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.
Friday, 21 February 2020, 8:06 am
Hat tip to John Lee, who writes an investing column for the venerable Financial Times.
Last summer Mr Lee, who wrote How to Make a Million - Slowly, suggested the politically incorrect Daejan Holdings should be taken private for around £80.00 a share in a piece in the Pink 'Un. Below is a link to the piece:
https://www.ft.com/content/b888c308-814a-11e9-a7f0-77d3101896ec..
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Betaville IntelligenceThursday, 20 February 2020, 7:47 pm
Intersect ENT, the US-listed medical equipment company, has been at the centre of takeover speculation.
Readers should be aware speculation about a takeover of Intersect has been circulating the market since late last year when the company's shares were trading at between $24 and $25 a share.
Some people following the situation suggested Medtronic, another US-listed medical devices group, is one of companies interested in buying Intersect...
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Betaville IntelligenceWednesday, 19 February 2020, 7:20 am
I see rivals at Bloomberg yesterday afternoon attempted to disseminate Betaville's UNCOOKED Alert to its subscribers.
According to the Bloomberg report about yesterday's UNCOOKED Alert, Betaville Intelligence reported (I know this starting to sound really weird) that "an unidentified US company is weighing an offer for the company [Vodafone]"...
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Exclusive to Betaville Intelligence subscribersTuesday, 18 February 2020, 2:42 pm
Betaville IntelligenceTuesday, 18 February 2020, 1:13 pm
The Kleinmanator over at Sky News has just dug out a rather good angle on Acadia Healthcare's sale of Priory Group, the rehab centre well-known for treating British celebrities, such as Kate Moss.
According to Mark's report, Schoen Klinik, which is owned by Carlyle, is among a group of potential acquirers interested in buying the Priory Group for £1.2 billion. Below is a link to his piece:..
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Tuesday, 18 February 2020, 12:58 pm
Well that didn't take long. From one asset management deal to the next in just 24 hours. The latest is in the US with Franklin Templeton buying Legg Mason for $6.5 billion.
The venerable Wall Street Journal got the "scoop" although one is often suspicious when the actual deal is announced just a few hours after publication...
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Monday, 17 February 2020, 7:20 pm
So, Jupiter shares surged 8.3pc to close at 429.9p following today's announcements.
Clearly, the market is willing to look past mediocre results if you have a deal up your sleave.
I suspect that will encourage other asset managers to carry out similar measures.....
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Exclusive to Betaville Intelligence subscribersMonday, 17 February 2020, 2:22 pm
Monday, 17 February 2020, 7:45 am
This weekend's M&A scoop about Jupiter buying Richard Buxton's fund manager Merian from private equity group TA Associates was confirmed by both companies this morning. See the link below:
https://www.investegate.co.uk/jupiter-fund-mgmt--jup-/rns/acquisition/202002170700101791D/..
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Friday, 14 February 2020, 6:36 pm
Smoothy chops uber banker Andrea Orcel has lost his criminal case against Spanish bank Santander. Below is a link to the FT piece on the topic:
https://www.ft.com/content/b8d88544-4f32-11ea-95a0-43d18ec715f5..
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Betaville IntelligenceThursday, 13 February 2020, 5:01 pm
The confirmations are coming thick and fast for Betaville at the moment.
Last October this website identified that Germany's RIB Software was a takeover target for a mystery predator via a Betaville Intelligence alert. See the link below:
https://www.www.betaville.co.uk/betaville-intelligence/uncooked-alert-rib-software-said-to/..
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Wednesday, 12 February 2020, 5:44 pm
Another day, another confirmation for little old Betaville.
This time ICG, also known Intermediate Capital Group, sealed the deal to buy a signficant stake in Pageant Media.
Pageant Media is the publisher and owner of Hedge Fund Intelligence and EuroHedge, publications many of Betaville's readers know well...
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Betaville IntelligenceTuesday, 11 February 2020, 3:57 pm
So KKR decided to finally make a statement regarding FTSE 100-listed NMC Health. I have pasted it below:
"Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P. ("KKR") notes the announcement yesterday by NMC stating that it has received an approach from KKR regarding a possible offer for NMC.
KKR confirms that it has not made a proposal nor discussed with NMC the terms of any possible offer, and that it does not intend to make an offer for NMC."..
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Tuesday, 11 February 2020, 7:08 am
I see Reuters is reporting that China's HNA is looking to rekindle a sale of Swissport International, the baggage handling group. Below is a link to media group's story.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hna-swissport-m-a/chinas-hna-steps-up-efforts-to-sell-swissport-at-big-discount-sources-idUSKBN1ZZ1WM..
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Betaville IntelligenceMonday, 10 February 2020, 5:29 pm
Sometimes I wonder whether it's all worth it; this M&A reporting lark. Even when you break a great story, people hand out stick for one reason or another.
Anyway, in case you missed the news today NMC Health confirmed last week and weekend's tales about private equity interest, namely KKR, in NMC Health.
Below is the link: ..
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Monday, 10 February 2020, 6:48 am
Adam McNestrie of The Insurance Insider last night dug out a great follow up to last week's humdinger about PartnerRe being up for sale.
The publication reports that:..
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Betaville IntelligenceFriday, 7 February 2020, 8:43 am
KKR, the US-listed private equity investor, is said to be the buy-out firm that has most recently held talks with the NMC Health about purchasing all of the company.
People following the situation said senior financiers at KKR held discussions about a buy-out deal for the whole group with senior executives at NMC Health, the London-listed gulf hospitals operator, in the last two weeks...
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Wednesday, 5 February 2020, 9:39 pm
The Scor, Covea soap opera took another twist today after Betaville's chums over at The Insurance Insider revealed that Exor is fed up with PartnerRe and is looking to sell out, possibly via a merger with the French mutual.
Below is a link to the super scoop from Adam McNestrie, the Lloyd's of London market's leading M&A scoopster and now boss of the well respected insurance rag...
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Betaville IntelligenceTuesday, 4 February 2020, 3:03 pm
Private equity firms are said to be circling around NMC Health, the London-listed gulf hospital operator.
People following the situation said several of the world's largest buy-out houses have held talks with executives from NMC Health about a take private of the beleguered company.
However, it's not clear whether a formal written offer has been submitted to NMC Health, which has been the focus of a short selling attack from Carson Block's Muddy Waters...
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Betaville IntelligenceMonday, 3 February 2020, 9:01 am
Oh look - I see Worldline has finally confirmed the takeover of Ingenico. Below is a link to the confirmation:
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/02/03/1978474/0/en/Creation-of-a-new-world-class-leader-in-payment-services-Worldline-to-acquire-Ingenico.html..
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[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].