Media

Omnicom has announced plans to combine Mediahub and Hearts & Science into a single global media-agency network with approximately $9.1 billion in 2025 billings, though the merger is not yet complete. Several regional leaders have been named, but the network's brand identity and leadership for APAC and Latin America remain unresolved until an expected late-August launch. The consolidation is part of Omnicom's broader integration of Interpublic Group, under which it has doubled its three-year cost-synergy target to $1.5 billion.

Havas generated €1.362 billion in net revenue for the first half of 2026, with adjusted EBIT rising 4.2% to €150 million and the adjusted EBIT margin improving to 11.0%. North America drove results with 6.9% organic growth, while Asia-Pacific and Africa contracted 4.8% due to weakness in China and Middle East disruption. The company held its full-year guidance unchanged, targeting 2.0% to 3.0% organic growth and an adjusted EBIT margin of 13.2% to 13.5%.

A July 24 stipulation bars Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery from closing or integrating until five days after a federal court rules on the merits of a 12-state antitrust challenge, or June 1, 2027, whichever comes first. The states project the combined company would hold a 27% share of wide-release theatrical distribution, while no trial date has been agreed upon, with both sides submitting scheduling positions by July 31. Each day the deal remains open past September 30, 2026 adds roughly $7 million to the purchase price through a contractual price-adjustment mechanism, putting potential added cost near $1.7 billion if the deal closes around the standstill deadline.