Head scratching - part 2

Maybe I spoke (or wrote) too soon!

Microchip Technology has released a statement on the Regulatory News Service this morning although its dated from yesterday.

Here is a link to the Microchip statement: http://www.investegate.co.uk/microchip-technology/rns/mchp-confirms-preliminary-discussions-with-csr-plc/201408290700073020Q/

Head scratching

Huge hat tip to Ed Hammond and Arash Massoudi the M&A reporters over at the Financial Times for their scoop on CSR this morning. It's not easy landing these types of jackanories during August when most of the dealmaking community is away sunning themselves in the Med.

In case you missed it, here is a link to Hammond and Massoudi's piece: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/35629c52-2e5b-11e4-b330-00144feabdc0.html and the confirmation from CSR: http://www.investegate.co.uk/csr-plc--csr-/rns/csr-confirms-approach-from-microchip-technology/201408280947112254Q/

That ASOS tale

I have had a fair few calls this morning about this ASOS takeover story that was doing the rounds in the market yesterday and today.

To be honest, I didn't know anything about the rumour until it appeared in Geoff Foster's stock market report. If you didn't see Geoff's piece, here is a link to it: http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article-2735223/MARKET-REPORT-ASOS-shares-fashion.html

Parky back on Betaville

Here is a link to another cracking column by Gary Parkinson, the stock market reporter over at The Times: http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/business/columnists/tradesecrets/article4186604.ece

If Parky wrote a book based on his Trade Secrets column, I would definitely read it. And I'm sure many others would to.

Fancy that - Roche agrees to buy InterMune for $8.3 billion

Good evening Betavillers!

I would have posted yesterday but I was taking a day off, enjoying the Notting Hill Carnival (for international readers unfamiliar with the Notting Hill Carnival, it is one of the biggest street parties in Europe held in the area of London where I live).

Parky on Betaville

Betaville has made it into Gary Parkinson's stock market report today as being the original source of the story behind China Mobile's interest in Vodafone.

Here is a link to the column in The Times: http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/business/markets/article4183597.ece

The latest M&A "boom" - part 2

Wow - the op eds on M&A are coming thick and fast over at the venerable Financial Times. Sarah Gordon, Europe business editor, has just published her view on what happens next in M&A now that several big deals have collapsed during the summer.

Here is a link to Sarah's excellent piece: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/311877de-278f-11e4-ae44-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fhome_us%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct&siteedition=uk#axzz3ArZZKtct

The latest M&A "boom"

Here is a very interesting take on this year's M&A boom from El-Erian, the former chief executive of bond investor PIMCO. The piece was published in today's Financial Times. 

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d3b11b24-26c5-11e4-8df5-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3ArZZKtct

Back on Tip TV talking about InterMune, Vodafone, Orange and Alistair Osborne

I was invited back onto Tip TV today. Here is a link to today's clip:

http://www.tiptv.co.uk/archives/tip-tv-highlight-ben-harrington-15-08-2014/

Fancy that - Europe's biggest drug makers said to bid for InterMune

Oh look, I see Bloomberg and Reuters are both reporting that InterMune has attracted several suitors, including GlaxoSmithKline, Actelion, Roche and Sanofi:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-13/europe-s-biggest-drugmakers-said-to-bid-for-intermune.html

Daisy Group

Will the uber-acquisitive Liberty Global/Virgin Media step in with a £500 million plus counter offer for telecoms and IT company Daisy Group?

Mark Kleinman over at Sky News revealed back in March that US cable giant Liberty Global, controlled by media tycoon Jon Malone, held takeover talks with Daisy Group but the negotiations ultimately broke down. Here is a link to Kleinman's article: http://news.sky.com/story/1225606/liberty-global-aims-to-bloom-with-500m-daisy

InterMune said to be working with Evercore on strategic options

It sounds like this InterMune situation is heating up.

Good sources tell me InterMune - a US-based bio-pharmaceutical company that specialises in making a drug to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis - has begun working with bankers from Evercore alongside long-standing financial adviser Goldman Sachs to look at 'strategic options' for the business.

Carillion's enthusiasm for Balfour Beatty

Construction group Carillion appears to be very keen to pursue a £3 billion merger with Balfour Beatty despite Balfour's intransigence towards a deal.

Here is a link to this morning's statement from Balfour Beatty outlining the reasons it rejected Carillion's latest proposal: http://www.investegate.co.uk/balfour-beatty-plc--bby-/rns/rejection-of-carillion-s-merger-proposal/201408110700077413O/

More on a German Orange and other stuff

I have had a lot of enquiries from loyal Betaville readers in recent weeks about Orange since I published my German Orange article back in June. In case you don't remember, here is a link to the article: http://betaville123.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/a-german-orange.html

Anyway, I am reliably informed that Deutsche Telekom was waiting for the sale of its T-Mobile USA stake to be agreed before it could progress with an Orange tie-up.

Something afoot with Boots - part 3

Alistair Osborne, one of my former colleagues and bosses from The Daily Telegraph, is clearly refreshed after having some time off.

Indeed, Osborne's column today in The Times is highly entertaining and worthwhile a read, especially the item about Walgreen and Boots.

What's up with Evotec?

I have been hearing some pretty interesting things recently about a German drug developer called Evotec AG.

To be honest, it's not clear to me exactly what is going on with this stock.

Ouch!

Things are going from bad to worse at Bank of America Merrill Lynch's European investment banking team.

This year the hyper bullish investment bank has advised on three high-profile, European "bear hugs" that have gone nowhere. Those bear hugs were: Pfizer's £70 billion bid for AstraZeneca; Weir Group's attempt to merge with Finland's Metso as part of a £8.5 billion deal; and Destination Maternity's £300m tilt for Mothercare.

Office weighs £300m float for 2015 - or will Ashley step back in

Remember that bizarre statement that Mike Ashley's Sports Direct put out a few weeks ago regarding shoe retailer Office?

In case you don't, here is a link a to it: http://www.investegate.co.uk/sports-direct-intl---spd-/rns/trade-speculation---office/201406300700158347K/.