Sky buys majority stake in production company behind the Lie Detective January 23, 2017 Sky has bought a majority stake in a northern indie production company backed by Channel 4 in 2014. The sale marks Channel 4’s first exit from a company backed by its £20m Indie Growth Fund. Founded in 2001, True North now employs more than 150 people across Leeds and Manchester. Read more: Bad news: People [...]
Breaking news: Revenue woes are driving a wave of deals in the print media sector January 23, 2017 After the closure of the Independent, the failed launch of Trinity Mirror’s New Day newspaper and plummeting revenues across the industry, 2016 will likely be remembered as a messy year for the print media. Less than a month in, and with rows brewing over press regulation, part two of the Leveson Inquiry and fake news [...]
Nestle, General Mills, PepsiCo and Turkish group Pladis want to munch on Weetabix January 22, 2017 Nestle, PepsiCo, Lucky Charms owner General Mills, and Turkish food group Pladis are interested in gobbling up breakfast cereal brand Weetabix. General Mills and Nestle are plotting a bid through their Cereal Partners Worldwide joint venture, the Daily Telegraph has reported. The world's biggest cereal maker, Kellogg's, is not in the running to bid for Weetabix over competition [...]
Media firm Ascential expects more sales soon after discharging health service magazine for £19m January 19, 2017 Ascential, the media company formerly known as Emap, has announced the sale of one of its most high-profile titles for £19m. Publisher Wilmington has pounced to snap up the Health Service Journal (HSJ) just two weeks after Ascential put the magazine title, along with 12 others, up for sale. Overall, FTSE 250-listed Ascential is expected [...]
M&A deal leaks are increasing (and no wonder – they pay off) January 19, 2017 Tougher regulation is failing to prevent leaks around deals, new research out today shows. And no wonder – being loose-lipped about transactions generally pays off. The mergers and acquisitions (M&A) research, by Intralinks and Cass Business School, found 8.6 per cent of deals globally were the subject of leaks, either to the media or other [...]
Goldman Sachs predicts healthcare M&A flurry, helped by Donald Trump January 18, 2017 Wall Street giant Goldman Sachs is predicting a mergers and acquisitions (M&A) flurry in the healthcare sector this year, helped by Donald Trump. After a record 2015 for global M&A, there was a general slowdown in activity last year. Jami Rubin, unit leader of Goldman’s healthcare research group, noted that activity in the sector was “lower [...]
Stock exchange bosses seek to reassure German politicians over London legal HQ January 18, 2017 London Stock Exchange and Deutsche Boerse bosses this week began a push to convince German politicians of the merits of their merger and soothe concerns around the legal headquarters being based in the UK. Politicians in the State of Hesse, where the German exchange is based, have been made aware that no alterations will be [...]
Patisserie Valerie owner nears takeover of upmarket chain founded by Raymond Blanc January 17, 2017 The owner of Patisserie Valerie is nearing a deal to take over an upmarket bakery chain founded by celebrity chef Raymond Blanc. City A.M. understands Patisserie Holdings came out on top in a competitive bidding process for 13 Maison Blanc sites and has agreed terms for a deal, with the final details being ironed out. Kout [...]
Private equity interest in small British companies survives Brexit uncertainty January 17, 2017 Private equity interest in small UK companies was largely unperturbed by Brexit uncertainty last year, new research out today suggests. Lyceum Capital and Cass Business School tracked 82 buyouts and small and medium sized businesses over the year, 42 in the first half and 40 in the second, worth a total £3.33bn. Read more: Private [...]
British American Tobacco shares fall three per cent after announcing $49bn Reynolds takeover deal January 17, 2017 British American Tobacco's (BAT) share price tumbled four per cent on Tuesday afternoon after it announced a deal to take over US competitor Reynolds. After months of talks between the two firms, BAT has agreed to pay around $49.4bn (£40.8bn) for the 57.8 per cent of Reynolds that it does not already own. Its shares jumped [...]