[October 28, 2009] M&A Navigator: Deal Pipeline -- 27 Oct 2009 Tweet (M&A Navigator Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) The following is a list of deals covered in detail by M&A Navigator this week: - X5 GETS NOD TO BUY STAKE IN PATERSON Russian grocery store operator X5 Retail Group (LON:FIVE) got the thumbs-up by the country's antitrust regulator to buy a stake in smaller rival Paterson. Status: Bidding - SAP IN THREE-WAY JV DEAL WITH NOKIA AND GIESECKE & DEVRIENT German business software developer SAP (ETR:SAP), banknote supplier Giesecke & Devrient (G&D) and Finnish mobile handset maker Nokia (HEL:NOK1V) unveiled plans to set up a new company, Original1, to deliver anti-counterfeit services. Status: Agreed - ICONIX TO ACQUIRE 51% IN ECKO BRANDS US brand manager Iconix Brand Group (NASDAQ:ICON) said it has agreed to acquire a 51% stake in the privately-held Ecko portfolio of brands for USD63.5m (EUR42.6m) in cash. Status: Agreed - CAMSTAR TAKES OVER TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES GROUP US manufacturing execution systems (MES) software provider Camstar Systems has agreed to buy Singapore-based system integrator Technology Resources Group for an undisclosed amount. Status: Agreed - FIRST DERIVATIVES BUYS US SOFTWARE FIRM FOR UP TO USD10M UK investment banking software provider First Derivatives (LON:FDP) said it has acquired New Jersey-based software firm Reference Data Factory (RDF) for up to USD10m (EUR6.7m). Status: Closed - ITALY'S C-BANK CLEARS BANCAPULIA INCORPORATION BY VENETO BANCA Italy's central bank Banca d'Italia has greenlighted the incorporation of bancApulia into Veneto Banca. Status: Agreed - SYNGENTA VENTURE CAPITAL UNIT TAKES STAKE IN US METABOLON Swiss agri-business company Syngenta (VTX:SYNN) said its new venture capital subsidiary, Syngenta Ventures, has made an equity investment in US biotech firm Metabolon as part of the latter's financing scheme, which raised USD 12.3m (EUR8.25m). Status: Closed - EBRO PULEVA LIKELY TO BID FOR SOS' EUROPEAN RICE BUSINESS Spanish food group Ebro Puleva (MCE:EVA) is keen on buying the European rice business of rival SOS Corporacion Alimentaria (MCE:SOS). Status: Speculation, Bidding - BUDIMEX TO BUY 50% IN REAL ESTATE UNIT FOR EUR92M Polish construction group Budimex (WAR:BDX) said in a market filing it would acquire 50% of its real estate arm, Budimex Nieruchomosci, from its current partner Grimaldi Investments for PLN385m (USD137m/EUR92m). Status: Exclusivity - UNITED TECHNOLOGIES EMERGES AS FRONTRUNNER FOR GE SECURITY BUSINESS US industrial group United Technologies Corp (NYSE:UTX) seems to be the lead bidder for the fire alarm and surveillance systems division of diversified group General Electric Co (NYSE:GE). Status: Speculation, Bidding - COMPUTACENTER SHEDS TRADE DISTRIBUTION UNIT TO US INGRAM MICRO British IT services provider Computacenter (LON:CCC) said it has divested from its trade distribution division, CCD, to US IT wholesale distributor Ingram Micro (NYSE:IM) for an undisclosed sum. Status: Closed - CARLYLE TO TAKE OVER JAPANESE CAR SOFTWARE MAKER BROADLEAF US private equity firm Carlyle Group said it has inked a deal to buy out Japanese car maintenance software provider Broadleaf Co for JPY19.5bn (USD212m/EUR142m). Status: Agreed - ORMONDE MINING STRIKES EXPLORATION JV WITH ANTOFAGASTA Irish miner Ormonde Mining (ISE:ORQ) said it has inked a joint venture deal with copper miner Antofagasta (LON:ANTO) for copper exploration in the La Zarza sulfide deposit in southern Spain. Status: Agreed - TYREE-LED TEAM CLOSES BUYOUT OF SUN-TIMES MEDIA A group of investors, led by Chicago businessman James Tyree, has finalised the acquisition of US paper publisher Sun-Times Media Group (OTC:SUTMQ) for USD26.5m (EUR17.8m). Status: Closed - HARLEYSVILLE MUTUAL TO BUY DELTA LLOYDS' FLOOD INSURANCE OPS US insurer Harleysville Mutual Insurance Co said today it has agreed to buy the Write Your Own (WYO) flood insurance business of Texas-based peer Delta Lloyds Insurance from 1 November for an undisclosed sum. Status: Agreed - BARCLAYS SWEETENS BID FOR ITALIAN BANCA MONTE DEI PASCHI BRANCHES UK banking group Barclays (LON:BARC) has raised to EUR540m (USD804.08m) its bid for the 135 branches put up for sale by Italy's Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA (BIT:BMPS). Status: Bidding, Speculation - SHAREHOLDERS APPROVE TRANSCREDITBANK'S INTEGRATION OF FOUR SUBSIDIARIES Shareholders of Russian commercial bank TransCreditBank (MCX:TCBN) cleared the integration of four subsidiaries. Status: Agreed - DREYFUS BRAZILIAN UNIT AGREES TO BUY SANTELISA VALE French commodities group Louis Dreyfus said its Brazilian unit has entered an agreement to take over local sugar and ethanol producer Santelisa Vale to create the second largest sugar cane processing company in the world. Status: Agreed - CEZ MAKES OFFER FOR 21.3% OF GERMAN UTILITY ENSO Czech power utility CEZ (PRG:BAACEZ) has made an offer for the acquisition of 21.3% of German utility Enso, controlled by Swedish state-owned sector player Vattenfall. Status: Bidding - THYSSENKRUPP GIVES UP XERVON SALE, DECIDES TO INTEGRATE IT German engineering group ThyssenKrupp (ETR:TKA) has abandoned plans to sell technical services arm Xervon and decided to integrate it into its new unit Materials Services. Status: Terminated - EU SETS 27 NOV DEADLINE TO LOOK INTO OPEL SALE TO MAGNA The European Union (EU) set 27 November as deadline to look into potential competition issues connected to the takeover of German carmaker Opel by Canadian automotive supplier Magna (TSE:MG.A). Status: Agreed - GAZPROM TO RAISE EUROPOL GAZ STAKE TO 50% Russian gas giant Gazprom (MCX:GAZP) has entered an agreement to boost its stake in Polish pipeline operator Europol Gaz to 50% from 48%. Status: Agreed - SPAIN'S MAPFRE WILL STUDY ING INSURANCE OPS, BUT NO SHORT-TERM ACQUISITION PLANS Spanish insurer Mapfre (MCE:MAP) will look at the insurance operations to be offered for sale by Dutch bancassurer ING (AMS:INGA), but has no plans for immediate purchases. Status: Denied - PORTSMOUTH FC CHAIRMAN SAYS NOT INTERESTED IN SELLING HIS STAKE Sulaiman al-Fahim, chairman of UK football club Portsmouth, said he will not sell his 10% in the club to the new majority owner, Ali al-Faraj, even if he was to double his initial investment in the stake. Status: Denied, Speculation - PRISA SEEKING FURTHER SPANISH-LANGUAGE MEDIA DEALS IN THE US Spanish media group Prisa (MCE:PRS) is chasing "the best partners and the best assets" in the radio sector in the US targeting Hispanic audience. Status: Bidding - SHAREHOLDER SAYS ZON, SONAECOM MERGER MAKES SENSE Joe Berardo, shareholder of Portuguese telecomms and media firm ZON Multimedia (ELI:ZON) backs a merger between ZON and home telecomms firm Sonaecom (ELI:SNC) which he considers "makes sense". Status: Denied - SPANISH ISASTUR TAKES OVER 75% OF ASAS SYSTEMS Spanish engineering group Isastur has bought 75% of home industrial engineering specialist Asas Systems, for an undisclosed sum. Status: Closed, Speculation - US BROADSOFT WRAPS UP BUY OF PACKET ISLAND US VoIP application software group BroadSoft has closed the purchase of privately held software company Packet Island. Status: Closed - US SENSEI ENTERPRISES BUYS JBC NETWORKS ASSETS US computer forensics and information technology group Sensei Enterprises has bought the assets of IT company JBC Networks. Status: Closed - US SM&A TAKES OVER IFOUR US management consulting company SM&A has acquired Virginia-based sector player ifour for an undisclosed price. Status: Closed - US TEKTRONIX CLOSES BUY OF SYPRIS TEST & MEASUREMENT FOR USD39M US test and measurement instruments supplier Tektronix said it had wrapped up the purchase of Sypris Test & Measurement for USD39m (EUR26m). Status: Closed - THE SUPREME BEAN COFFEE ROASTERS TAKES OVER ROCKY ROASTER US coffee roasting company The Supreme Bean Coffee Roasters said it had bought wholesale coffee roasting firm Rocky Roaster LLC. Status: Closed - US BIO-CLEAN SIGNS LOI TO BUY ABT US company Bio-Clean (OTC:BOCL), which markets and distributes beauty products, said it had signed a letter of intent (LOI) to buy American Bio-Tech Cleaning (ABT). Status: Agreed - SWISS HESTIUN BUYS MAJORITY STAKE IN SPANISH REEDUS DESIGN Swiss diversified investment group Hestiun said it had acquired a majority stake in Spanish Reedus Design, as part of the web agency's funding