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Amazon’s surprise bid for TikTok is far from a sure deal, because TikTok is far from just a social media app

The e-commerce duo would dominate the social shopping marketplace, and that’s the issue.

Nia Warfield

Amazon’s surprise bid for TikTok isn’t just about snagging the world’s most viral app — it’s about teaming up with the leader of social commerce. TikTok has become a goldmine for businesses of all sizes, with the app now boasting over 15 million merchants worldwide. Last year, 47.2 million Americans bought something through TikTok Shop, while an estimated 40% of all online US shoppers made a purchase through social media altogether.

Amazon, already a retail powerhouse that recently surpassed Walmart in revenue, could tap into TikTok’s viral popularity to boost visibility, expand its customer base, and drive up sales. With a market cap just north of $2 trillion, Amazon is one of the few contenders that could ante up the estimated $40 billion to $50 billion needed to buy TikTok’s US operations. Amazon’s not the only that sees TikTok’s value: on Wednesday, former home shopping giant QVC Group announced its first-ever 24/7 live shopping streams on TikTok. 

Still, despite the obvious upsides, Amazon’s reported bid for TikTok has already drawn some scrutiny online, with one post saying, “An eCommerce giant buying an eCommerce giant (which is what TikTok is at this point) would, in most administrations, raise a few eyebrows.”

It wouldn’t be the first time a partnership between Amazon and TikTok has caught the eye of lawmakers. In November, the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party warned Amazon that an in-app shopping partnership with TikTok was “dangerous and unwise,” citing national security concerns over the app’s potential risks.

President Trump is set to meet with top White House aides Wednesday to discuss TikTok’s future before the app’s divest-or-ban deadline on Saturday.

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Netflix is down amid reports it’s leading the Warner Bros. bidding war as Paramount cries foul

Netflix’s charm offensive appears to be working.

Netflix is reportedly emerging as the leader in the bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery after second-round bids this week, edging out entertainment juggernaut rivals Comcast and Paramount Skydance.

Investors don’t appear psyched by the streaming leader’s turn of fortune: the stock is down on Thursday morning, a day after closing down nearly 5% following reports that scooping up HBO Max wouldn’t necessarily result in a big market share boost.

Paramount, which has reportedly made five bids for Warner Bros. Discovery, doesn’t love the current state of play, either. The company sent WBD a letter questioning the “fairness and adequacy” of the process, highlighting reports that WBD’s board favors Netflix and is resisting Paramount.

Any offer would be subject to regulatory approval — a fact that may have weighed against Netflix’s offer given that cofounder Reed Hastings’ politics are vocally to the left, very much at odds with the current regulatory regime. Paramount seems confident in its ability to get approval, reportedly boosting its breakup fee to $5 billion should its potential acquisition fall apart in the regulatory process.

Paramount questions Warner Bros. Discovery on 'fairness and adequacy' of sale process: Read the full letter

Paramount questions Warner Bros. Discovery on 'fairness and adequacy' of sale process: Read the full letter

Investors don’t appear psyched by the streaming leader’s turn of fortune: the stock is down on Thursday morning, a day after closing down nearly 5% following reports that scooping up HBO Max wouldn’t necessarily result in a big market share boost.

Paramount, which has reportedly made five bids for Warner Bros. Discovery, doesn’t love the current state of play, either. The company sent WBD a letter questioning the “fairness and adequacy” of the process, highlighting reports that WBD’s board favors Netflix and is resisting Paramount.

Any offer would be subject to regulatory approval — a fact that may have weighed against Netflix’s offer given that cofounder Reed Hastings’ politics are vocally to the left, very much at odds with the current regulatory regime. Paramount seems confident in its ability to get approval, reportedly boosting its breakup fee to $5 billion should its potential acquisition fall apart in the regulatory process.

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Delta says the government shutdown will cost it $200 million in Q4

The 43-day government shutdown that ended last month will result in a $200 million ding for Delta Air Lines, the airline said in a filing on Wednesday.

That’s about $100,000 per shutdown-related canceled flight. (Delta previously said it canceled more than 2,000 flights due to FAA flight reductions.) When the company reports its fourth-quarter earnings, the shutdown will lop off about $0.25 per share.

Delta initially stayed calm about the shutdown, with CEO Ed Bastian stating in early October that the company was running smoothly and hadn’t seen any impacts at all. One historically long shutdown later, Delta wasn’t able to remain untouched.

The skies have since cleared, though, and Delta’s filing states that booking growth has “returned to initial expectations following a temporary softening in November.”

Delta’s shares were up over 2% as of Wednesday’s market open.

Delta Air Sees $200 Million Hit from Shutdown Fallout

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Delta initially stayed calm about the shutdown, with CEO Ed Bastian stating in early October that the company was running smoothly and hadn’t seen any impacts at all. One historically long shutdown later, Delta wasn’t able to remain untouched.

The skies have since cleared, though, and Delta’s filing states that booking growth has “returned to initial expectations following a temporary softening in November.”

Delta’s shares were up over 2% as of Wednesday’s market open.

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