M&A firm Clearwater International expands further into Europe with French and German company mergers March 14, 2016 London-headquartered Clearwater International, a mid-market mergers and acquisitions (M&A) firm, has today grown its presence further into Europe. Germany-based @Visory and France’s Easton Corporate Finance have merged into the company with immediate effect. Clearwater will now have 15 office locations, with around 200 staff now covering Europe, North America and Asia. The company said it [...]
Standard Bank talks up “buoyant” 2016 African landscape for M&A March 10, 2016 Africa’s landscape for mergers and acquisitions (M&A) is "buoyant” and there are more opportunities in the continent than ever before, according to South Africa-based Standard Bank. “There has been an increase in M&A activity, especially in East and West Africa, as European multinationals search for opportunities to counter slowing growth at home," said the bank's [...]
People risks disrupting M&A activity as cross-border deals become more popular, new study finds March 10, 2016 A new report has highlighted M&A dealmakers' concerns over people risks impacting on transactions. Issues such as employee retention, cultural integration and talent management are especially prominent in relation to cross-border deals, according to Mercer’s People Risks in M&A Transactions report, out today. In addition to legislative and regulatory issues, Mercer also highlighted concerns over cultural and operational [...]
Nearly three-quarters of UK executives report M&A deal delays because of data loss, research finds March 10, 2016 Nearly three-quarters of UK executives involved in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) have admitted to deals being delayed because of critical data loss, according to new research. These losses of information from documents, emails, devices and IT systems accounted for deals being delayed by an average of 12 days, according to Ansarada, a virtual data room [...]
Teva expected to win European Commission approval for $40.5bn Allergan deal March 9, 2016 Teva Pharmaceutical Industries is expected to win antitrust approval from the European Commission for a $40.5bn (£28.5bn) bid for Allergan's generics unit. If the deal is closed, Allergan will receive $33.75bn in cash and shares of Teva valued at $6.75bn. The deal is set to get the go-ahead from the European Commission after Teva agreed [...]
EU referendum: Can the European project succeed? Using an M&A template, the chances of success are very small indeed March 9, 2016 In the ongoing EU debate, both sides make a persuasive case. Remainers are right to say that the EU has helped to liberalise trade, at least within Europe itself. Outers are right to say that the EU is openly working to transform Europe from a community of nations to a federation of regions. Those who [...]
UK M&A report: Overall activity “relatively flat”, but British companies increased shopping abroad last quarter March 8, 2016 UK M&A activity in the fourth quarter of 2015 was "relatively flat" year on year and down on the third quarter. The Office for National Statistics noted M&A “involving UK companies continued to show low levels of activity compared with those seen before the 2008 to 2009 economic downturn”. During the period, completed acquisitions of [...]
Chemist chain Day Lewis Group secures £160m M&A funding and targets 150 pharmacy acquisitions March 7, 2016 Chemist chain Day Lewis Group has secured £160m of investment from banking partners as it targets the acquisition of 150 pharmacies. The family-owned business currently owns 277 sites across the UK and is aiming to build this number up to more than 400 by 2021. Day Lewis Group also said it aims to double its [...]
London Stock Exchange chief executive Xavier Rolet could take home £16m from a deal with Deutsche Boerse March 7, 2016 London Stock Exchange Group chief executive Xavier Rolet could walk away with £16m if the London operator's proposed merger with Frankfurt-based Deutsche Boerse is successful. LSE revealed last month that it was in merger talks with Deutsche Boerse in a bid to create a dominant European exchange operator. The two exchanges confirmed that Rolet will step down [...]
Looming EU referendum is slowing M&A activity – and a Brexit could make UK less attractive for deals March 4, 2016 The looming EU referendum is slowing M&A activity – and a Brexit could make the country "less attractive", experts have warned. Last year, there were record levels of global activity in M&A, with an estimated $4.78 trillion worth of deals announced. But despite high-profile activity around Home Retail Group and the London Stock Exchange, Clifford Chance corporate partner Patrick [...]