A cheeky website about deals, dealmakers and anything else I find interesting. Edited by Ben Harrington. If you have a tip, want to discuss a story or have a subscription enquiry please feel free to email Betaville at [email protected]. Betaville can also be reached at Whats App, Signal or Telegram. Betaville's Twitter handle is @bharringtonw11 and you can message me via Twitter with stories.
Sometimes the confirmations come within a few days; sometimes it takes a few months.
Take, for example, the Suse takeover story.
Back in May this year little old Betaville revealed in part 4 of an UNCOOKED Alert series that Suse, the German software firm, was being looked at by an acquirer following interest in a deal last year. Below is the link to that alert: ..
Arch rivals at Bloomberg did well to get the exclusive line on BAE Systems talks to buy Ball Corporation's aerospace division last night.
This morning BAE Systems has announced the purchase of the maker of sensors ranging from space flight to weather forecashting. Below is the link to this morning's announcement...
Little old Betaville notes that arch rivals at Bloomberg have revealed that France's Sanofi was the rival bidder in talks to buy Reata Pharmaceuticals, the US-listed biopharmaceutical company.
Below is a link to that piece:..
It's funny how bears like to come out of the woods together.
Yesterday, it emerged that veteran short seller Michael Burry had taken out a big bet against the US stockmarket and just now Hindenburg Research, the activist short seller led by Nathan Anderson, has unleashed a scathing note on its latest target - US-listed online brokerage group Freedom Holding Corporation, which also owns a bank and two insurance companies operating in Kazakhstan. ..
As little old Betaville pointed out earlier this week, dealmaking in the US continues unabated despite the summer holidays.
Today, Tapestry - the company behind the Coach clothing brand - announced the $8.5 billion takeover of Capri Holdings, which owns Versace, Michael Kors and Jimmy Choo.
Tapestry is paying Capri shareholders $57 per share in cash, representing a premium of nearly 65pc. Below is a link to the press release:..
La Francaise des Jeux SA, the France-listed operator of national lottery, is said to be the French company eyeing Kindred Group, the Swedish-listed gaming company.
Yesterday, Betaville Intelligence reported that a mystery French company is participating in the strategic review being carried out by Kindred...
A good spot from The Times market report.
Mike Ashley has increased Frasers Group's stake in London-listed fashion retailer Asos, again.
Frasers Group now owns just under 17pc of Asos, according to The Times.
And if Ashley keeps on increasing his stake in Asos to over 21.8pc he will overtake the largest shareholder in the company - Danish billionaire Anders Povlsen, the owner of Bestseller...
The suggestion that nothing happens in August clearly does not apply in the US, where workers tend to take a lot less holiday than in Europe.
Indeed, today five US public company deals were announced in what is being dubbed another "Merger Monday".
Those deals include:
1. Campbell Soup's $2.7 billion takeover of pasta sauce maker Sovos Brands.
2. Clayton Dubilier & Rice's $2.3 billion acquisition of packaging group Veritiv Corporation...
Tucked away in the back of Oliver "Shahsy" Shah's business comment column in yesterday's The Sunday Times was a line about what retail billionaire Mike Ashley might do next at Asos, the London-listed fashion retailer.
Loyal readers will know that Frasers Group, the retail giant controlled by Ashley, has been building up a sizeable shareholding in fashion retailer Asos, which late last year received a takeover approach from Turkish firm Trendyol...
Who says dealmaking is put on ice on the European continent in August?
This morning it has emerged that American private equity house KKR is backing the take private OHB SE, a Germany-listed operator of low-orbiting and geostationary small satellites.
KKR is working with the Fuchs family on the deal, reveals Bloomberg. The Fuchs currently own around 70pc of OHB...
As a fan of Chelsea FC little old Betaville has been somewhat dismayed by the new (ish) American private equity ownership of the Premier League football club.
Last season was one of the worst performances in the last decade amid chaotic player transfer management.
Now Bloomberg are reporting that that Todd Boehly and his backers at Clearlake Capital are in talks with alternative capital provider Ares about raising around $500 million. Below is a link:..
Little old Betaville notes that rivals at StreetInsider last night dug out a decent line on the auction of Marvai Life Sciences Holdings, the US-listed healthcare group...
It's taken almost a year but it would appear beleguered France-lised IT services group Atos has struck a deal to sell the less exciting part of the business (Tech Foundations) to a EP Equity Investment, a company backed by Czech tycoon Daniel Kretinsky.
As part of the transaction Atos would do a EURO 900 million capital raise, rebrand as Eviden and then remain a listed company focused cyber security (this is the division that Airbus and others wanted to buy last year)...
Biogen, a US-listed pharmaceutical giant, has now announced the purchase of Reata Pharmaceuticals Inc for $7.3 billion. Below is a link to today's press release.
Little old Betaville wonders, though, whether Reata's other rumoured suitor (see Part 1) will step out of the shadows?
Or will Biogen's offer prove to be a knock out?..
Oh look - Bloomberg have followed up yesterday's UNCOOKED alert about a potential takeover of Reata Pharmaceuticals Inc, the US-listed biopharmaceutical company.
Arch rivals at Bloomie are reporting that Biogen is one of the company's considering an offer for Reata Pharmaceuticals Inc.....
Mike Ashley's Frasers Group has increased its shareholding in Asos, the London-listed online fashion retailer, to just over 15pc. Below is a link to this morning's announcement:
https://www.londonstockexchange.com/news-article/ASC/holding-s-in-company/16057780
Perhaps that's the reason Asos's stock has been on a tear in recent weeks, rising from 300p to just over 400p...
Mark "The Kleinmanator" Kleinman of Sky News has popped up this morning with a decent tale about THG, the London-listed online retailer.
Now, loyal subscribers to Betaville Intelligence content will know that THG has come back onto little old Betaville's radar recently though not for the reasons the Kleinmanator is suggesting...
The Covestro takeover situation rumbles on and the latest twist comes courtesy of German rag (and website) Frankfurter Allgemeine.
According to the newspaper, German chemicals company Covestro has appointed bankers from Goldman Sachs to deal with the inbound takeover interest from the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc)...
Hat tip to the the Genteel Hustler for making it onto the front page of the The Sunday Times business section in his first week on the title with a scoopette about Peter Chernin weighing a £1 billion takeover bid for British TV production house All3Media...
[Disclaimer - the information on Betaville does not consitute any form of investment recommendation and is not intended to be relied upon by readers in making, or refraining from, any investment decisions].