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- Healthcare Giants Unite in $48.7 Billion Mega-Merger
Healthcare Giants Unite in $48.7 Billion Mega-Merger
Noah Zelvis
November 05, 2025
Two titans of everyday health and hygiene are joining forces in a landmark merger.
The deal will bring some of America’s most trusted brands together under one powerful new umbrella. Read on for the latest on this and other key dividend stories.
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Telecom
AT&T Just Grabbed $29.5 Billion and a Second Wind
AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) isn't waiting for luck to turn things around; it just secured nearly $29.5 billion in fresh credit to buy itself time, power, and plenty of options.
The package includes a $12 billion restated credit facility and a $17.5 billion delayed-draw loan from Citibank and Bank of America.
That's not just pocket change, it's a fuel tank for the company's fiber and 5G expansion. It also signals that big banks still believe AT&T can pull off its comeback story.
Gearing Up for the Next Network War
This cash injection gives AT&T the flexibility to upgrade its infrastructure, pursue new spectrum, and strengthen its position in the telecom industry's competitive landscape.
Think of it as preparing for the next round of industry battles.
As rivals sprint ahead in 5G and broadband, AT&T is arming itself for the long game; building, consolidating, and preparing for a major return to form.
Playing It Smart in a Risky Game
Yes, the debt pile is still heavy, but this isn't reckless spending. It's a chess move designed to keep the board open while others run out of pieces.
People love to count this company out, but giants don't fall quietly.
AT&T's loading up, getting lean, and aiming to surprise the same crowd that wrote it off. You might want to be watching when the punch lands.
T currently trades at $24 and pays a dividend of $1.11 per share, a yield of 4.54%.
Consumer
Apple’s Getting Cheap — and That’s the Smartest Thing It’s Done in Years
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) is flipping the script with plans for a budget Mac aimed straight at Chromebooks and low-cost PCs.
For a brand built on premium pricing, this is Apple stepping into the crowd instead of standing above it.
The new Mac, code-named J700, targets students, small businesses, and casual users who want Apple's speed without the premium price tag.
It’s the first time Cupertino’s whispering “affordable” without irony, and the timing couldn’t be sharper.
When Premium Meets Practical
By repurposing iPhone chips and streamlining design, Apple can deliver serious power without the luxury markup.
That means lower costs, higher accessibility, and a brand-new wave of customers who’ll finally buy into the Mac life.
And let’s be real, if Apple gets even a fraction of the Chromebook crowd, this could flip an entire category.
The move proves that innovation isn’t always about features; sometimes it’s about opening the gate.
The New Apple Math
For Apple, this is long-term chess, not a short-term flex.
A cheaper Mac may trim margins, but it supercharges service adoption, app sales, and the iCloud web that keeps users hooked for years.
You’ve seen Apple go luxury for years, but this time it’s coming to you. The message couldn’t be clearer. If everyone’s buying smart, Apple’s selling smarter.
You might not need the newest iPhone to feel part of the club anymore.
AAPL currently trades at $270 and pays a dividend of $1.04 per share, a yield of 0.39%.
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Pharma
The FDA Wants Change, Amgen Says “Not So Fast”
Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN) is having a moment. Its biosimilar business is booming, and now the FDA wants to change the rules.
Washington’s idea? Make it easier for new players to enter the market. Amgen’s reply? Careful, that could break what’s finally working.
After years of investing billions in research and manufacturing to meet stringent approval standards, Amgen says these rules are what keep quality high and competition fair.
It’s a rare case of a company asking regulators not to loosen up.
Why the Fight Matters
The proposed reforms could provide smaller firms with a shortcut to sell cheaper biologics without conducting full-scale trials.
That sounds great for pricing, but if quality slips, you’ll feel it in the pharmacy aisle. Amgen’s argument is simple: cheaper isn’t better if patients lose trust.
And in a market built on credibility, that trust is everything. Loosen the bar too much, and you might watch the whole biosimilar boom lose its shine.
The Stakes for You and the Stock
Amgen’s biosimilar unit has become a quiet powerhouse, cushioning older drugs as patents expire.
A rule change could flip margins overnight, but it also proves how central Amgen has become to the future of affordable medicine.