round. Status: Closed - MORGAN STANLEY CONSIDERS SALE OF SONY CENTER IN BERLIN US Morgan Stanley Real Estate Funds (MSREF), a subsidiary of financial service group Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS), is mulling over the sale of its Sony Center property in Berlin. Status: Auction, Speculation - US ARES CAPITAL TO ACQUIRE ALLIED CAPITAL FOR USD648M US financial company Ares Capital (NASDAQ:ARCC) said it had entered a final agreement to buy sector player Allied Capital (NYSE:ALD) for USD648m (EUR431.6m) in stock. Status: Agreed - SPANISH DELAWARE TAKES OVER BG&S Spanish consultancy firm Delaware said it had bought business intelligence solution developer BG&S, to bolster its experience in the business intelligence segment. Status: Closed - US AERO FINANCIAL BUYS CONTROLLING STAKE IN WHOLE IN ONE PRODUCTS US advisory and consultancy service provider Aero Financial has bought a majority stake in California-based nutritional and healthcare products company Whole In One Products. Status: Closed - DUTCH ING MAY DIVEST FROM ROMANIAN INSURANCE UNIT Dutch financial company ING Groep (AMS:INGA) may offload its Romanian life insurance unit, ING Asigurari de Viata, as part of its intentions to divest its insurance operations. Status: Auction - EC GREENLIGHTS PEPSICO TO ACQUIRE PEPSIAMERICAS The European Commission (EC) granted its approval to US soft drink major PepsiCo (NYSE:PEP) to buy bottler PepsiAmericas (NYSE:PAS), in a drive to reduce costs and enhance profits. Status: Agreed - US EBIOSCIENCE BUYS AUSTRIAN BENDER MEDSYSTEMS US cell analysis provider eBioscience said it has bought Austrian privately held immunoassay technology firm Bender MedSystems for an undisclosed price, paid in cash. Status: Closed - EC CLEARS ACQUISITION OF PEPSI BOTTLING BY PEPSICO The European Commission (EC) cleared US soft drink major PepsiCo's (NYSE:PEP) acquisition of bottler Pepsi Bottling Group (NYSE:PBG). Status: Agreed - DASSAULT SYSTEMES TO TAKE OVER SALES, CLIENT SUPPORT OPS OF IBM FOR USD600M French software developer Dassault Systemes (EPA:DSY) has inked an agreement to acquire the sales and client support business of US computer giant IBM (NYSE:IBM) for USD600m (EUR402.6m). Status: Agreed - NORSK HYDRO AGREES WITH GERMAN BENTELER TO SELL AUTOMOTIVE STRUCTURES OPS Norwegian aluminium major Norsk Hydro (OSL:NHY) has entered an agreement to sell its automotive structures operations to Benteler Automobiltechnik, part of German group Benteler. Status: Agreed - US BIOMARIN TAKES OVER HUXLEY PHARMACEUTICALS US company BioMarin Pharmaceutical (NASDAQ:BMRN) said it has bought Huxley Pharmaceuticals, to expand its core business operations and strategy. Status: Closed - GERMAN ESCADA RECEIVES SEVERAL OFFERS FROM POTENTIAL BUYERS Bankrupt German fashion house Escada (ETR:ESC) has received several binding offers from potential buyers, following due diligence procedures. Status: Bidding, Talks - KARSTADT'S AUCTION LURES GERMAN, FOREIGN INVESTORS Karstadt, the department store unit of insolvent German retailer Arcandor (ETR:ARO), has drawn the attention of German and foreign potential buyers. Status: Auction - WIND HELLAS SHORTLISTS WEATHER INVESTMENTS, NOTEHOLDERS Greek mobile operator Wind Hellas said it has shortlisted two bidders for its Hellas II assets, namely its current owner Weather Investments, owned by Egyptian tycoon Naguib Sawiris, and a group of bondholders. Status: Auction - ENBW SAYS MANY POTENTIAL BUYERS INTERESTED IN GESO German energy group EnBW (ETR:EBK) has attracted numerous bidders for its eastern German utility Geso. Status: Auction - RATIOPHARM SEEKING TO ATTRACT BUYERS WITH AMBITIOUS TARGETS German drug maker Ratiopharm has set an ambitious profit outlook hoping to attract potential buyers as the deadline for bids is expiring in early November. Status: Auction - BLACK STONE MINERALS BOOSTS BID FOR EAGLE ROCK'S MINERAL BUSINESS Houston-based mineral group Black Stone Minerals said it has raised its offer to acquire the minerals business of US midstream company Eagle Rock Energy Partners without disclosing the new price of its bid. Status: Bidding - ING TO SEPARATE INSURANCE AND BANKING OPS Dutch financial group ING (AMS:INGA) said it would