TMCnet News
M&A Navigator: Deal pipeline - 27 July(M&A Navigator Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) The following is a list a of deals covered in detail by M&A Navigator this week: - KAZAKHGOLD SHAREHOLDERS CLEAR REVERSE TAKEOVER OF POLYUS GOLD Gold miner KazakhGold Group (LON:KZG) said that its shareholders gave the green light to the proposed reverse takeover of Russia's major gold producer Polyus Gold (MCX:PLZL). Status: Agreed - US ZEP IN USD66M DEAL TO BUY WATERBURY COMPANIES ASSETS US cleaning and maintenance solutions provider Zep (NYSE:ZEP) announced a definitive USD66m (EUR51m) cash deal to buy some brands and assets of Waterbury Companies' operations in North America. Status: Agreed - EXTERRAN HOLDINGS TO DISPOSE OF USD214M ASSETS TO EXTERRAN PARTNERS US natural gas compression specialist Exterran Holdings (NYSE:EXH) said it had agreed to sell USD214m (EUR165m) worth of assets to Exterran Partners, a provider of natural gas contract operations services to US clients. Status: Agreed - PHARMSTANDARD'S CEO SAYS TO TAKE OVER VINDEXPHARM BEFORE YEAR-END Russian drug maker and distributor Pharmstandard (LON:PHST) is set to purchase local pharmaceutical company Vindexpharm before the end of this year, Pharmstandard's chief executive said. Status: Bidding - US GAMESTOP TO BUY GAMING COMMUNITY KONGREGATE US video game and entertainment software retailer GameStop (NYSE:GME) said it had agreed to buy social gaming community Kongregate, in a bid to become a top gaming company. Status: Agreed - OSMOSE UTILITIES BUYS POLE MAINTENANCE COMPANY US inspection, maintenance and rehabilitation solutions provider Osmose Utilities Services said it has taken over Nebraska-based wood pole inspection and treatment services firm Pole Maintenance Company. Status: Closed - THORATEC ABANDONS PLANS TO SELL ITC UNIT TO DANAHER US mechanical circulatory support products maker Thoratec Corp (NASDAQ:THOR) said it has scrapped plans to sell its International Technidyne Corp (ITC) unit to medical equipment maker Danaher Corp (NYSE:DHR) as the two parties have failed to agree on certain aspects of the deal. Status: Terminated - TURKISH AIRLINES INTERESTED IN CROATIA AIRLINES Turkish Airlines (IST:THYAO) is interested in buying Croatia's flag carrier Croatia Airlines (ZSE:CRAL-R-A). Status: Bidding - US MDW TAKES OVER GENESIS RISK ADVISORS TO EXPAND IN FLORIDA US insurance agency MDW Insurance Group said it had bought Genesis Risk Advisors, an insurance sales, risk management and consulting services firm, to broaden product and service offering and expand in Florida. Status: Closed - RUSSIAN SEVERSTAL RAISES CREW GOLD STAKE TO 50.17% Russian steel producer Severstal (MCX:CHMF) said it had increased its stake in Canadian-based gold miner Crew Gold (OSL:CRU) to around 50.17%. Status: Closed - PHILIPS LIKELY TO DISPOSE OF REMAINING STAKE IN NXP Dutch electronics giant Philips (AMS:PHIA) might shed its residual 20% stake in chip-maker NXP Semiconductors. Status: Auction - KENEXA ACQUIRES THE CENTRE FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE DEVELOPMENT US human-resources software provider Kenexa (NASDAQ:KNXA) said it has bought management training firm The Centre for High Performance Development Holdings Ltd (CHPD) to enhance its portfolio with leadership-development content. Status: Closed - FRANCISCO PARTNERS MAKES BINDING OFFER FOR TECHNICOLOR'S GRASS VALLEY BROADCAST UNIT French broadcasting technologies provider Technicolor (EPA:TCH) said it had received a binding bid from US investor Francisco Partners to buy its Grass Valley Broadcast operations, valuing the business at USD100m (EUR77m). Status: Exclusivity - UK CARPATHIAN ANNOUNCES TWO POTENTIAL DIVESTMENTS IN POLAND UK property investor and developer Carpathian (LON:CPT) said it was working on the sale of its Blue Knight Portfolio of provincial shopping centres in Poland and the Promenada shopping centre