July, 2020

• 16 July

  Apple wins $14.9b tax bill fight in blow to EU

  

  Bloomberg Apple Inc. won its court fight over a record 13 billion-euro ($14.9 billion) Irish tax bill in a crushing blow to European Union Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager’s crackdown on preferential fiscal deals for companies. The judgment by the EU’s lower court on Wednesday vindicates Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook’s challenge against a decision he labelled as “political crap.” ...

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• 15 July

  Biggest US battery system connects to California’s grid

  

  Bloomberg The biggest battery storage system in the US connected to California’s electricity grid, giving the state more flexibility to bank excess solar power generated during the hottest parts of the day and deploy it later. The California Independent System Operator, which manages a grid that powers powers 80% of California and a small portion of Nevada, added 62.5 megawatts ...

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• 15 July

  Pattern Energy offers biggest green junk bond

  Bloomberg Pattern Energy Operations LP is raising $700 million to help finance sustainable projects, the biggest green high-yield bond sale since 2017. The San Francisco-based company is offering senior unsecured notes maturing in eight years, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. Royal Bank of Canada, BMO Financial Group and Citigroup Inc are managing the transaction, the person ...

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• 15 July

  Virgin Atlantic set for $1.25b rescue in victory for Branson

  

  Bloomberg Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd announced a 1.2 billion-pound ($1.5 billion) rescue in a major victory for Richard Branson, who snatched his UK airline from the brink of failure under the weight of the coronavirus crisis. US hedge fund Davidson Kempner Capital Management will provide about 170 million pounds in secured financing, according to a statement, while Branson will contribute ...

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• 15 July

  Robots deployed to kill viruses at Heathrow

  

  Bloomberg Heathrow Airport is introducing cleaning robots and other measures to try to reduce the risk of virus transmission at the UK aviation hub as the country eases travel restrictions. The robots use ultraviolet rays to kill viruses and bacteria at night, according to a statement from the airport, which didn’t say how many of the machines were being deployed. ...

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• 15 July

  EasyJet gets enough votes in favour of $524m share sale

  

  Bloomberg EasyJet Plc Chairman John Barton said he expects shareholders to approve the British carrier’s 419 million pound ($524 million) share sale, providing a financial buffer as it contends with a slow recovery from the coronavirus shutdown. The Luton, England-based airline received proxy votes worth 60% of share capital in favour of the conditional part of a 703 pence-a-share equity ...

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• 15 July

  Brazil retailer raises $1b in share sale

  

  Bloomberg Lojas Americanas, the Brazilian retailer controlled by billionaire trio Jorge Paulo Lemann, Marcel Telles and Carlos Alberto Sicupira, raised at least $1.1 billion in a share sale, four people familiar with the transaction said. The firm sold preferred shares at 34.50 reais ($6.43) each, the people said, asking not to be named because the information isn’t public yet. It ...

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• 15 July

  Boeing lost 60 Max orders with virus vexing buyers

  

  Bloomberg Boeing Co’s order stockpile shrank further last month as more airlines and lessors backed out of commitments for the grounded 737 Max jetliner in a market devastated by the coronavirus pandemic. The planemaker recorded 60 Max cancellations in June, including 47 that were already announced, according to the company’s website. The tally excluded Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA’s move to ...

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• 15 July

  Advent leads $260m funding for Thrasio

  Bloomberg Thrasio, an acquirer of private label businesses on Amazon.com, has raised $260 million in a series C funding round led by private equity firm Advent International. The deal values the company at $1 billion, according to a joint statement from the company and Advent. Thrasio, among the top 25 sellers on Amazon, has more than $300 million in pro ...

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• 15 July

  Wells Fargo slumps after first quarterly loss since 2008

  

  Bloomberg Wells Fargo & Co. plummeted after reporting its first quarterly loss since 2008 as loan-loss provisions soared with the bank expecting a more severe downturn from the coronavirus pandemic. The firm set aside a record $9.5 billion for credit losses, about $4 billion more than analysts had expected. Wells Fargo executives had warned they would earmark more for soured ...

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