Morrisons counterbid set to come from another US private equity giant August 1, 2021 American private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R) is reportedly preparing to submit a counterbid for British supermarket chain Morrisons, after a £6.3bn bid from a rival. US buyout giant Fortress had a £6.3bn bid for Morrisons provisionally accepted last month, after weeks of takeover rumours. The Sunday Times reports today that CD&R are [...]
Morrisons takeover could trigger breakup, analysts warn July 31, 2021 Analysts have warned that British supermarket chain Morrisons could be broken up if it is taken over by buyout firms. Analysts at Bernstein said they “struggle to see” how Morrisons’ assets would not be stripped if the takeover proceeds at the current or a higher offer price. Read more: Morrisons: Singapore’s wealth fund GIC joins [...]
BT ‘on path to growth’ despite first-quarter revenue slip July 29, 2021 BT today issued a bullish forecast for its prospects for the rest of the year despite posting a decline in revenue and pre-tax profit in the first quarter. The FTSE 100 firm reported a three per cent slip in revenue to just over £5bn due to the continued impact of the pandemic. This was offset [...]
Morrisons: Singapore’s wealth fund GIC joins Fortress’ £6.3bn takeover deal July 28, 2021 In an unexpected turn of events, Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund joined this morning forces with the private equity-led consortium seeking to buy Morrisons in £6.3bn deal. Bosses at the supermarket giant agreed the takeover move, led by institutional investor Fortress, earlier this month. However, last night, Morrison’s largest shareholder, Silchester International, said it will not [...]
Sydney extends lockdown as Covid-19 cases rise July 28, 2021 Sydney is set to remain in lockdown until August, local authorities confirmed today. This announcement comes after a stay-at-home order implemented in late June failed to douse an outbreak of the Delta variant. With over 2,500 infections, this is Sydney’s worst outbreak this year. On Tuesday, New South Wales recorded the highest number of cases [...]
Morrisons’ biggest shareholder refuses to back £6.3bn Fortress-led takeover bid July 27, 2021 Morrisons’ largest shareholder has announced “it is not inclined to support” a £6.3bn takeover bid by a consortium led by SoftBank-owned Fortress. Silchester International Investors, which owns 15.1 per cent of Morrisons, said in a statement on Tuesday evening that “there is little in the recommended offer that could not be achieved by Morrison as [...]
Green economy Spac Spinnaker plots London stock market float July 26, 2021 A special purpose acquisition company (Spac) focused on sustainability and green energy is planning an initial public offering on the London Stock Exchange. Spinnaker Acquisitions — a blank-cheque firm that will target mergers in the green economy — will list in London this week. The company said it will target businesses valued at between £5m [...]
Cash holdings: UK corporates’ £109bn warchest increasingly a rival to private equity in M&A July 26, 2021 UK corporates have seen their aggregate net cash holdings rise from £20bn to £109bn since March 2020 and the start of the Covid pandemic, a jump of 500 per cent. The build up in cash balances has been so dramatic that UK corporates are increasingly seen as a serious rival to private equity funds in [...]
Bankers, lawyers and advisers set to enjoy £300m in fees from Morrisons sale July 23, 2021 Over £300m in fees stands to be gained by those involved in the £6.3bn sale of Morrisons, documents have revealed according to a report. Shareholders in Morrisons will vote on a £6.3bn takeover bid from a trio of private investment groups led by SoftBank-owned Fortress on 16 August. If the deal goes ahead, private equity [...]
City’s law firms navigate choppy pandemic seas with aplomb July 22, 2021 Despite the disruption caused by Covid-19, City law firms have continued to display strong financial results as senior partners head off on long-awaited summer breaks. Ashurst, currently advising Morrisons on a £6.3bn takeover, saw their revenue rise 10 per cent from £644 million to £711 million. Additionally, profit per equity partner rose 15 per cent [...]