asset in Warsaw. Status: Talks - BELGIAN BUSINESSMAN ALBERT FRERE EYES STAKE IN FRENCH CMA CGM Belgian billionaire Albert Frere is interested in investing in French marine transportation company CMA CGM, currently seeking capital for its restructuring. Status: Speculation - ADDUS HOMECARE BUYS ADVANTAGE HEALTH SYSTEMS FOR USD8.3M US home health care services provider Addus HomeCare Corp (NASDAQ:ADUS) said it has bought sector player Advantage Health Systems, which operates in South Carolina and Georgia, for up to USD8.34m (EUR6.4m) in a bid to boost presence in the southeast market. Status: Closed - RUSSIAN BASIC ELEMENT EYES CONTROL OF SKY EXPRESS AIRLINE Russian investor Basic Element is looking to acquire between 51% and 75% in local low-cost air carrier Sky Express. Status: Speculation - RUSSIAN GOVT MAY LOOK INTO PRIVATISATION PLANS ON THURSDAY The Russian government may discuss at its meeting on Thursday a project to dispose of assets valued at USD29bn (EUR22.4bn) to cover budget deficit. Status: Speculation - RIVERSIDE BUYS SPANISH CELVITAE BIOMEDICA Private equity firm Riverside said it has acquired Spanish healthcare group Celvitae Biomedica for an undisclosed sum and thus marked its first buyout in Spain. Status: Closed - MARFIN POPULAR BANK DENIES KNOWLEDGE OF ING OFFER Cyprus-based bank Marfin Popular (CSE:CPB) has not been informed about a proposal by Dutch financial group ING (NYSE:ISF) to buy the bank, an unnamed spokesman for Marfin Popular said. Status: Denied - KONTRON BUYS INTO AUSTRIAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST UBITRONIX German embedded computer technology provider Kontron (ETR:KBC) said it had bought 40% in Austrian energy management specialist Ubitronix System Solutions GmbH. Status: Closed - US BIRD TECHNOLOGIES BUYS X-COM SYSTEMS US radio frequency measurement products provider Bird Technologies Group (BTG) said it has acquired sector player X-com Systems to boost its product portfolio. Status: Closed - SPANISH BANK CAM CLEARS MERGER WITH THREE PEERS Spanish savings bank Caja de Ahorros del Mediterraneo (MAD:CAM) said its board approved the planned merger with local peers Cajastur, Caja Extremadura and Caja Cantabria. Status: Agreed - UNIONS AGAINST MERGER OF SPANISH SAVINGS BANKS CAI, CAJA CIRCULO, BADAJOZ The trade unions representing the employees at Spanish savings banks Caja Inmaculada (CAI), Caja Circulo de Burgos and Caja Badajoz rejected the proposed merger of the three banks, arguing that the merger model will put an end to the savings banks' social and cultural activities. Status: Talks - BES TO ACQUIRE 25.1% IN MOZA BANCO Portugal-based lender Banco Espirito Santo (ELI:BES) said in a regulatory filing that its unit, BES Africa, has inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to buy a 25.1% stake in Mozambique's Moza Banco. Status: Exclusivity - PINSKDREV SEEKS TO CREATE MDF PRODUCTION JV Belarus-based furniture manufacturer Pinskdrev plans to form a joint venture in the country to produce medium density fiberboard (MDF), the company's spokesman Dmitry Kirikovich said. Status: Talks - BARCLAY BROS REPORTEDLY SHED STAKE IN IHG The Barclay brothers have disposed of their 10% interest in British hotel chain operator InterContinental Hotels Group (LON:IHG). Status: Speculation - AMPIO PHARMACEUTICALS TO ACQUIRE DMI BIOSCIENCES US Ampio Pharmaceuticals (OTC:AMPE) late said it has agreed to acquire DMI BioSciences and get all royalties, rights and patents related to DMI's drugs for male sexual dysfunction, premature ejaculation and erectile dysfunction. Status: Agreed - ITALIAN CDC GETS BOARD NOD TO BUY SOCIETA INTERNAZIONALE SOFTWARE The board of directors of Italian IT products distributor CDC (BIT:CDC) has given the thumbs-up to the full takeover of home management software solutions developer Societa Internazionale Software (SIS). Status: Agreed - INVESTOR AB GETS REGULATORY GO-AHEAD TO BUY ALERIS