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 [...]
UK Oil and Gas Investments share price falls after buying Horse Hill stake from Angus Energy April 18, 2016 UK Oil and Gas Investments (Ukog), the company behind the so-called Gatwick gusher, has bought up a stake in the Horse Hill well development, increasing its stake. The firm has acquired Angus Energy's 7.8 per cent stake in the Weald Basin development area in a £1.8m cash and share deal, increasing its holding from just under a [...]
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 [...]