Paramount Skydance Volume Plummets to 452nd as Layoffs and UFC Bet Reshape Media Landscape

On August 22, 2025, Paramount Global (PSKY) traded at a volume of $0.24 billion, a 67.26% decline from the previous day, ranking it 452nd in market activity. The stock closed down 0.19%, reflecting investor caution amid strategic shifts within the media giant.

Paramount announced plans to cut between 2,000 to 3,000 jobs by early November, following the completion of its $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media. The layoffs, spread across departments, aim to streamline operations post-consolidation. The merged entity, now Paramount Skydance, also secured a $7.7 billion deal for U.S. broadcast rights to the UFC for seven years, signaling a pivot toward sports and live-event content to bolster revenue streams.

The job reductions and UFC acquisition highlight Paramount’s strategy to reduce costs and diversify its offerings in a competitive media landscape. While the merger creates a larger entity, the workforce cuts and significant capital outlay for the UFC contract could weigh on short-term earnings and operational flexibility. However, the UFC deal may attract a broader audience and advertising revenue, potentially offsetting some of the restructuring costs over time.

A strategy of purchasing the top 500 stocks by daily trading volume and holding them for one day generated a total profit of $2,253.88 from December 2022 to August 2025. The approach faced a maximum drawdown of -$1,025.14 during the period, with a Sharpe ratio of 1.79, indicating strong risk-adjusted returns.