Warner Bros Discovery Hits 52-Week High After Judge Clears Paramount Deal

A U.S. judge cleared the way for Paramount to close its acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery, removing a legal obstacle that had left the deal's timeline uncertain. Warner Bros Discovery shares hit a 52-week high of $30.93 on the news, according to Investing.com. The approval comes as Paramount is separately working through a large bond sale to help pay for the deal, a sale that MarketWatch flagged as a test case for how higher borrowing costs are squeezing corporate dealmaking. The two developments are linked: a completed legal clearance means the financing has a firm deal to fund, but it also means Paramount now has to absorb that debt at a moment when Treasury yields are rising at their fastest pace in years. What remains unresolved is how the combined company services that new debt load if borrowing costs stay elevated, and whether other suitors or regulatory reviews could still complicate the closing process.