Competition is dying. That’s the latest complaint against American business. We have too many super-sized firms, excessively large and unnaturally profitable. Dubious mergers, permitted by toothless antitrust laws, boost companies’ market power and squash rivals. The lifeblood of a dynamic economy is competition; its erosion — if true — would be a momentous event. But is it true? Let’s see. ...

There’s gold in them than holes. That’s my stab at an elevator pitch for oilfield-services veteran Andrew Gould’s latest venture. The former Schlumberger Ltd. CEO’s investment vehicle, Sentinel Energy Services Inc., announced it will buy Strike LLC, which specialises in maintaining and repairing pipelines. Once the $854 million deal closes, Strike will become a public company. It is interesting that ...

Is Daimler AG out to prove that carmakers are the ultimate value trap? Its second profit warning in fourth months felt like a capitulation. A kitchen sink would struggle to contain the list of excuses the German car and truck maker produced to explain the latest profit shortfall on October 19. Unspecified diesel issues, disappointing bus sales, and the potential ...