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TMCNet: M&A Navigator: Deal pipeline - 6 Jan 2010

[January 06, 2010]

M&A Navigator: Deal pipeline - 6 Jan 2010

(M&A Navigator Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) The following is a list a of deals covered in detail by M&A Navigator this week: - BELGIAN HUB UNIVERSITY BUYS BUILDING FOR EUR60M The Handelshogeschool Universiteit Brussel (HUB) has bought the renovated office building 't Serclaes in Brussels for EUR60m (USD86.1m).


Status: Closed - UOB TO DIVEST LIFE INSURANCE OPS TO PRUDENTIAL Singapore's United Overseas Bank (SIN:U11), or UOB, is expected to announce that it plans to shed its home life insurance arm to British financial group Prudential (LON:PRU) for USD310m (EUR216m).

Status: Speculation - VATTENFALL SHEDS GERMAN WEMAG Sweden's utility Vattenfall said Tuesday that its German unit has divested from its 80% interest in regional energy provider Wemag to German sector firm Thuega and a group of 190 municipalities.

Status: Closed - KRAFT RECEIVES 1.52% ACCEPTANCE FOR CADBURY HOSTILE OFFER US food group Kraft (NYSE:KFT) said its hostile takeover bid for UK confectioner Cadbury (LON:CBRY) received 1.52% acceptance by the initial closing date on 5 January.

Status: Bidding - DUTCH FREE RECORD SHOP BUYS SONICA ASSETS IN BELGIUM Dutch music retail chain Free Record Shop said it bought nine stores from bankrupt Belgian retail group Sonica, raising its share on the Belgian market to 25% from 15%.

Status: Closed - SPANISH ZELTIA'S PRESIDENT BOOSTS STAKE TO 14.01% FOR EUR999,000 The president of Spanish pharmaceutical and chemical group Zeltia (MCE:ZEL) bought 251,000 of the company's shares, boosting his total stake to 14.01%.

Status: Closed; Speculation - NORWEGIAN 24SEVENOFFICE TO TAKE OVER PHONZO Norwegian online business system provider 24SevenOffice (OSL:TFSO) said it has inked a deal to acquire IP telephony firm Phonzo for NOK13.85m (USD2.4m/EUR1.7m), which the buyer may pay partly in newly issued shares.

Status: Agreed - TATA DENIES INTEREST IN FIAT'S TERMINI IMERESE PLANT India's commercial vehicles maker Tata Motors (BOM:500570) is not keen on buying the Termini Imerese plant of Italian carmaker Fiat (BIT:F).

Status: Denied - SWISS SONOVA BUYS US INSOUND MEDICAL Swiss hearing system provider Sonova Holding (SWF:SOON) said it has wrapped up the buy of US sector player InSound Medical.

Status: Closed - BARCLAYS TAKES OVER 6.98% IN SPANISH BUILDER METROVACESA UK bank Barclays (LON:BARC) took 6.98% of Spanish builder Metrovacesa (MCE:MVC) from the Sanahuja family, in exchange for cancelling their debt.

Status: Closed - RUSSIAN GROUP KEEN ON BUYING MAJORITY IN UKRAINE'S DONBASS Ukraine's steel group Industrial Union of Donbass is expected to be taken over by an unnamed Russian group this month, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday, citing persons in the know.

Status: Speculation - DUTCH ARCADIS BUYS REAL-ESTATE CONSULTANCY Dutch architectural design and engineering company Arcadis (AMS:ARCAD) said it has acquired local real-estate consultancy Plan & Projectpartners without providing any financial details.

Status: Agreed - DAIICHI SANKYO'S UNIT BUYS US PHARMAFORCE Luitpold Pharmaceuticals, the US subsidiary of Japanese drug maker Daiichi Sankyo Co (TYO:4568), said it has acquired US specialty pharmaceuticals company PharmaForce for an undisclosed sum.

Status: Closed - BANCO SANTANDER INTERESTED IN SLOVENIAN NLB Spain's lender Banco Santander (MCE:SAN) is mulling over the acquisition of a 30.6% stake in Slovenian banking group Nova Ljubljanska Banka (NLB) from Belgian bank KBC (EBR:KBC).

Status: Speculation - CAJA DUERO'S BOARD CLEARS MERGER WITH CAJA ESPANA The board of Spanish savings bank Caja Duero approved the merger with peer Caja Espana.

Status: Agreed - ACS BOARD MEMBER UNLOADS COMPANY SHARES FOR EUR3.49M Pedro Lopez Jimenez, board member and former president of Spain's construction group ACS (MCE:ACS), has offloaded company stock for EUR3.49m (USD5.01m).

Status: Closed - RUSSIAN CO MAY BUY UKRAINIAN ISD CORP An unnamed Russian company may buy a controlling stake in troubled Ukraine-based steel producer Industrialny Soyuz Donbassa (ISD) Corporation.

Status: Talks; Specultaion - DS SMITH WRAPS UP DEMES LOGISTICS SALE UK's packaging manufacturer DS Smith (LON:SMDS) said it has closed the divestment of its subsidiary Demes Logistics to transport packaging company Cartonplast Holding for an undisclosed sum.

