• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

2

The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting

3

After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup

1

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

2

The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting

3

After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
Finance

Elon Musk’s $44 billion Twitter purchase is ‘one of the most overpaid tech acquisitions in history,’ Wedbush’s Dan Ives says. Twitter’s fair value is only $25 billion

Will Daniel
By
Will Daniel
Will Daniel
Down Arrow Button Icon
Will Daniel
By
Will Daniel
Will Daniel
Down Arrow Button Icon
October 27, 2022, 11:51 AM ET
Tesla CEO Elon Musk looks up as he addresses guests at the Offshore Northern Seas 2022 (ONS) meeting in Stavanger, Norway on August 29, 2022.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk looks up as he addresses guests at the Offshore Northern Seas 2022 (ONS) meeting in Stavanger, Norway on August 29, 2022.Carina Johansen/NTB/AFP via Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

With his $44 billion deal to buy Twitter coming to a close, Elon Musk arrived at the social media giant’s headquarters on Wednesday carrying a sink.

The 51-year-old Tesla CEO shared a video of himself walking into Twitter’s swanky San Francisco offices with the caption: “Entering Twitter HQ—let that sink in!”

All strained puns aside, after months of back and forth court battles and social media drama, Twitter and Musk have agreed to terms, thanks in part to a Delaware court.

But Wedbush Securities tech analyst Dan Ives is warning that those terms aren’t exactly favorable for the world’s richest man.

“The $44 billion price tag for Twitter will go down as one of the most overpaid tech acquisitions in the history of M&A deals on the Street in our opinion,” Ives wrote in a Thursday note to clients. “Musk buying Twitter remains a major head-scratcher.”

Ives argued that Twitter’s fair value is just $25 billion, meaning Musk overpaid by some $19 billion. And although it took the Tesla CEO months to complete his acquisition of Twitter, the real work is just beginning.

“As we have discussed, the easy part for Musk was buying Twitter, the difficult part and Everest-like uphill battle looking ahead will be fixing this troubled asset,” Ives wrote.

Twitter hasn’t exactly been hitting its stride in recent quarters. The company missed analyst earnings estimates in the second quarter and saw its revenue decline 1% to $1.18 billion.

Management blamed the poor results on “advertising industry headwinds associated with the macroenvironment,” which isn’t great news considering Alphabet’s earnings revealed further weakness in the advertising space just this week. 

Alphabet’s revenue growth shrank from 41% in the third quarter a year ago to just 6% in the same quarter this year. And YouTube, which relies on advertising, was particularly affected.

CFO Ruth Porat said during the company’s earnings call that YouTube’s revenue decline “primarily reflects further pullbacks in advertiser spends.”

Since Twitter earned nearly 90% of its revenues from advertising in 2021, Musk clearly has his work cut out for him to get the company running on all cylinders. But he could drastically improve the firm’s profitability by cutting staff. And rumors that he might slash up to 75% of Twitter’s workforce have been swirling in recent weeks.

However, on Wednesday, Bloomberg reported that the rumors appear to be, well, just rumors. Musk told Twitter staff that he didn’t plan to cut 75% of the workforce on his first day in the office, according to unnamed sources.

The Tesla CEO and now “Chief Twit” of Twitter also said that he plans to double Twitter’s revenue within three years, Bloomberg reported on Thursday, again citing unnamed sources. But how he might accomplish this task is still up for debate, Ives said.

Musk has made various proposals for how he might boost Twitter’s revenue, from changing up the company’s leadership to creating a new “everything app,” which he calls the “X” app.

“Buying Twitter is an accelerant to creating X, the everything app,” he tweeted on Oct. 4, adding that the acquisition could accelerate the app’s creation by up to five years.

The “X” app would be modeled after China’s “super app” WeChat, and include everything from video chats and messaging to streaming and payments. But so far, Musk hasn’t given any details on the timeline for “X” app’s creation or its link to Twitter.

Ives argued that the completion of the Twitter acquisition will lead to more questions than answers in the months ahead, especially surrounding the future of the “X” app.

“Once Musk takes over Twitter on Friday, major questions will remain around changes to the platform, monetization efforts, headcount cuts on the horizon, and the long-term strategy around the ‘X’ App,” he wrote.

Musk put out a statement on Twitter on Thursday attempting to clarify the reasons behind his acquisition of the company, arguing that he hopes to create a “digital town square where a wide range of beliefs can be debated in a healthy manner.”

“That is why I bought Twitter. I didn’t do it because it was easy. I didn’t do it to make more money. I did it to try to help humanity, whom I love,” he wrote.

Sign up for the Fortune Features email list so you don’t miss our biggest features, exclusive interviews, and investigations.

About the Author
Will Daniel
By Will Daniel
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Finance

Man in a suit and tie
InvestingAmazon
Bill Ackman, David Tepper, and other billionaire fund managers are quietly piling into Amazon
By Amanda GerutJune 25, 2026
2 hours ago
Ikea’s billionaire founder was so frugal that he bought clothes from flea markets and took free salt and pepper from restaurants
SuccessBillionaires
Ikea’s billionaire founder was so frugal that he bought clothes from flea markets and took free salt and pepper from restaurants
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 25, 2026
2 hours ago
Current ARM mortgage rates report for June 25, 2026
Personal FinanceReal Estate
Current ARM mortgage rates report for June 25, 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganJune 25, 2026
2 hours ago
Current refi mortgage rates report for June 25, 2026
Personal FinanceReal Estate
Current refi mortgage rates report for June 25, 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganJune 25, 2026
2 hours ago
Mortgage rates today, June 25, 2026
Personal Financemortgages
Mortgage rates today, June 25, 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganJune 25, 2026
2 hours ago
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America’s $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
SuccessMacKenzie Scott
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America’s $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
2 hours ago

Most Popular

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
Success
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 24, 2026
1 day ago
The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting
Economy
The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting
By Jacqueline MunisJune 24, 2026
1 day ago
After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
Success
After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 23, 2026
2 days ago
Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less
Retail
Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less
By Nick LichtenbergJune 24, 2026
18 hours ago
Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America ‘doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire’
Asia
Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America ‘doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire’
By Nick LichtenbergJune 24, 2026
20 hours ago
Trump’s international student crackdown kicked off a domino effect that could shave nearly $500 billion off the economy
Economy
Trump’s international student crackdown kicked off a domino effect that could shave nearly $500 billion off the economy
By Tristan BoveJune 24, 2026
15 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.