Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, Feb 22, 2025

Musk Sparks Chaos By Pausing Twitter Deal, Then Insisting It's On

Musk Sparks Chaos By Pausing Twitter Deal, Then Insisting It's On

Elon Musk initially sent an early tweet saying the Twitter deal is pending until he receives more information about the proportion of fake accounts on it, and then another tweet saying he is "still committed" to the deal.

Elon Musk sowed new chaos into the market over his takeover bid for Twitter Inc. on Friday, first claiming his offer was "temporarily on hold" and then maintaining he is "still committed" to the deal, sending the social media giant into a tailspin.

The billionaire initially sent an early tweet saying the $44 billion deal is pending until he receives more information about the proportion of fake accounts on the social media site, which sent Twitter stock tumbling as much as 25% in premarket trading.

A few hours later he sent another tweet saying he is "still committed" to the deal. Twitter's shares recouped some of their losses and were down 11% at 9:45 am in New York.

Musk said he was waiting for details on a recent filing from Twitter that fake accounts on the social media platform contributed less than 5% of its users. Twitter said in its latest quarterly results "that the average of false or spam accounts during the first quarter of 2022 represented fewer than 5% of our monthly daily active users during the quarter."

However, this data-point has been part of Twitter's quarterly filings for almost a decade. Twitter said it applied "significant judgment" to its latest estimate, and the true number could be higher.

Fighting fake accounts has been a cornerstone of Musk's bid to reform Twitter. In a statement announcing his deal to buy the company last month, he revealed he wanted to defeat spam bots, authenticate all humans, and make its algorithms open source. Musk has also said he'd like to make the platform a bastion of free speech, taking the guardrails off of content moderation.

Bots are currently allowed on Twitter, though under the company's policy such accounts are supposed to indicate that they're automated. The platform has even launched a label for "good" bots, such as @tinycarebot, an account that tweets self-care reminders. Spam bots, however, are not permitted, and the company has policies meant to combat them.

Twitter deal temporarily on hold pending details supporting calculation that spam/fake accounts do indeed represent less than 5% of users

Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 13, 2022

Doubts have grown in recent days that Musk would be able to pull off his acquisition of Twitter, and that the entrepreneur may consider dropping his bidding price for the micro-blogging site. The whole transaction has been a frenzied and untraditional affair, largely played out on Twitter.

Musk went from being "just" a prolific user to revealing a more than 9% stake in the company and then launching an unsolicited takeover offer -- without detailed financing plans -- within a matter of weeks. It all came together at breakneck speed in part because Musk waived the chance to look at Twitter's finances beyond what was publicly available.

"There will also be questions raised over whether fake accounts are the real reason behind this delaying tactic," said Susannah Streeter, senior investment and markets analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, "given that promoting free speech rather than focusing on wealth creation appeared to be his primary motivation for the takeover. The $44 billion price tag is huge, and it may be a strategy to row back on the amount he is prepared to pay to acquire the platform."

The proposed takeover includes a $1 billion breakup fee for each party, which Musk will have to pay if he ends the deal or fails to deliver the acquisition funding as promised. It is unclear whether an update by Twitter on the number of fake accounts -- if materially larger than 5% -- would trigger a so-called material adverse effect clause, releasing Musk from the breakup fee.

The spread on the deal, which offers an indication of how much Wall Street believes the takeover will be completed, swelled further on Thursday to $9.11 from $8.11 in the previous session. That was the widest level since the billionaire launched his bid last month to purchase the Twitter for $54.20 -- and double where it was last week when he announced a roughly $7.1 billion financing commitment.

Musk's latest tweets landed just hours after news that Twitter was freezing hiring as part of pre-deal cost-cutting efforts. Two of Twitter's top leaders are also departing. Kayvon Beykpour, head of consumer product, and Bruce Falck, in charge of revenue product, were both asked to leave the company by Chief Executive Officer Parag Agrawal, the two executives said in separate public posts.

The changes reflect Twitter's current state of limbo while it awaits a new owner. Hindenburg Research LLC, an investment research firm that focuses on activist short-selling, said on Mondaythat it sees a "significant risk" that Musk's proposed offer gets repriced lower.

The analysts cited the ongoing meltdown in technology shares, Twitter's own weak first-quarter results, including restating several years of user numbers, and the prospect that Musk will sell his 9% stake if the deal doesn't come together.

What Bloomberg Intelligence Says:


"This is likely aimed at negotiating a deal that's 15-20% cheaper and closer to rival Snap's market cap. In a $44 billion deal, Twitter's enterprise value per daily active user of $200 is much higher than Snap's $115-$120. The transaction could become more palatable to private equity if there's no margin loan." -- Mandeep Singh, BI senior technology industry analyst

Employees at Twitter have been on an emotional roller coaster for weeks. One employee said on Friday he felt like he worked at a circus and that for the first time he was considering changing jobs.

