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 [...]
Nokia is getting into wearables with €170m deal for Withings April 26, 2016 Nokia is making a move into wearables, announcing plans to buy up french tech company Withings. The now mobile-free Nokia (after selling that part to Microsoft), is zoning in on the world of digital health tracking technology with the €170m deal. "We have said consistently that digital health was an area of strategic interest to Nokia, [...]
The bids are in for Yahoo, but what’s its value to Verizon, TPG and other buyers? April 25, 2016 Verizon emerged as the bidder to beat as the deadline for bids to buy Yahoo closed last week. The internet company hasn’t been able to spin-off its Asian assets – including its 15 per cent stake in Alibaba – or sell off its core business, which includes everything from search, digital content and advertising to [...]
So long, McCormick: Premier Foods updates status from “it’s complicated” to “in a relationship” with Nissin April 22, 2016 Premier Foods might have shrugged off overtures made to it by US spice giant McCormick, but it appears to be settling down with Japanese suitor Nissin instead. The food group behind Mr Kipling and Bisto updated its status. No longer is the firm having to say "it's complicated"; as of this morning it is in a "relationship" with the [...]
European stock exchange operator considers options for blocking London Stock Exchange-Deutsche Boerse merger April 20, 2016 Euronext is considering options on how to block the London Stock Exchange-Deutsche Boerse merger. The European stock exchange operator is said to be consulting with advisers, considering lobbying in favour of a counter-bid for LSE from Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) and arguing against the merger to regulators in Brussels. Read more: London Stock Exchange battle heats up [...]
EU referendum: 2015 was record year for UK-targeted deals from Europe despite approaching Brexit vote April 20, 2016 The looming referendum was not enough to put European Union countries off doing business with the UK last year, newly-compiled figures show. Some $206bn (£143bn) worth of deals in which businesses based in other EU countries acquired British counterparts were announced last year. This marked a new record, according to Dealogic, and was up from $12.3bn [...]
Cheers: MegaBrew takes a step closer as AB InBev accepts Asahi’s $2.55bn Peroni and Grolsch bid April 19, 2016 The MegaBrew deal has just taken a step closer, with AB InBev accepting Asahi’s $2.55bn (£1.77bn) offer for SABMiller’s beer brands Peroni, Grolsch and Meantime. The deal – which will be Asahi's biggest acquisition and a megabrew deal of its own in Japan – comes as the Belgian firm looks to complete its £70bn takeover of SABMiller. It is a [...]
Edmond de Rothschild targets “flurry of M&A activity” expected in UK after EU referendum April 18, 2016 Edmond de Rothschild Asset Management has launched a new UK equity fund in anticipation of a "flurry of M&A activity" in the UK after the EU referendum. The Edmond de Rothschild Fund UK Synergy will target takeover deals and companies for restructuring. The fund was seeded with £3m and Edmond de Rothschild is aiming to build [...]