separate its banking operations from its insurance and investment management activities over the next three years as part of a reshuffle filed for approval with the European Commission (EC). Status: Auction - GOLDSHIELD MANAGEMENT BOOSTS BID TO GBP4.85 P/S Midas Bidco said Sunday it has raised its cash offer for British generic drug maker Goldshield Group (LON:GSD) to GBP4.85 (USD7.90/EUR5.25) per share, valuing the company at about GBP179m. Status: Bidding - NOVERA ENERGY URGES SHAREHOLDERS TO REJECT INFINIS BID The board of UK renewable energy group Novera Energy (LON:NVE) has advised shareholders to reject the GBP0.62 (USD1.01/EUR0.67) hostile takeover bid of home rival Infinis Energy saying it "substantially undervalues the company". Status: Bidding - CREDIT AGRICOLE MULLS OVER TIE-UP WITH SG, GROUPAMA French bank Credit Agricole (EPA:ACA) is studying a three-way merger with local rival Societe Generale (EPA:GLE) and insurer Groupama. Status: Speculation - GERMAN RUPAG IN TALKS TO SELL BKN BIOSTROM STAKE German private equity firm Rupag Grundbesitz & Beteiligungen is looking to dispose of its 44% stake in home biogas plants developer BKN biostrom (ETR:B9K) this year. Status: Talks, Speculation - UK CENTRICA TO SELL HALF ITS STAKE IN WIND FARM FOR GBP400M UK utility Centrica (LON:CNA) plans to sell half of its holding in the Lynn and Inner Dowsing wind farm, the largest facility of its kind in the world, as part of a divestment programme launched in July. Status: Talks, Speculation - STAGECOACH NEAR TO FORMAL OFFER FOR NATIONAL EXPRESS UK international passenger transport company Stagecoach (LON:SCG) is working on the last financing details as it prepares to place a takeover bid for troubled home sector player National Express (LON:NEX). Status: Bidding - HEINEKEN WANTS FEMSA'S BEER OPS TO EXPAND TO LATIN AMERICA Dutch brewer Heineken (AMS:HEIA) is negotiating the acquisition of the brewing business of Mexican beverages group Femsa (MXK:FEMSAUBD) in an effort to set foot in Latin America. Status: Talks, Speculation - LLOYDS'S PRIVATE EQUITY ARM EYES CPA GLOBAL FOR GBP400M UK Lloyds Banking Group (LON:LLOY) is in talks to buy patent and legal services group CPA Global for GBP400m (USD652m/EUR434m) through its private equity arm. Status: Bidding, Speculation - UK WEST AFRICAN DIAMONDS CLOSE TO COMPLETE MERGER WITH AFRICAN MINER UK-based diamond miner West African Diamonds (LON:WAD) is nearing a deal to merge with an unnamed privately owned peer in western Africa, which would boost its annual production rate by 400%. Status: Talks, Speculation - UK MATALAN'S FOUNDER HIRES PWC TO ADVISE ON POTENTIAL SALE UK value-fashion retailer Matalan's founder John Hargreaves has mandated US advisor PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to manage a potential sale of the company valued at GBP1.5bn (USD2.44bn/EUR1.63bn). Status: Talks, Speculation - CZECH CEZ MAKES OFFER TO BUY ENBW'S GESO IN GERMANY Czech power utility CEZ (PRG:BAACEZ) has launched a bid to acquire 100% of German sector player GESO, currently part of Energie Baden-Wuerttemberg (EnBW) (ETR:EBK). Status: Bidding - REYAL URBIS EYES SALE OF ASSETS FOR UP TO EUR300M Spanish real estate company Reyal Urbis (MCE:REY) plans to sell assets for between EUR200m (USD300.8m) and EUR300m in November, in line with its debt refinancing plan. Status: Auction, Speculation - US DDI MAKES USD0.19 P/S BID FOR CANADIAN CORETEC US printed circuit board (PCB) engineering and manufacturing service provider DDi (NASDAQ:DDIC) said it has launched a CAD0.20 (USD0.19/EUR0.13) apiece bid to buy Canadian PCB designer and producer Coretec (TSE:CYY). Status: Bidding - VOLKSWAGEN IN DISCUSSIONS TO ACQUIRE BANKRUPT KARMANN German carmaker Volkswagen (ETR:VOW) is in negotiations to buy bankrupt contract carmaker Karmann. Status: Talks, Speculation - SPANISH BANCO URQUIJO EYES BUY OF INDEPENDENT FIRM Spanish Banco Urquijo, a subsidiary of commercial bank Sabadell (MCE:SAB), is exploring opportunities to buy an independent company as part of its growth strategy. Status: Bidding ((Comments on this story may be sent to [email protected])) (c) 2009 M2 COMMUNICATIONS [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]