Pharma consolidation continues with two new massive deals April 28, 2016 The latest round of consolidation in the pharmaceutical industry has seen a combined £24bn worth of potential deals. French phara giant Sanofi yesterday made a play for cancer therapy drug specialist Medivation with an unsolicited bid worth $9.3bn (£6.4bn). Sanofi has sent a letter to the head of Medivation offering to buy the company after Medivation [...]
Comcast’s NBCUniversal agrees $3.8bn deal for Shrek maker Dreamworks April 28, 2016 NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, has announced a $3.8bn (£2.6bn) deal to acquire Dreamworks Animation. Shareholders of Dreamworks Animation, the maker of Shrek and Kung Fu Panda, will receive $41 in cash for each share under the deal. On Thursday morning in the US, after the announcement, the share price of Dreamworks was up 24 per cent to [...]
Majority of UK dealmakers say Brexit would be bad for business and study finds EU referendum uncertainty is already taking its toll on M&A April 28, 2016 The majority of UK dealmakers believe a so-called Brexit would have a negative impact of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity at home and in Europe. A new survey also suggested uncertainty around the referendum is having a negative impact on early-stage M&A activity in the UK, with growth slowing in the first quarter. Read more: Dealmakers [...]
As government talks up Channel 4 privatisation, analysts name Netflix, Viacom, BT and Discovery as potential suitors April 27, 2016 Netflix, Viacom, BT and Discovery have all been tipped as potential suitors for Channel 4 by media analysts. The government is currently considering selling off the channel, which is privately funded but publicly owned. And culture secretary John Whittingdale yesterday talked up the prospect of privatisation, saying it could leave the channel "better off". Read more: Why Channel 4's [...]
EU referendum: German finance industry believes Frankfurt would be “major winner” of Brexit April 27, 2016 The German finance industry believes Frankfurt would emerge as a "major winner" if the UK votes for a so-called Brexit. A survey of 400 businesses in the sector also found support for the London Stock Exchange-Deutsche Boerse merger. But there are concerns about the headquarters of the holding company created by the merger being based in London [...]
Shrek maker Dreamworks sees share price soar after news Comcast is considering $3bn takeover bid April 27, 2016 Shares in Dreamworks were up by more than 15 per cent on Wednesday after it emerged Comcast is considering a takeover of the company. Shares in Comcast, the creator of the Despicable Me and Minions films, were also up slightly following the news. Read more: Comcast pours cold water on ITV takeover talks Comcast is in talks to [...]
London Stock Exchange clarifies Xavier Rolet’s language after talks with the Takeover Panel ahead of merger with Deutsche Boerse AG and confirms it hasn’t held talks about ICE’s strategy April 26, 2016 The London Stock Exchange (LSE) has clarified arguments made by its chief executive in recent interviews, following discussions with the Takeover Panel. Yesterday evening the LSE released a statement to clarify Xavier Rolet's comments in the press about the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), which could still gatecrash the merger with Deutsche Boerse AG. One clarification related to [...]
Former Barclays boss Bob Diamond confirms bid talks for bank’s Africa unit April 26, 2016 Bob Diamond, the former Barclays chief executive who resigned from the bank in the wake of the Libor-rigging scandal, has taken another step towards seizing Barclays' Africa arm. Atlas Mara, the London-listed investment company Diamond co-founded in 2013, today revealed it was in talks for Barclays Africa unit which was put up for sale last month due [...]
Energy sector bucks the M&A trend as deals value powers to highest year-to-date level since 2011 April 26, 2016 Deal activity in the energy and utility sector has powered to its highest year-to-date level since 2011. The mergers and acquisitions (M&A) surge comes in a year that has seen most sectors in decline after a record 2015 in which more than $5 trillion (£3.4 trillion) of deals were announced in total. Between 1 January and [...]
Thomson Reuters expects to complete sale of $3bn-valued intellectual property and science units this year April 26, 2016 Thomson Reuters expects to sell off its intellectual property and science units, which have been valued at around $3bn (£2.1bn), this year. The US media company said in its first quarter report, released today, that a sale process has been launched and a deal is due to complete in the second half of 2016. The figures Thomson [...]