Sweden-based industrial holding company Investor (STO:INVE B) said it has won regulatory approval to acquire local healthcare service provider Aleris Holding AB. Status: Agreed - BRIDGEPOINT PURSUES ACQUISITION OF FRENCH JEWELLERY DISTRIBUTORS UK private equity firm Bridgepoint Capital is willing to acquire French jewellery distributors Histoire d'Or and Marc Orian. Status: Talks - TEVA SAYS TO CLOSE RATIOPHARM BUYOUT EARLIER THAN EXPECTED Israel-based drug maker Teva (TLV:TEVA) expects to complete the acquisition of German generic drugs producer Ratiopharm earlier than expected, Teva's president and CEO Shlomo Yanai. Status: Agreed - US ACUITY BRANDS BUYS REMAINING RENAISSANCE SHARES US indoor and outdoor lighting products and services company Acuity Brands (NYSE:AYI) said it had taken full control of Renaissance Lighting, a specialist in light-emitting diode (LED) architectural lighting, for an undisclosed cash price. Status: Closed - TOMKINS ACCEPTS GBP2.9BN BID BY CANADIAN CONSORTIUM British engineering group Tomkins (LON:TOMK) has agreed to be acquired by a Canadian consortium formed by investment firm Onex (TSE:OCX) and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board for GBP2.89bn (USD4.48bn/EUR3.44). Status: Agreed - NOVATEK INKS JV DEAL WITH GAZPROM NEFT Russian natural gas producer Novatek (RTC:NVTK) said it has set up a joint venture with oil group Gazprom Neft (MCX:SIBN) to develop hydrocarbon assets in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Region (YNAO). Status: Agreed - IMAGINE COMMUNICATIONS TAKES OVER CLEARWIRE OPERATIONS IN IRELAND Irish WiMax operator Imagine Communications Group said it had taken over the operations of US sector company Clearwire (NASDAQ:CLWR) in the country. Status: Closed - TRUE RELIGION APPAREL, UNIFA PREMIUM SET UP JV US apparel group True Religion Apparel (NASDAQ:TRLG) said late it has formed a joint venture with its German distributor UNIFA Premium to expand its wholesale business in Europe. Status: Agreed - US QPS HOLDINGS ACQUIRES DUTCH XENDO DRUG DEVELOPMENT US QPS Holdings LLC, a provider of testing services for preclinical and clinical research and development, said it had wrapped up the takeover of Dutch contract research organisation (CRO) Xendo Drug Development BV (XDD). Status: Closed - US COLORCON TAKES OVER INDIAN PHARMACEUTICAL COATINGS US speciality chemicals company Colorcon Inc said it had taken over the operations of Indian Pharmaceutical Coatings Pvt Ltd, without providing the acquisition price. Status: Closed - US ROPER TO TAKE OVER SAAS SPECIALIST ITRADENETWORK FOR USD525M US diversified growth company Roper Industries Inc (NYSE:ROP) said it had agreed on the takeover of local iTradeNetwork Inc, a provider of SaaS-based solutions to the food sector, for some USD525m (EUR403m) in cash. Status: Agreed - EC GIVES GO-AHEAD TO SCHLUMBERGER'S ACQUISITION OF SMITH INTL US Schlumberger (NYSE:SLB), a provider of technology solutions to the oil and gas sector, said it had been cleared by the European Commission (EC) to take over oilfield service firm Smith International (NYSE:SII). Status: Agreed - US KEY ENERGY SERVICES TO TAKE SUBSIDIARIES OF OFS US oilfield services company Key Energy Services Inc (NYSE:KEG) said it had agreed to take over some subsidiaries of sector firm OFS Energy Services LLC for 15.8m of Key's ordinary shares and almost USD75.6m (EUR58.1m) in cash. Status: Agreed - FARNCOMBE CONSULTING BUYS PROFESSIONAL SERVICES UNIT OF UK MIRIFICE UK-based TV services consultancy Farncombe Consulting Group said it had purchased the Professional Services operations of UK provider of software solutions to the broadcast industry Mirifice Ltd for an undisclosed sum. Status: Closed - ELETROBRAS CONSIDERS BUY INTO US GENERATION, TRANSMISSION FIRM Brazil's state-owned utility Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras (SAO:ELET6), or Eletrobras, is planning to acquire a minority