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Comcast Corp. has approached 21st Century Fox Inc. to express an interest on a deal, according to a report on The Wall Street Journal citing people familiar with the situation. It was unclear whether Comcast would be interested in all or part of Fox, the report said. Earlier this month, Walt Disney Co. and Fox discussed a potential deal, but talks fell through. Shares of Fox rose more than 6% on the news, while Comcast stock rose 0.9%.

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Caesars Entertainment Corp. said late Thursday that it is buying Centaur Holdings LLC for $1.7 billion in cash. Caesars stock is up less than 1% to $12.85 in late trading. The acquisition will add two Indiana-based Hoosier Park Racing and Casino and Indiana Grand Racing and Casino to the company’s Total Rewards network, Caesars said in a statement. Executives expect the transaction to close in the first half of 2018. “We believe the acquisition of Centaur is the best use of capital to support our growth plans and the long-term value of Caesars Entertainment,” Chief Executive Mark Frissora said in a statement. “Our network expansion plan is off to a great start with this strategic transaction and we continue to have a strong financial position with solid cash flows to pursue other expansion opportunities with attractive returns.” Caesars stock has gained 50% this year, with the S&P 500 index rising 15%.

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PayPal Inc. stock hit a record intraday high of $77.94 Thursday, and closed up 5.8% after news that executives raised its fourth-quarter forecasts and that it would sell its $5.8 billion credit portfolio to Synchrony Financial . PayPal issued a fourth-quarter revenue forecast of earnings of between 52 cents and 59 cents a share on revenue of between $3.64 billion and $3.7 billion. Previously, executives had forecast earnings of between 37 cents and 39 cents a share on sales of $3.57 billion to $3.63 billion. PayPal was formerly a unit of eBay Inc. and executives spun the company out after investor pressure. It started trading as a separate entity in July 2015 at $34.69. PayPal stock is up 94% this year, with the S&P 500 index up 15%.

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Shares of Williams Sonoma Inc. fell 9% after the retailer missed per-share earnings by a penny and announced a deal to buy a 3D imaging and augmented-reality company. Williams Sonoma said it earned $71.3 million, or 84 cents a share, in the quarter, compared with $69.3 million, or 78 cents a share, in the year-ago period. The EPS included the impact of about 2 cents a share in lost sales after hurricanes Harvey and Maria. Revenue rose 4.3% to $1.30 billion, compared with $1.25 billion a year ago. Sales reflect an estimated $7 million impact of lost sales after the hurricanes, the company said. Analysts polled by FactSet had expected earnings of 83 cents a share on sales of $1.29 billion. In a separate statement, the San Francisco-based company said it had agreed to buy Outward Inc., a 3D imaging and augmented-reality platform for home furnishings and decor based in San Jose, Calif. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

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Gap Inc. shares jumped as much as 8% in late trading Thursday after the retailer reported an earnings beat and increased its guidance for the full year ahead of the important holiday-shopping season. The retail company–which owns and operates the Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy chains–reported profit of $228 million, or 58 cents a share, down from 60 cents a share a year ago. Total revenue for the third quarter was $3.84 billion, up from $3.8 billion in the same quarter last year. Analysts on average expected Gap to report earnings of 54 cents a share on sales of $3.76 billion, according to FactSet. Gap said it now expects full-year earnings of $2.18 a share to $2.22 a share, after previously guiding for earnings of $2.02 a share to $2.10 a share. Shares neared $30 a share in immediate after-hours trading following the report’s release, after closing with a 2.2% increase at $27.48.

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Splunk Inc. shares surged in the extended session Thursday after the company beat Wall Street sales and earnings expectations. Splunk shares rose 7.1% to $72.25 after hours. The company reported third-quarter net losses of $50.8 million, or 36 cents a share, compared with losses of $91 million, or 69 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Adjusted earnings were 17 cents a share. Revenue rose to $328.7 million from $244.8 million in the year-ago period. Analysts surveyed by FactSet had estimated adjusted earnings of 14 cents a share on revenue of $309 million. For the fourth quarter, analysts model adjusted earnings of 32 cents a share on revenue of $384 million. Executives forecast fourth-quarter revenue of between $388 million and $390 million. Splunk stock has gained 35% this year, with the S&P 500 index rising 15%.

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Barnes & Noble Inc. said Thursday it does not accept a proposal to take the bookstore chain private as “bona fide,” or genuine, as the company behind the proposal, Sandell Asset Management Corp., is the “beneficial owner” of 1 million common Barnes & Noble shares worth approximately $7 million. Chairman Leonard Riggio “has no intention of rolling his shares into such a transaction, and the company believes a debt financing of $500 million is highly unlikely,” Barnes & Noble said in a statement. The stock had surged as much as 19% earlier Thursday after The Wall Street Journal said Sandell had proposed to take the company private at more than $9 a share on a deal worth about $750 million, including debt, that would require $500 million in debt financing. Riggio, who holds a roughly 18& stake in the company, would not agree to the deal, according to the report, which cited a person familiar with the situation. The stock has fallen 36% in 2017, while the S&P 500 has gained around 15%.

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WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) – President Trump’s son in law, Jared Kushner, has been asked by a Senate panel to turn over emails from 2016 about Wikileaks and documents about a “Russian backdoor overture and dinner invite.” Democrat Diane Feinstein and Republican Charles Grassley are leading the Senate investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election. They are also seeking emails about Kushner’s contact with former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn. The senators said they are aware of such emails but that Kusher has not provided them copies.

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The House of Representatives passed its version of a tax overhaul Thursday, advancing a key Republican priority. The bill, called the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, would cut the corporate rate to 20%; set up four tax brackets; and switch the U.S. to a so-called territorial tax system. House passage is just one step, however. The Senate Finance Committee is working on a separate measure that differs in key respects, notably by repealing Obamacare’s individual insurance mandate. The House and Senate must agree on a single measure before sending it to President Donald Trump. The House bill passed 227 to 205.

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Shares of book store chain Barnes & Noble Inc. surged 16% Thursday, after the Wall Street Journal said an investor is proposing to take the company private at more than $9 a share. Sandell Asset Management Corp. has proposed a deal worth about $750 million, including debt, that would require $500 million in debt financing, the paper said. The remaining $250 million would come from current shareholders, who would roll their stakes over into a new private entity. Chairman Leonard Riggio would not agree to the deal, the paper said, citing a person familiar with the situation. Riggio holds a roughly 18% stake in the company. Shares were last up 16% after resuming trade following a halt. The stock has fallen 31% in 2017, while the S&P 500 has gained about 15%.

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