Shares in controversial seed giant Monsanto are growing after a German rival confirmed takeover interest May 19, 2016 Shares in US seed company Monsanto grew more than seven per cent in after-hours trading after German rival Bayer confirmed it is seeking to take over the firm. The share price of Bayer, meanwhile, fell 7.5 per cent to €89.15 after it confirmed its interest. Bayer, the German drugs and chemicals maker, said in a statement [...]
Qatar Airways ramps up stake in British Airways owner IAG May 18, 2016 Qatar Airways yesterday said it has increased its stake in British Airways owner International Consolidated Airlines Group (IAG), at a time when the Gulf state is overhauling its business strategy due to the challenging oil market. The Gulf airline, which is fully government owned, has raised its holding in the FTSE 100-quoted airline group to [...]
China’s Midea is gunning for German industrial robot maker Kuka with one of the largest ever unsolicited approaches of a foreign company by a Chinese buyer May 18, 2016 Chinese home-appliance maker Midea is plotting a takeover attempt of German industrial robot maker Kuka, in a deal that values the German company at $5bn (£3.4bn). If it goes ahead it would be one of the largest unsolicited approaches of a foreign company by a Chinese buyer. The deal is the latest in a round of recent tie-ups and investments in [...]
London Stock Exchange expects shareholder vote on Deutsche Boerse merger after the EU referendum May 18, 2016 The London Stock Exchange expects its shareholders to vote on the proposed merger with Deutsche Boerse after the EU referendum. The company said in a statement this morning that shareholder documents are expected to be published in June. And its shareholders are then expected to be asked to vote at a meeting in July. Read [...]
How M&A buyers are taking a “watch and wait” approach to UK acquisitions ahead of EU referendum May 17, 2016 Another day, another M&A report, another conclusion relating to the EU referendum. Buyers are taking a “watch and wait” approach to UK acquisitions before the EU referendum next month, according to Deloitte. Global M&A activity has slumped so far in 2016 following a record-breaking 2015, in which more than $5 trillion worth of deals were announced. [...]
Pfizer drowns Allergan merger collapse sorrows with new $5.2bn acquisition May 16, 2016 Shares in US pharma minnow Anacor shot up more than 50 per cent in pre-market trading in the US, after Pfizer unveiled plans to buy it for $5.2bn (£3.6bn). Under the merger agreement, Pfizer will acquire Anacor, which makes an antifungal treatment, for $99.25 per share in cash. Both companies’ boards have unanimously agreed the deal. Anacor’s share price soared [...]
Why M&A activity leaves companies vulnerable to cyber criminals May 12, 2016 Global merger and acquisitions (M&A) activity reached record-breaking deal values in 2015 at over $5 trillion. Whilst these vast sums excite shareholders, they also attract cyber criminals who sense an opportunity via inherent weaknesses in the M&A process. In much the same way that insider trading can (if undetected) yield huge returns for the perpetrator, cyber criminals [...]
Seed company’s shares grow after news of $43bn takeover interest May 12, 2016 Shares in US company Monsanto grew by more than eight per cent today after it was reported to be the subject of takeover interest from Germany. It is thought the deal would create the world’s largest seed and farm chemicals provider. Read more: Syngenta agrees to takeover by ChemChina worth over $43bn German company Bayer has [...]
Private equity firms reportedly circling O2 after Three merger blocked May 12, 2016 Top private equity firms are circling O2 after Brussels yesterday blocked a billion pound takeover of the mobile network by Three owner Hutchison, according to reports. Apax Partners, CVC Capital and KKR are among firms to have held preliminary talks exploring a potential bid for Telefonica's O2, Sky reports. They join Liberty Global, the owner of Virgin Media [...]
Was the European Commission right to block the Three-O2 merger? May 12, 2016 Jacques Lafitte, chief executive of Avisa Partners in Brussels and a former senior EU Commission official, says Yes. The Commission was right to block this merger. The decision appears to be based on robust legal and economic grounds. These are tricky decisions. The Commission vetoes on average one merger a year, and this decision is the [...]