interest in a US generation and transmission company, the utility's head of international operations. Status: Bidding - PT TO ACQUIRE 30%-40% OF BRAZILIAN OI Portugal Telecom (ELI:PTCA), or PT, is willing to acquire a stake of between 30% and 40% in Brazilian sector player Oi. Status: Speculation - RUSSIAN NETBYNET CLOSE TO BUYING BROADBAND OPERATOR INETERA Moscow-based Internet services company NetByNet is nearing a deal to acquire Inetera, a provider of broadband services in the Central Federal District. Status: Exclusivity - UK INTEC SAYS IN EARLY TALKS WITH POTENTIAL BUYER The board of UK billing company Intec (LON:ITL) said it was in early negotiations with an unnamed party interested in taking over the company. Status: Talks - SKY DEUTSCHLAND TO REPURCHASE PREMIUM MEDIA SOLUTIONS German media group Sky Deutschland (ETR:SKYD) is to buy back advertising firm Premium Media Solutions, which was previously owned by the group. Status: Speculation - GMR INFRASTRUCTURE PUTS INTERGEN STAKE UP FOR SALE Indian infrastructure and engineering group GMR Infrastructure (BOM:532754) is seeking potential buyers for its 50% holding in US-based power generation company InterGen. Status: Auction - LION CAPITAL PLACES BID FOR FRENCH PICARD UK investor Lion Capital submitted a pre-emptive offer this weekend to acquire French food company Picard Surgeles from BC Partners, valuing the company at EUR1.5bn (USD1.9bn). Status: Bidding - RAIFFEISEN CEO SAYS BANK MULLS ACQUISITIONS IN POLAND Austrian lender Raiffeisen International (WBAG:RIBH) is considering potential acquisitions in Poland. Status: Bidding - TELEDYNE OWNS 93.36% OF UK INTELEK, OFFER WHOLLY UNCONDITIONAL US electronic components and subsystems provider Teledyne (NYSE:TDY) said it owned 93.36% of Intelek (LON:ITK) by 23 July 2010, and its recommended cash offer for the UK electronic systems maker was now wholly unconditional. Status: Bidding - TSAI FAMILY CONSIDERS BUYING KBRO Daniel Tsai, chairman of Taiwanese financial holding company Fubon Financial (TPE:2881), told reporters that the company's major shareholder, the Tsai family, is considering the acquisition of local cable TV operator Kbro. Status: Talks - FRAPORT TO BUY INTO CHINESE AIRPORT German airport operator Fraport (ETR:FRA) is negotiating to buy a stake in a Chinese sector player. Status: Talks - VODAFONE LIKELY TO SHED STAKE IN BHARTI AIRTEL British mobile operator Vodafone (LON:VOD) could offload its 4.39% interest in Indian sector player Bharti Airtel (BOM:532454) valued at INR52bn (USD1.1bn/EUR859m) at market prices. Status: Auction - ADVENT INTL, BAIN CAPITAL IN EXCLUSIVE TALKS TO BUY RBS' WORLDPAY UK's Royal Bank of Scotland (LON:RBS) has entered into exclusive talks with US private equity firms Advent International and Bain Capital over the divestment of its payment-processing unit, known as WorldPay. Status: Exclusivity - FRANCE TELECOM, VIVENDI IN TALKS TO COMBINE CINEMA CHANNELS Orange, the mobile unit of France Telecom (EPA:FTE), and Canal Plus, part of entertainment group Vivendi (EPA:VIV), are discussing a potential merger of their cinema pay-TV channels. Status: Talks - GLAXO CEO SAYS PURSUING SMALL BUYS British pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline (LON:GSK) is on the hunt for small acquisitions. Status: Bidding - SANOFI APPROACHES US GENZYME OVER POSSIBLE TAKEOVER French drug maker Sanofi-Aventis (EPA:SAN) has made an informal takeover approach to US biotech firm Genzyme Corp (NASDAQ:GENZ), but talks are still at an early stage. Status: Talks - CARLYLE REPORTEDLY AGREES TO SELL TAIWANESE KBRO US private equity firm Carlyle has inked a deal to sell Taiwanese cable TV operator Kbro to the Tsai family, the major shareholder of telecom group Taiwan Mobile (TPE:3045), for nearly TWD60bn (USD1.9bn/EUR1.4bn). Status: Speculation; Agreed ((Comments on this story may be sent to [email protected])) (c) 2010 M2 COMMUNICATIONS |