CNBC Comment: It’s vive la difference for European M&A April 28, 2014 CAN THERE be a clearer illustration of the difference between French and British attitudes to business than this week’s M&A headlines? Once again, the French have been accused of erecting the barricades to repel an Anglo-Saxon corporate takeover, while there is a deafening silence in Westminster about a jewel in British pharma potentially being gobbled [...]
Three hurdles the Publicis-Omnicom merger faces April 28, 2014 The $35bn mega-merger of Publicis and Omnicom is facing continued uncertainty. Omnicom chief executive John Wren said last week that he was unsure when the deal would complete due to its “complexity and open issues”. There are three main issues that have yet to be ironed out by management of the new company, to be [...]
Premier board rejects Ophir merger proposal April 28, 2014 Africa-focused oil company Ophir Energy has confirmed that its approach to Premier Oil for a merger between the two companies was rejected. Ophir Energy believed that a merger would create the potential for a "well-funded, re-focussed, full cycle Exploration and Production company." Such a merger would have created a company with market capitalisation of more [...]
World cement giants said to be in merger talks April 4, 2014 Cement giants Holcim and Lafarge are exploring the possibility of a merger that to form a company that would have a combined market value of over $50bn, reports Bloomberg. Citing people familiar with the matter Bloomberg, say the discussions are ongoing and are at an early stage. However, the talks may yet collapse due to [...]
Metso investor opposes Weir’s merger offer April 1, 2014 ENGINEERING firm Weir yesterday confirmed it had approached Metso with a merger plan, but one of the Finnish rock-crushing firm’s top investors has already threatened to scupper a deal. Glasgow-based Weir’s shares slipped on confirmation of the proposal, while shares in Metso soared by a fifth on hopes of a multi-billion pound tie-up. “Metso is [...]
BHP Billiton reacts to demerger speculation April 1, 2014 BHP Billiton has issued a statement in response to so-called “market speculation” about its decisions on simplifying its portfolio. The response comes after the Australian Financial Review reported that the miner has been weighing up different options for over a year, including spinning off non-core assets, in a move that could see a new $20bn [...]
Caracal unveils £1.08bn merger with TransGlobe March 17, 2014 AFRICA-FOCUSED oil explorers Caracal Energy and TransGlobe yesterday said they have agreed to a $1.8bn (£1.08bn) merger, which will create the third largest independent oil producer in Africa. The deal will expand FTSE-listed Caracal’s reach beyond Chad into Yemen and Egypt and add a lower-risk drilling programme to its portfolio. The newly merged company will [...]
Bottom Line: A merger of egos could be difficult to seal February 24, 2014 AS THE world’s telecoms bigwigs gathered in Barcelona for Mobile World Congress yesterday, something was afoot much closer to home. Forced to reveal much earlier than planned that they were in “very preliminary” talks over a potential merger, Carphone Warehouse and Dixons quickly became the FTSE 250 darlings – climbing almost nine and seven per cent respectively. [...]
Dixons announces Carphone Warehouse merger talks February 24, 2014 Following recent speculation over a move, high street retailer Dixons has announced that it and Carphone Warehouse are in "preliminary discussions" over a possible merger. That's one way for Dixons to take a step into the mobile sector, something it's been looking to do for a while now. Shares in Carphone Warehouse and Dixons have [...]