Research identifies what makes a company an attractive acquisition target September 20, 2016 Underperforming public companies have become increasingly attractive acquisition targets in recent years, according to research out today. Intralinks and the Cass Business School have published a study, based on data spanning 23 years and 34,000 firms worth at least $50m (£38m), seeking to determine what features make a company an attractive target. The researchers examined six [...]
Influential MP calls for pensions probe into sale of turkey business September 19, 2016 Frank Field, who chairs the influential Work and Pensions Select Committee, has called on the Pensions Regulator to probe the takeover of turkey producer Bernard Matthews by Ranjit Boparan. The Labour MP is concerned that the deal will see Bernard Matthews’ retirement scheme absorbed by industry-funded lifeboat, the Pension Protection Fund (PPF). Read more: Turkey [...]
Takeaway.com IPO: Is Europe about to get its next tech unicorn? September 19, 2016 Dutch dot-com startup Takeaway.com could be on the verge of becoming Europe's latest tech unicorn. The firm issued more details this morning about its long-awaited float on Amsterdam's Euronext exchange, with the company set to flirt with a €1bn price tag. Takeaway.com, founded in 1999, said its shares will go public on 30 September – Euronext's first IPO [...]
Online retailer Hut Group set to announce Ideal acquisition September 18, 2016 Online retailer Hut Group is poised to announce the takeover of an American dieting and sports nutrition company. The digital retailer is expected to announce the deal for Ideal Shape in the coming days, Sky News reported. Read more: The Hut Group eyes acquisitions after securing £210m loan Hut Group reported group sales of £334m, [...]
British information business Informa announces £1.2bn takeover of US rival Penton September 15, 2016 Business information group Informa today agreed a £1.2bn deal to take over a US rival. Informa’s share price was up more than two per cent to 710p at the time of writing following the announced takeover of Penton. [stockChart code="INF" date="2016-09-15 10:20"] Read more: UK publisher snaps up shopping comparison business from Down Under The [...]
Biggest deal of 2016 agreed – but large hurdles await Bayer and Monsanto’s $66bn tie-up September 14, 2016 Bayer, the German chemicals maker, clinched a $66bn (£50bn) takeover of controversial US seeds company Monsanto yesterday, marking the biggest deal of 2016 and the largest all-cash transaction on record. The agreement was reached after months of negotiations, with GM-seeds producer Monsanto accepting Bayer’s fourth bid of $128 per share. The mammoth tie up still [...]
Biffa to announce biggest post-referendum IPO in £1bn deal September 14, 2016 Giant waste disposers Biffa are set to float on the London Stock Exchange in a deal which could value the firm at more than £1bn, according to reports. The initial public offering (IPO) could raise £300m for the firm to launch an expansion drive, Sky News reported this evening, in the biggest float for the [...]
Will Yahoo ever be a verb? Exec sets out internet firm’s ambitions after Verizon takeover September 14, 2016 Yahoo is targeting the revenues of TV companies as it seeks success after its takeover by Verizon. “I do think there is opportunity to [take] budget from TV,” the internet firm’s chief revenue officer Lisa Utzschneider said. “As more and more viewers spend less time on TV and more time on their mobile devices, those [...]
Brexit vote helps private equity giant raise €4.5bn for mid-cap fund targeting continental Europe September 14, 2016 Private equity giant Ardian has announced the launch of a new fund worth €4.5bn (£3.8bn), with fundraising thought to have been boosted by Brexit. Paris-based Ardian’s LBO VI is the biggest European mid-cap fund of 2016 and was raised in four months. Read more: UK private equity firm's shares leap after £1bn US takeover offer [...]
Go Compare deal to kick off strong IPO activity September 13, 2016 Insurance outfit Esure has confirmed it will spin off its price comparison website Go Compare in a post-referendum boost to London's IPO market. Go Compare could be valued at up to £650m when it floats on the London Stock Exchange later this year, just 18 months after Esure took full control of the group in a deal [...]