The pace quickens for London’s investment bankers September 13, 2012 Maybe it was the news that Tony Blair had intervened to reignite the City’s biggest takeover of the year. Maybe it’s just the natural gathering pace of autumn, when business tends to hot up. Or maybe it’s the raw fear of job losses or even the hope of a more stable Eurozone backdrop. Whatever the [...]
Peltz joins Ingersoll-Rand board August 13, 2012 Ingersoll-Rand named Nelson Peltz to its board yesterday, months after the activist investor pushed for changes at the manufacturer of air conditioners and security systems. The move averts a potential proxy fight between Ingersoll and Peltz, whose Trian Fund Management holds a seven per cent stake in the company. Ingersoll has said it is evaluating [...]
BUSINESS OF THE YEAR August 7, 2012 OUR final shortlist for the third annual City A.M. awards is a big one – the Business of the Year. For this category we have looked for strong share price performance aligned to important strategic developments. We have chosen four established companies, along with one rising star in Ophir Energy. Ophir has been one of [...]
Shareholders can find a potent ally in activist funds July 15, 2012 THE so-called shareholder spring – in which shareholders have been revolting against the pay of chief executives of major corporations like Barclays, Aviva, and William Hill – is gaining momentum. And activist hedge funds, which pressure public companies to make changes to improve a company’s share price, will increasingly drive this phenomenon. Many regard hedge [...]
It’s far from all over for the bulge bracket banks June 25, 2012 ONE of the many surprises of the Walgreens pharmacy chain bid for 45 per cent of Boots was the choice of advisers. For sure, Walgreens had bulge bracket firm Goldman Sachs on the case but it also took advice from the independent firm Lazard. And on the other side of the deal, Alliance Boots and [...]
Intercontinental soars as activist declares stake May 31, 2012 INVESTORS bought into the idea of Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG) as a takeover target yesterday, following news that prominent activist investor Nelson Peltz has a 4.27 per cent stake in the firm. Shares in IHG jumped 6.1 per cent after US hedge fund impresario Peltz declared his stake through Trian Fund Management. In recent months, [...]
PROFILE: NELSON PELTZ May 31, 2012 THE mere mention of Nelson Peltz’s name is enough to send a shiver down a boardroom’s collective spine. The hard-hitting hedgie can claim responsibility for the break-up of Cadbury Schweppes, a big restructuring at Legg Mason and for shaking out the waste within State Street. Once he builds a stake in a firm big enough [...]
FTSE suffers worst month in three years on credit woes and US data May 31, 2012 BRITAIN’S top share index suffered its worst month in more than three years in May after data suggesting the US economy is struggling triggered a late sell-off yesterday, and may be vulnerable to further declines as Eurozone worries persist. The FTSE 100 index gave up most of the strong gains it had recorded earlier in [...]
Legg Mason hit by outflows January 21, 2010 LEGG Mason said outflows from its funds sharply accelerated in the latest quarter. One of the US’ largest money managers, Legg Mason said outflows totaled $33bn (£20.4bn) in its fiscal third quarter ended 31 December, compared with $8bn in the second quarter. Assets under management were $681.6bn at 31 December, down three per cent from [...]
PELTZ’S CADBURY STAKE MELTS November 25, 2009 US billionaire investor Nelson Peltz has cut his stake in takeover target Cadbury to 2.68 per cent from 3.03 per cent. Peltz also owns a stake in Kraft, which has launched a hostile £9.8bn bid for?Cadbury. Rival candy-maker Hershey is said to be near to trumping Kraft’s offer, after gaining local political approval.