EU referendum and Brexit risk low priority for dealmakers in global M&A survey April 18, 2016 The prospect of a Brexit is a low-priority risk for global dealmakers, a new mergers and acquisitions (M&A) report suggests. Research by law firm Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) also found global appetite for M&A has been largely unaffected by economic volatility in 2016. Read more: Mr Kipling owner not tasty enough for McCormick after all The authors of [...]
Brexit vote could not see merged London Stock Exchange group’s headquarters moved from UK to Germany, sources close to deal confirm April 17, 2016 Sources close to the London Stock Exchange-Deutsche Boerse deal have dismissed the prospect of the merged company having its headquarters outside of the UK in the event of a Brexit. Under the terms of the proposed £21bn merger, set out last month, the headquarters of the holding company, UK TopCo, would be based in London. An [...]
Monarch Airlines considers inbound and outbound bids less than two years after Greybull flew to its rescue April 17, 2016 Monarch Airlines is considering both inbound and outbound bids less than two years after it nearly collapsed. Monarch Group has confirmed it has "generated inbound interest". And it has taken on Deutsche Bank to "evaluate both inbound and outbound opportunities". Easyjet is said to be considering a bid for the airline along with China's HNA. And [...]
Technology firm agrees $2bn acquisition to create merged company with $2.5bn revenue April 15, 2016 Mitel has agreed a $1.96bn (£1.38bn) deal to acquire fellow technology company Polycom. The deal would create a merged company with $2.5bn revenue and 7,700 employees. Under the terms of the agreement, Polycom investors would be entitled to $3.12 and 1.31 Mitel common shares for each of their shares. Read more: China and Silicon Valley to keep [...]
Law firms Reed Smith and Pepper Hamilton confirm merger talks April 14, 2016 The transatlantic law firm mergers and acquisitions (M&A) space is heating up. Reed Smith, which was founded in Pittsburgh in the United States but has its biggest office in London, has confirmed it is in talks to merge with Philadelphia-based Pepper Hamilton. Read more: Why companies need to tackle "cultural clashes" for M&A success "Based on these preliminary discussions, we [...]
US presidential election 2016: Donald Trump would be worse for deals activity than Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, survey of 1,500 M&A bankers finds April 14, 2016 Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) bankers are more worried about the prospect of Donald Trump than Bernie Sanders, a self-described socialist. Some 62 per cent of 1,500 M&A banking professionals worldwide believe Trump, the Republican frontrunner, would have a negative impact on activity in their area. Read more: Donald threat trumps Brexit, fund manager tells investors This [...]
With “unaddressed cultural clashes” disrupting M&A, insurance company encourages dealmakers to switch focus from finance to people April 13, 2016 Businesses must focus more on tackling "cultural clashes" for mergers and acquisitions (M&A) success, according to insurance company Willis Towers Watson. A survey of 750 insurance executives found 42 per cent of companies recognise the importance of cultural integration and of hiring and retaining employees to the success of a deal. Read more: Brexit warning from Germany [...]
Premier Foods share price drops 30 per cent after US company McCormick gives up on bid to buy Mr Kipling owner April 13, 2016 US company McCormick has given up on its bid to buy rival Premier Foods following a due diligence review. The UK company's share price dropped by more than 30 per cent this morning to 39.74p. Premier Foods, which owns Mr Kipling, had previously rejected three offers from McCormick. But Premier announced last week that it would be meeting with [...]
European private banking group expands UK presence with acquisition from BNP Paribas April 12, 2016 A pan-European private banking group has announced an acquisition from BNP Paribas to expand in the UK. KBL European Private Bankers has reached a preliminary agreement to buy Insinger de Beaufort, a private bank in the Netherlands that is also active in the UK. KBL already owns private bank Brown Shipley, which is based in the UK. Read more: M&A boom of [...]
Oil price volatility holding back “inevitable” M&A in industry, new survey of executives finds April 12, 2016 Oil price volatility is holding back mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity in the industry, according to a new report. With falling energy prices, distressed sales and bankruptcies in the oil and gas sector, M&A levels are widely predicted to increase. But research by law firm Clyde and Co has shown that the "inevitable" wave of activity has [...]