Back on Tip TV talking about Grainger, Sky and Severn Trent

Moose (aka Nick Batsford from Tip TV) and I had a good chat this morning. In case you are interested, here is a link to today's clip:

http://www.tiptv.co.uk/archives/ma-weekly-update-2/

Back on Tip TV talking about Ladbrokes, Severn Trent and Imaginatik

The boys over at Tip TV invited me back on the show today to discuss the latest "goings-on" in the UK M&A market.

Here is a link to today's clip:

Who's the mug, now

Ben Wright, one of the senior Telegraph business bods, has written a rather insightful and amusing comment piece on dealmaking entitled "when it comes to picking prices for buying and selling, we're all mugs". Here is the link:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/11449742/Heres-why-mergers-and-acquisitions-activity-is-in-the-doldrums.html

Back on Tip TV talking about Severn Trent, Pharma deals and...Quindell

The festive season is already starting to take its toll on me but I dragged myself into Tip TV this morning. Here is a link to today's clip: http://www.tiptv.co.uk/archives/mergers-acquisitions/

UPDATE: Apologies. I think I said in today's Tip TV clip that I wrote about Severn Trent for dealReporter in February 2014 but it was actually published in late January.  

Sunday review

Most of today's Sunday newspaper business sections are focused on financial implications and risks of Scotland breaking away from the Union.

But tucked away on page 2 of The Sunday Times is a story from John Collingridge on Porterbrook, the train leasing company that has been put up for sale by a consortium of investors led by Deutsche Bank.

Severn Trent bidders come together again...

But don't get too excited - it's not with a view to buying Severn Trent for £5 billion. Well, not at the moment, at least.

My sources tell me Canada's Borealis has been working with Wren House Infrastructure Management - a specialist infrastructure investment group set up by the Kuwait Investment Authority last year - to join a consortium bidding for train leasing company Porterbrook.

A deal scoop that may complete...

Happy days - it looks like a major deal story I broke earlier in the year is actually going to happen.

Often after breaking a story about a big deal - such as Borealis's £5 billion bid for Severn Trent last summer or Amec's £700m tilt for Kentz Corporation in August 2014 - the whole thing falls apart despite formal confirmation on the regulatory news service of an approach from the bidder.