So if you’re keeping tabs on where biotech and policy collide, watch Amgen closely.
It’s not just defending a market, it’s defending the fine line between innovation and imitation, and that line’s worth more than a few percentage points of profit.
AMGN currently trades at $315.00 and pays a dividend of $9.52 per share, a yield of 3.03%.
Dividend Stocks Worth Watching
Yum Brands (NYSE: YUM) has just reported a strong Q3, with worldwide sales up 5% year over year.
The earnings report also revealed strong margins, new unit openings, and particularly strong performances from Taco Bell and KFC.
The news has bolstered YUM’s stock price, with a 7% increase yesterday (Tuesday) – but this wasn’t all attributable to the impressive Taco Bell same-store sales growth of 7% or the KFC unit growth of 6%.
The brand’s decision to announce a strategic review of Pizza Hut also boosted sentiment and potentially opens the door for the pizza chain to be sold off.
YUM currently pays a 71-cent dividend, yielding 1.92%.
Kenvue Inc. (NYSE: KVUE) has agreed to be acquired by Kimberly-Clark in a cash-and-stock deal totaling $48.7 billion.
KVUE is the parent company of Tylenol, and shareholders are expected to receive around $3.50 per share, plus an additional 0.15 Kimberly-Clark shares for each KVUE share held.
The merger will create one of the largest healthcare companies in the United States.
It will bring Tylenol and other KVUE brands, including Listerine and Aveeno, under the same roof as Kleenex, Huggies, and Depend.
KVUE currently pays a 21-cent dividend, with a yield of 5.08%.
Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM) has set a new quarterly production record in Guyana, surpassing 700,000 barrels per day.
It also set a new record in the Permian, with nearly 1.7 million oil-equivalent barrels per day.
XOM’s chairman and chief executive officer, Darren Woods, celebrated the output as being the best in its sector, stating that "No one else in our industry is executing at this scale, with this level of innovation, or delivering this kind of value.”
The company comfortably beat Wall Street's Q3 expectations and raised the quarterly dividend for the 43rd consecutive year on the back of its market-leading performance.
Its dividend is now $1.03 with a yield of 3.59%.
Dividend Increases
SU has increased its dividend to 60 cents, up 45.11%. Its new yield is 6.07%.
FTS has boosted its dividend to 64 cents, an increase of 43.88%. Its new yield is 5.07%.
GGB has lifted its dividend to 5 cents, an increase of 141.06%. Its new yield is 5.96%.
WAL has increased its dividend to 42 cents, a boost of 10.53%. Its new yield is 2.19%.
Dividend Decreases
TSLX has trimmed its dividend to 5 cents, a decrease of 40%. Its new yield is 0.54%.
TXO has dropped its dividend to 35 cents, a cut of 22.22%. Its new yield is 10.63%.
TPG has reduced its dividend to 45 cents, a decrease of 23.73%. Its new yield is 3.37%.
VNOM has cut its dividend to 33 cents, a 37.74% decline. Its new yield is 3.49%.
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Upcoming Dividend Payers
MA’s ex-dividend date for the forthcoming 76 cents payment is 11/07/25.
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BK’s ex-dividend date for the forthcoming 53 cents payment is 11/07/25.
COKE’s ex-dividend date for the forthcoming 25 cents payment is 11/07/25.
Everything Else
IBM is following the broader tech sector's lead with a 1% reduction in its global workforce. The layoffs will take place this quarter and are expected to impact around 2,700 employees.
Pfizer has filed a lawsuit against Metsera, Inc., the company it had planned to merge with, alleging a breach of contract after rival Novo Nordisk swooped in with an alternative offer.
Scorpio Tankers Inc. may not be a household name, but this marine transportation specialist’s statutory earnings per share (EPS) beat Wall Street forecasts by a comprehensive margin of 23% in its most recent earnings report.
Dozens of airlines, including Delta and Southwest, could soon be grounded, with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy saying some American airspace could soon close due to the ongoing government shutdown.
That’s all for today’s edition of the Dividend Brief.
Thanks for reading, and if you have any feedback or dividend stocks you want me to take a look at, just reply to this email!
—Noah Zelvis
DividendBrief.com