Fly Intel: Top five weekend stock stories

Catch up on the weekend's top five stories with this list compiled by The Fly: 1. AT&T (T) is in talks to combine a portfolio of media assets with Discovery (DISCA, DISCB), Cara Lombardo, Dana Cimilluca and Drew FitzGerald of Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The talks, which cover CNN and other parts of AT&T's WarnerMedia division, including the TNT and TBS cable channels, are advanced, and an agreement could be reached by Monday, sources told the Journal. In the potential deal, AT&T shareholders would own a big stake in the new entity, some of sources said. Bloomberg was first to report that AT&T is in talks to combine it media business with Discovery. 2. Microsoft (MSFT) board members decided that Bill Gates needed to step down from its board in 2020 as they pursued an investigation into the billionaire's prior romantic relationship with a female Microsoft employee that was deemed inappropriate, The Wall Street Journal's Emily Glazer, Justin Baer, Khadeeja Safdar and Aaron Tilley reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Members of the board tasked with the matter hired a law firm to conduct an investigation in late 2019 after a Microsoft engineer alleged in a letter that she had a sexual relationship over years with Gates, the people said. During the probe, some board members decided it was no longer suitable for Gates to sit as a director at the software company he started and led for decades, according to sources. 3. Anyone who has been shopping lately for a refrigerator or other home appliance knows it's very much a seller's market, Andrew Bary wrote in this week's edition of Barron's. Robust demand and limited supply have allowed the global appliance leader Whirlpool (WHR) to pass along price increases in steel and other raw materials to its customers, the author noted. The company, whose brands include Maytag, Amana, and KitchenAid, is increasing prices 5% to 12% across the board, the publication added. Although the stock is already up 36% this year, considering Whirlpool's financial progress, market position, and earnings power, the stock is still inexpensive, Bary contended. 4. Lionsgate's (LGF.A) "Spiral: From the Book of Saw" won the weekend at the North American box office, with an $8.7M debut from 2,811 locations. Marking a new chapter in the Saw franchise with new characters, Spiral stars Chris Rock, Max Minghella, Marisol Nichols and Samuel L. Jackson. Roughly 45% of cinemas remain dark in North America as reopening continues. 5. DuPont (DD), Realogy Holdings (RLGY), Stanley Black & Decker (SWK), Carvana (CVNA), Vroom (VRM), and Shift Technologies (SFT) saw positive mentions in this week's edition of Barron's.