Benchmark International 
Archives
This week the world was exposed to Salesforce’s M&A shopping list after an email from the company’s board member Colin Powell was leaked by “hacktivist” group DCLeaks. The list, which was part of an internal presentation, revealed the names of 14 public companies that Salesforce allegedly had their eye on back in May this year. Featuring mammoths in business such as Adobe, LinkedIn and Workday along with those on the smaller side… Read More
Whether it is a food manufacturer acquiring a start-up that specialises in organic goods or a media company making an investment in app development, there is little doubt that a number of M&A deals are being driven by businesses wanting to make that shift to attracting a younger market. Accessing new markets through M&A enables businesses to build a safety net, or ecosystem, to ensure they are protected when times get tough…. Read More
The technology sector has long dominated M&A media coverage, with some of the most recognisable brands sparking the public’s interest with mega-deals grabbing headlines. Increasingly, these deals are focusing on one of the next big battlegrounds for technology companies: the cloud. The cloud is currently attracting significant attention for acquirers of all stripes, from acquirers of all kind, from tech giants looking to pivot to cloud technology to private equity houses. The… 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
With the tech industry in the midst of a takeover boom, Microsoft’s $26bn purchase of professional social platform LinkedIn could be a turning point. At least that is what the majority of takeover advisors and tech investors are hoping for, the same people who had already been predicting a resurgence of M&A within the sector before the LinkedIn deal was announced on Monday. A slump in the share prices of some listed… Read More