ProSieben Boards Recommend Sweetened Offer From Berlusconi's MFE
MFE lifted its bid for the German media company by boosting the stock component to 1.3 MFE shares from 0.4 MFE shares previously, while keeping the €4.48 per-share cash portion unchanged. The acceptance period for the amended MFE offer will expire on August 13.
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Forbes
31 minutes ago
- Forbes
The New Startup Category VCs Are Excited About
We are on the cusp of a profound demographic shift. In 1950, there were only 14,000 centenarians. Today, it's nearly 750,000. By 2054, this figure is projected to reach almost four million. Living to 100 is swiftly becoming the new normal. Healthcare systems aren't ready for this demographic tsunami. They were built for a different era, when life expectancy was much, much lower. (This is why, incidentally, older age care isn't covered by the NHS remit - the founders of the health service simply didn't believe there was a great enough need). We're entering a new era. One that necessitates a completely fresh approach to health, wellbeing and longevity. And the solutions that can step in to solve this challenge are getting VCs excited. We're calling this new startup vertical - where deep-tech, healthcare and AI meet - 'bio-infrastructure'. Whilst recent years have brought a range of new therapies and smart gadgets aimed at helping us live healthier lives, these innovations won't help us cope with the upcoming demographic challenges at scale without a fundamental overhaul of the underlying systems in which they operate. Markets across the world need new infrastructure that allows for a seamless interplay of data, tooling, physical equipment, and health delivery. Think predictive AI that can optimise clinical trials by matching drugs to the right patient cohorts based on genetics. Or cloud platforms that allow scientists to run experiments without needing their own physical labs. Bio-infrastructure startups are stepping up to fix these foundations and make them fit for the future. Founders in this space are building at the intersection of healthcare, deep-tech, infrastructure, and artificial intelligence. Looking not just at software, but how it interacts with the physical elements of healthcare: the labs, clinics, servers, factories, and workforce that make systems like the NHS function. These companies don't fit into traditional boxes like "drug developer" or "software business"; they are collectively building the layer of intelligence that will power the health system of tomorrow. VCs like me are paying increasing attention to this space, especially the startups building across these five bioinfrastructure pillars. There is a huge space to build a category defining company that can boost lab productivity by leveraging agentic AI and advanced automation. My prediction here is that labs will become increasingly sophisticated and autonomous, accelerating R&D and empowering nations with limited resources to build their own biotech capabilities. The next generation of pharma giants could come from this group; companies that start with a technical or process advantage and use it to build their own drug pipelines. Companies like Micrographia Bio (an Ada Ventures portfolio company) and Benchling are some of the exciting first movers already breaking through in this space. The clinical trial process is stuck in the past. But modern software can change that. I'm excited about companies that are using predictive analytics to match drug trials to the right cohorts, shorten recruitment times, and fine-tune supply chains. The ultimate goal? The "n-of-1" clinical trial, where treatment is personalised based on an individual's unique genetic and disease dynamics. I believe that the next blockbuster therapy will come to market because of operational innovation like this, powered by startups like (an Ada portfolio company) or Owkin. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the fragility of global medical supply chains - making it clear that strategic autonomy in biotechnology is a national imperative. As a VC, I'm looking to invest in platforms that empower domestic biomanufacturing capabilities. That might be cloud biology platforms that democratise access to compute, or specialised facilities for producing cell and gene therapies. BitBio and Nuclera are great examples of this type of bio-manufacturing innovation in action. The VC bet here is that, just as cloud democratised access to computing power, bio-manufacturing infrastructure will democratise access to life-saving therapeutics. Never the sexiest area, but regulation-focused startups have a huge part to play in the bioinfrastructure revolution. My eyes are currently peeled for tools that use agentic AI to standardise regulatory filings and API-first companies that embed privacy, security, and consent compliance directly into devices and care delivery. Companies that simplify or automate regulatory burdens such as FDA submissions and HIPAA compliance - like Keragon, Freshpaint or healthverity - can allow biotech companies to focus on discovery instead of paperwork. I predict that the next wave of digital health platforms will make regulation and compliance almost invisible. Healthcare can't scale without people, but the way we find, train, and retain workers is broken. We need more platforms that can bring the speed of the gig economy to healthcare while upholding the highest standards of verification and onboarding. At Ada, we're backing credentialing platforms, marketplaces that match healthcare workers with flexible shifts, and AI copilots that reduce cognitive load for nurses and caregivers. Existing examples of leaders in this field include Cera, Axuall and Ambience. The bet is simple: the next billion-dollar workforce platform won't be for coders - it'll be for caregivers. The bio-infrastructure bets we make now will define this new age of longer lifespans, and it's exciting to see so many founders already taking on the challenges of tomorrow. With age comes wisdom, and if we're living to 100, we have a lot to look forward to. But for VCs like me, the wisest choice right now is to back the startups making healthcare systems more proactive, preventative, and fair – for everyone.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Consumer confidence weakens among Britons amid tax rise fears
