Sherwood News

Meta spends more than any other US public company on keeping its boss safe outside of work

The murder of Brian Thompson has sent shock waves through the security industry.

12/6/24 9:37AM

New Yorkers woke up on Wednesday morning to the shocking news of the murder of UnitedHealthcare’s top insurance executive, Brian Thompson, in Midtown Manhattan ahead of the company’s investor day.

Online reaction to the murder revealed a deeply rooted frustration — at times spilling into morbid glee, per The New York Times — with America’s healthcare system. It’s also prompted large US companies to reevaluate their security protocols. Indeed, according to The Wall Street Journal, dozens of security chiefs joined a call on Wednesday to discuss safety measures, with some even looking to send armed guards to accompany executives attending conferences this week in New York and other US cities.

The price of safety

Presumably, UnitedHealthcare will now be reviewing its safety protocols, but it’s also likely that other public companies — many of which already spend millions of dollars on security for their top bosses — will consider upping their protection in a permanent way.

For business-related outings, companies don’t need to disclose the cost of security. But if protection is provided outside of work and is deemed to be a perk or personal benefit, that has to be disclosed in SEC filings, and there’s been a major uptick in personal-security outlays: the median amount spent by S&P 500 companies that disclosed security spending doubled from 2021 to 2023 to nearly $100,000, according to an analysis by executive-compensation data provider Equilar cited by Bloomberg.

This includes a whopping $23 million compensation for Meta’s $1 salary CEO Mark Zuckerberg. That’s more than 3x the not-so-close runner-up, Alphabet’s Sundar Pichai, and, as mentioned, doesn’t include any security spending during work travels or at offices. The social-media giant is obviously concerned about protecting its chief executive, who “is synonymous with Meta” and as a result is exposed to any “negative sentiment” associated with the company, per its SEC filing.

Elon Musk also owns a security company tasked with protecting... Elon Musk. Tesla has paid this security company nearly $3 million since December 2023.

Max Knoblauch13h

Electronic Arts launches a platform to put more ads in its games

Video game publishing giant EA launched a new platform on Monday designed to make the process of selling immersive ad space in its popular games easier.

The company says the platform, called EA Advertising, allows brands to “integrate directly into gameplay through dynamic, real-time placements, from stadium signage to custom in-game content.”

More so than other studios, EA has incorporated advertising into its most popular titles. As Kotaku points out, the company’s ad efforts stretch as far back as 2006. Several of its sports franchises already feature partnerships with brands like Visa, Lowe’s, Red Bull, and PepsiCo.

In-game advertising hasn’t exactly been embraced by fans, but industry experts expect it to ramp up as companies seek more revenue to offset higher games budgets and surging memory costs. EA rival Take-Two has taken a different approach, with CEO Strauss Zelnick recently saying the company was “not at risk of doing brand partnerships” in the forthcoming “Grand Theft Auto VI,” and that ads in full-price games seems “unfair.”

The $55 billion deal to take EA private, led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, is set to close at the end of this month. Being the largest leveraged buyout in history, EA will likely look for more ways to boost revenue to cover interest payments.

Electronic Arts Makes Push for Ad Dollars Tied to Sports

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JM Smucker says it sold $1 billion worth of Uncrustables in FY2026

After years of booming sandwich sales, JM Smucker has finally earned a billion-dollar crust.

On Tuesday, the company reported results for fiscal year 2026, highlighting better-than-expected profits driven by higher prices for coffee and sweet baked goods. However, at another point on the earnings call, CEO Mark Smucker pointed to one particularly jammy figure: in line with previous forecasts, the company sold $1 billion worth of its (almost always) crustless sandwiches, Uncrustables, in the last year alone.

Max Knoblauch6/8/26

Paramount reportedly offers concessions to resolve multistate antitrust investigation

Paramount has reportedly offered up some concessions in an effort to prevent an antitrust lawsuit by California and about 10 other states, according to Bloomberg reporting on Monday.

Reuters first reported on the potential suit from a group of unnamed states last week, which could throw a wrench in Paramount’s plans to buy rival Warner Bros. Discovery in a Hollywood megamerger.

The list of concessions is unknown, though Bloomberg previously reported that Paramount is open to divesting some of its kids TV assets to appease EU regulators.

Late last month, reports said US regulators appeared likely to approve the $110 billion merger, following a meeting between Paramount CEO David Ellison and DOJ antitrust staffers.

Paramount Offers Concessions to Head Off State Antitrust Lawsuit

The list of concessions is unknown, though Bloomberg previously reported that Paramount is open to divesting some of its kids TV assets to appease EU regulators.

Late last month, reports said US regulators appeared likely to approve the $110 billion merger, following a meeting between Paramount CEO David Ellison and DOJ antitrust staffers.

$98B ⛽

Max Knoblauch6/8/26

The IATA released its latest financial outlook for the airline industry over the weekend, forecasting a $98 billion jump in the sector’s collective fuel bill. The world’s largest trade group representing airlines expects the oil spike to halve profits by 49% from last year to $23 billion.

The group also expects profit margins to halve year over year, falling from 2025’s 4.2% to 2%. Still, revenue is expected to climb to $1.17 trillion from $1.07 trillion.

A surge in the cost of jet fuel has rocked US and global airlines this year, leading Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue, and others to raise fares and ancillary charges like bag fees. Low-cost carriers, which operate on smaller margins, have been squeezed the hardest, resulting in Spirit’s shutdown.

“It’s a tough year for all airlines, especially those whose balance sheets had not yet recovered from COVID. And, of course, for those operating in the Gulf,” said IATA Director General Willie Walsh, who added that demand is holding up and about half of passengers expect to spend more on travel this year. “That bodes well for a strong northern summer peak season. The big unknown is how long travelers and shippers can tolerate the higher costs of connectivity.”

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