintain morale and retain critical talent without losing sight of financial prudence.
At the same time, Flipkart is also undergoing leadership shifts that hint at a broader strategic recalibration. Nishant Verman has been appointed senior vice president for corporate development and partnerships, while group chief financial officer Sriram Venkataraman is set to step down. Ravi Iyer will take on expanded responsibilities within the finance function, marking a reshuffle at the top as the company gears up for its next phase.
These changes come amid reports that Flipkart is planning to shift its holding structure back to India, a move widely interpreted as groundwork for a potential public listing. While timelines remain fluid, the combination of stronger financial discipline, leadership restructuring and employee incentivisation suggests a company preparing itself for greater scrutiny and scale.
For employees, the 105 per cent payout offers a welcome boost in what has otherwise been a period of adjustment. For Flipkart, it is a signal that even as it cuts where necessary, it is willing to spend where it counts. In the high stakes game of growth versus profitability, the company appears to be hedging its bets carefully, rewarding performance while reshaping itself for what could be its most defining chapter yet.
