Law firm mergers drop as partners focus on growth-driven takeovers July 5, 2015 Mergers between law firms decreased by 11 per cent last year, with the number of deals taking place in the UK dropping to 174 from 196 in 2013. This is 30 per cent lower below the 247 mergers seen in the industry in 2011. Finance provider LDF, which sponsored the research, said an increasing number [...]
Foreign buyers push City into deals boom: Biggest haul of British M&A activity since before financial crisis June 30, 2015 Britain has experienced the biggest boom in M&A since the financial crisis thanks to a rush of overseas buyers, according to figures out today. Weaker sterling, low interest rates and renewed corporate confidence have sparked acquisitions of everything from oil companies to tin can makers since the start of the year. The total [...]
Willis Group to merge with Tower Watson in $18bn deal June 30, 2015 Reinsurance broker Willis Group is set to merge with risk management group Towers Watson in a deal worth $18bn. On completion the deal will result in Willis owning 50.1 per cent of the combined group. Towers Watson shareholdings will own the remainder, keeping Willis’ Irish domicile, the Financial Times reported today. The deal will create [...]
Allegion to pay €210m in offer for SimonsVoss June 29, 2015 Private equity house HgCapital Trust has agreed to sell its European locking systems business, SimonsVoss, to security products specialist Allegion, in a deal valued at €210m (£150m). SimonsVoss was founded in 1995, and generated sales of €52m in 2014. It employs around 275 people. Allegion employs almost 8,500 people and its products are sold in [...]
Regulators list problems with Poundland’s £55m 99p Stores merger June 25, 2015 Britain’s competition watchdog unveiled a list of issues it is exploring around Poundland’s £55m merger with 99p Stores after the discount chain agreed to push ahead with an in-depth probe last month. Poundland, which floated on the stock market last year, announced in February that it was going to buy 99p Stores. However, the Competition [...]
Analysts warn that Ladbrokes – Gala Coral mega merger odds on for competition issues June 23, 2015 Analysts are warning that Ladbrokes' multi-million pound merger with Gala Coral could have to jump serious competition hurdles. The combined company would command 4000 retail shops – about 45 per cent of the UK market – and give the group much better odds in the online gaming space too. The retail position in [...]
Ladbrokes share price jumps 16 per cent on merger talks with Gala Coral June 23, 2015 Shares in Ladbrokes shot up 16 per cent to 141.68p per share this afternoon, after it confirmed reports that it was in merger talks with rival gambling company Gala Coral. Ladbrokes said it was interested in merging its business with Coral Retail, Eurobet Retail, as well as Gala Coral's online businesses. It would give the two [...]
Ladbrokes in takeover talks with rival Gala Coral June 22, 2015 Ladbrokes last night confirmed it was in merger talks with rival bookie Gala Coral in a deal to create the UK’s largest gambling company. The FTSE-250 listed firm, which has 2,150 betting shops across the UK, said it was weighing plans to buy Gala Coral’s 1,800 Coral betting shops, its online business and Italian brand [...]
Private equity firm Agilitas snaps up Danish firm MH Group June 22, 2015 Private equity firm Agilitas has added to its portfolio of recycling companies by backing a management buyout of Danish firm MH Group. The UK-headquartered firm will back current MH boss Christian Rindbol by acquiring the financial interests of Michael Henriksen Holdings. MH was founded by Michael Henriksen in 1997, but he died last year. MH [...]
Popped corks as Greene King-Spirit pub partnership gets green light June 22, 2015 Pub operator Greene King yesterday toasted the competition watchdog’s approval of its £774m takeover of Spirit. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it was satisfied the proposed sale of 16 pubs by the combined group would fix concerns raised by the company’s acquisition of Spirit Pub Company, and would not be referring the [...]