Consumer confidence weakened slightly in July amid concerns from shoppers that they could face potential future tax rises, according to new figures. GfK's long-running Consumer Confidence Index dropped one point to remain in firmly negative territory at -19 points. Researchers suggested the figures showed that consumers are currently 'sensing stormy conditions ahead' amid wider uncertainty in the economy. The drop was shallower than expected by economists, who had predicted a reading of -20 for the month. The research found that its measure from consumers' view of the general economic situation for the country over the past year dropped one point to -44. Expectations for the general economic situation over the next 12 months also decreased by one point for the month. Meanwhile, the index for consumers' views on their personal finances remained steady but was still in negative territory. Nevertheless, there was a rise in the study's savings measure and people continued to seek to benefit from elevated interest rates. Neil Bellamy, consumer insights director at GfK, said: 'The key measures on personal finances, the economy and purchase intentions are flat in July, and many will conclude that consumers are in a cautious wait-and-see mood. 'But the data suggests that some people may be sensing stormy conditions ahead. 'With speculation growing over possible tax rises in the autumn budget, and price pressure contributing not just to higher inflation already but also to the likelihood of worse inflation to come, the news is worrying.' It came as figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that retail sales bounced back 0.9% last month as record hot weather boosted sales of food and drink. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Fresenius Medical Care AG Earnings Missed Analyst Estimates: Here's What Analysts Are Forecasting Now
Explore Fresenius Medical Care's Fair Values from the Community and select yours Fresenius Medical Care AG (ETR:FME) shareholders are probably feeling a little disappointed, since its shares fell 8.0% to €40.92 in the week after its latest interim results. It looks like a pretty bad result, all things considered. Although revenues of €9.7b were in line with analyst predictions, statutory earnings fell badly short, missing estimates by 81% to hit €0.77 per share. The analysts typically update their forecasts at each earnings report, and we can judge from their estimates whether their view of the company has changed or if there are any new concerns to be aware of. Readers will be glad to know we've aggregated the latest statutory forecasts to see whether the analysts have changed their mind on Fresenius Medical Care after the latest results. AI is about to change healthcare. These 20 stocks are working on everything from early diagnostics to drug discovery. The best part - they are all under $10bn in marketcap - there is still time to get in early. Following last week's earnings report, Fresenius Medical Care's 17 analysts are forecasting 2025 revenues to be €19.5b, approximately in line with the last 12 months. Statutory earnings per share are predicted to shoot up 35% to €3.02. In the lead-up to this report, the analysts had been modelling revenues of €19.6b and earnings per share (EPS) of €3.18 in 2025. The analysts seem to have become a little more negative on the business after the latest results, given the minor downgrade to their earnings per share numbers for next year. Check out our latest analysis for Fresenius Medical Care It might be a surprise to learn that the consensus price target was broadly unchanged at €50.65, with the analysts clearly implying that the forecast decline in earnings is not expected to have much of an impact on valuation. That's not the only conclusion we can draw from this data however, as some investors also like to consider the spread in estimates when evaluating analyst price targets. The most optimistic Fresenius Medical Care analyst has a price target of €67.00 per share, while the most pessimistic values it at €40.00. There are definitely some different views on the stock, but the range of estimates is not wide enough as to imply that the situation is unforecastable, in our view. These estimates are interesting, but it can be useful to paint some more broad strokes when seeing how forecasts compare, both to the Fresenius Medical Care's past performance and to peers in the same industry. We would highlight that Fresenius Medical Care's revenue growth is expected to slow, with the forecast 0.2% annualised growth rate until the end of 2025 being well below the historical 2.5% p.a. growth over the last five years. Compare this against other companies (with analyst forecasts) in the industry, which are in aggregate expected to see revenue growth of 4.3% annually. Factoring in the forecast slowdown in growth, it seems obvious that Fresenius Medical Care is also expected to grow slower than other industry participants. The Bottom Line The most important thing to take away is that the analysts downgraded their earnings per share estimates, showing that there has been a clear decline in sentiment following these results. On the plus side, there were no major changes to revenue estimates; although forecasts imply they will perform worse than the wider industry. The consensus price target held steady at €50.65, with the latest estimates not enough to have an impact on their price targets. With that said, the long-term trajectory of the company's earnings is a lot more important than next year. We have estimates - from multiple Fresenius Medical Care analysts - going out to 2027, and you can see them free on our platform here. You can also see whether Fresenius Medical Care is carrying too much debt, and whether its balance sheet is healthy, for free on our platform here. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
