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In a much-talked-about piece in the New York Times recently, Hernan Cristerna, Co-Head of Global M&A at JP Morgan Chase, diagnosed the global mergers and acquisitions market as alive and very much kicking – in spite of ongoing Brexit anxieties and considerable political uncertainty around the Trump administration. Cross-border European-US transactions have already increased by over 80% this year, with some truly blockbuster deals counting among them such as Johnson & Johnson’s… Read More
Irrespective of the outcome and the eventual deal Britain strikes with the EU, there will be greater uncertainty for businesses in the near-term. So what and how will this affect the M&A sector? History shows us that turbulent times economically, politically and socially produce a short term drop in investment and a period of re-appraisal, followed not so remarkably by a resumption in activity. With interest rates low – and set to… Read More
According to a recent report, UK companies are braced for a surge in deal-making this year, as executives prepare their businesses for life away from the European Union. Accountancy juggernaut Ernst & Young found that 51% of UK firms expect to actively pursue mergers and acquisitions within the next 12 months, a rise of three percent from October 2016, but slightly lagging behind the global figure of 56%. Despite the backdrop of… Read More
The $130bn mega-merger between US chemical giants Dow Chemical and DuPont has been given the go-ahead by the European Commission. Earlier this year, it was announced that the deal would be subject to an investigation from EU competition regulators due to antitrust concerns. The Dow and DuPont deal is the first of three mega deals in the sector that the European Commission is looking into. It is expected that Brussels will clear… Read More
Back in 2013 the EU blocked UPS’s $5.5bn takeover of Dutch-based TNT over concerns that the deal would affect consumers with drastically reduced choice and expected price increases for small parcel delivery in Europe. However, in an interesting turn of events, this week an EU court ruled in agreement with UPS that the EU’s probe, led by the Competition Commissioner at the time Joaquín Almunia, was wrong in its decision to block… Read More
The mega-merger between chemicals and seeds producer DuPont and chemical corporation Dow is now expected to close later than anticipated. The $130bn deal has encountered a roadblock as the companies face further regulatory approvals, which means that this is now the second occasion the deal’s completion date has been pushed back. The deal will now be subject to an investigation from EU competition regulators amid antitrust concerns. The investigation into the mega-deal… Read More
In 2014, Facebook acquired WhatsApp in a deal worth $19bn. However, more than two years later, the social media giant has been accused of providing EU regulators with misleading information during its takeover of the mobile messaging service. Europe’s main regulator, the European Commission, has stated that it is investigating whether Facebook withheld information regarding its ability to siphon data from WhatsApp. If the investigation confirms what the Commission suspects, Facebook could… Read More
Regardless of which way the referendum goes this week, an end to speculation over the UK’s membership of the European Union could pave the way for significant M&A activity across the FTSE All-Share. The Brexit vote has been looming over the UK mid-cap market this year and there is little doubt that it has led to a decrease in corporate activity. A number of deals, including potential takeovers, have been grinded to… Read More
The looming EU referendum has undoubtedly created much discussion and debate. While headlines have predominantly focused on two issues. Firstly, whether a Brexit would cause a dip in rates of employment and secondly, the position of influential figures and celebrities in the discussion. Historically, the UK market has acted as somewhat of a gateway for global investors who are seeking expansion into Europe, however the upcoming vote has created a general feeling… Read More