Aside from doubts over the extent of spam bots on Twitter's platform, the world's richest person is still working to secure the money to actually complete the deal. Musk has been in talks with investors to raise enough equity and preferred financing to eliminate the need for any margin loan linked to his Tesla shares, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

He recently disclosed $7.1 billion in equity commitments from investors including Larry Ellison, Sequoia Capital, Qatar Holding and Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, with the latter rolling his Twitter stock into the deal.

"Musk has never had the full funding - we know that from his constant attempts to get financial support - but he also held all the cards," said Neil Campling, head of TMT research at Mirabaud Equity Research. "The Twitter board have been held hostage and only have themselves to blame for this mess. No other buyer will emerge - if Musk decides he is still interested he can name his price and it won't be higher."

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Saudi Arabia and the United States Strengthen Ties Amid Global Developments
Saudi Arabia Hosts Global Conference to Promote Islamic Unity
The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Education and Child Development
Saudi Arabia Announces Competition for Best Founding Day Outfits
Saudi-EU Food Security Officials Hold Talks to Strengthen Collaboration
Putin Expresses Gratitude to Saudi Crown Prince for Hosting US-Russia Talks
UK and Saudi Arabia Enhance Collaboration in Innovation and Technology
Denmark's Embassy in Riyadh Showcases Danish Cuisine with Saudi Influence
Saudi Artist Salman Al-Amir Unveils 'Tafawut' Exhibition in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia Offers Condolences to Kuwait Following Military Exercise Fatalities
Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs Completes Ramadan Preparations in Madinah
Etidal Secretary-General Hosts UN Counter-Terrorism Director in Riyadh
ADNOC Drilling Targets Over $1 Billion in Investments for 2025 Amid Gulf Expansion Plans
Derayah Financial Achieves Remarkable Growth in Saudi Brokerage and Asset Management
Saudi Arabia Shortlists 30 Firms for Mining Licenses in Eastern Province and Tabuk
Saudi Foreign Minister Engages Counterparts at G20 Meeting in Johannesburg
Oil Prices Decline Amid Rising US Inventories
Saudi Arabia's NDMC Plans Green Bond Issuance by 2025
Moody’s Affirms Egypt’s Caa1 Rating Amid Positive Economic Outlook
Oman and Saudi Arabia Strengthen Economic Ties with New Agreements
Saudi Arabia Investments Propel Expansion of Qurayyah Power Plant
Saudi Capital Market Authority Advances SPACs and Direct Listings
Global Energy Leaders Gather in Riyadh for Symposium on Energy Outlooks
Al-Ahsa Region Sees 500% Growth in Tourism as Saudi Arabia Prioritizes Development
Saudi Arabia Advances Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Al-Ahsa with New Agreement
King Salman Approves Official Saudi Riyal Symbol
Saudi Credit Card Lending Reaches $8.4 Billion Amid Digital Payment Expansion
King Salman Approves Official Symbol for Saudi Riyal
Putin Thanks Saudi Crown Prince for Facilitating U.S.-Russia Discussions
Saudi Foreign Minister Attends G20 Meeting in Johannesburg
Saudi Arabia Prepares for Nationwide Founding Day Celebrations
Inauguration of Hira Park and Walkway Enhances Jeddah's Urban Landscape
Crown Prince Hosts Leaders for Informal Meeting in Riyadh Amid Gaza Rebuilding Plans
Saudi Official Highlights Achievements and Media's Role in National Transformation
Three Expatriate Women Arrested for Prostitution in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia's Diplomatic Evolution Highlighted at Saudi Media Forum
Healthy Eating and Preparation Essential for Ramadan Fasting
Saudi Arabia and Japan Forge Sustainable Textile Partnership
Advanced Limb Surgery Restores Mobility in Pediatric Cancer Patient
Jeddah Event Explores AI's Role in Boosting Saudi Arabia's SME Sector
UN Representative Highlights AI's Role in Perpetuating Gender Stereotypes
Saudi and Jordanian Leaders Discuss Enhanced Security Cooperation in Amman
Saudi British Society Honors Cultural Bridge-Builders at London Gala
Saudi Media Forum 2025 Explores AI's Role in Modern Journalism
Saudi Arabia's Saqer Al-Moqbel Appointed as WTO General Council President for 2025–2026
Saudi Deputy Ministers Engage in Diplomatic Discussions with U.S. and Dutch Officials in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia to Launch Iftar Program in 61 Countries During Ramadan
Saudi Visitors Expected to Spend £942 Million in UK During 2025
Saudi Arabia Gifts Kaaba's Kiswah to Uzbekistan's Center of Islamic Civilization
Digital Cooperation Organization Concludes Fourth General Assembly with Multiple Agreements
×