Status: Closed - ROMANIAN OMV PETROM BUYS OIL FIRM IN KAZAKHSTAN Romanian oil and gas group OMV Petrom (BSE:SNP) announced that it has inked a deal to acquire Kazakhstan-based Korned LLP, which holds the exploration license for the Kultuk oilfield, for an undisclosed amount.

Status: Agreed - CENTRICA TO COMPLETE DUTCH OXXIO DIVESTMENT BY MID-2010 British energy group Centrica (LON:CNA) is planning to finalise the divestment of its Dutch utility Oxxio by mid-2010.

Status: Auction - US KAHZAM TO BUY TECOUP US web platform developer Kahzam (OTC:KHZM) said it has agreed to buy SMS text coupons provider TeCOUP.com, for an undisclosed price.

Status: Agreed - GERMAN E.ON TO CLOSE SALE OF HIGH-VOLTAGE GRID BY END-JAN German utility E.on AG (ETR:EOAN) will probably divest from its high-voltage electricity network by the end of the month, or earlier than planned.

Status: Agreed - MOBINIL'S ADVISOR SAYS FRANCE TELECOM'S OFFER TOO LOW Egyptian Prime Capital (CAI:PCPM), advising mobile operator Mobinil (CAI:EMOB), said that the EGP245 (USD44.8/EUR31.2) per share offer by France Telecom (EPA:FTE) is way too low, as the Mobinil shares are worth EGP283 to EGP337.

Status: Bidding - DUTCH ACCELL TO BUY BATAVUS DISTRIBUTOR IN GERMANY Dutch bicycle and fitness-equipment maker Accell Group (AMS:ACCEL) announced a deal to buy the German distributor of its Batavus brand, Baumker & Co.

Status: Agreed - STRATACARE FINALISES GENSOURCE UNIT SALE US StrataCare, which provides medical bill review software solutions, said it has completed the sale of its GenSource claims unit to P&C Claims, part of policy administration and claims software developer P&C Insurance Systems.

Status: Closed - SIEMENS NEGOTIATES HEARING-AID UNIT SALE German electronics giant Siemens (ETR:SIE) is currently in talks with potential buyers over the sale of its hearing-aid business.

Status: Speculation - US ICG BUYS GOVDELIVERY US investment company Internet Capital Group (NASDAQ:ICGE) said that together with the management of GovDelivery, has bought the platform software developer.

Status: Closed - CALGON CARBON BUYS SCANDINAVIAN DISTRIBUTOR TO BOOST SALES US water and air purifying solutions provider Calgon Carbon Corp (NYSE:CCC) said it has taken over its distributor for Denmark and Sweden, Zwicky, in an effort to boost its operations in Europe.

Status: Closed - BIOTEST COMPLETES DIVESTMENT OF MEDICAL DIAGNOSTICS OPS Germany-based biotechnology group Biotest (ETR:BIO3) said it has closed the sale of its Medical Diagnostics unit to US life-science research specialist Bio-Rad Laboratories (NYSE:BIO) for EUR45m (USD64.6m).

Status: Closed - BRAZILIAN PETROBRAS NOT IN DISCUSSIONS FOR PORTUGUESE GALP STAKE Brazilian oil and gas giant Petrobras (SAO:PETR3; NYSE:PBR) said it is not in talks to buy 33.4% in Portuguese sector player Galp (ELI:GALP), denying reports by Portuguese and Brazilian media from the last two days.

Status: Denied - NOKIASIEMENS NOT TO BID FOR CIENA CORP Finland-based telecomms equipment maker Nokia Siemens Networks has no intention to bid for US networking equipment provider Ciena Corp (NASDAQ:CIEN).

Status: Denied - REED ELSEVIER NEGOTIATES SALE OF TRADE MAGAZINES Anglo-Dutch publisher Reed Elsevier (AMS:REN, LON:REL) is in advanced negotiations to dispose of some of its trade magazines and will close others in the next few months.

Status: Talks - US NOBLE TO TAKE OVER ROCKIES ASSETS FOR USD494M US energy company Noble Energy (NYSE:NBL) said it has agreed to acquire all Rockies oil and gas assets of US Petro-Canada Resources and Suncor Energy America, part of Canadian Suncor Energy (TSE:SU), for USD494m (EUR344.1m).

Status: Agreed - US HUB INTL BUYS OGILVY HILL INSURANCE US insurance broker Hub International said it has bought California-based sector firm Ogilvy Hill Insurance (OHI) for an undisclosed price.

Status: Closed - US PHOENIX TO SELL PFG HOLDINGS TO TIPTREE FINANCIAL PARTNERS US life insurance group The Phoenix Companies (NYSE:PNX) said it has entered a final agreement to sell its private placement insurance business PFG Holdings to Tiptree Financial Partners.

Status: Agreed - POLISH ACTION SELLS STAKE IN ACTION UKRAINA FOR USD2M Polish IT equipment distributor Action (WAR:ACT) said it has sold its shareholding of 51% in Action Ukraina for USD2m (EUR1.4m), effective as of 31 December.

Status: Closed - FRANCE TELECOM SAYS WILL NOT UP BID FOR EGYPT'S MOBINIL France Telecom (EPA:FTE) said it will not sweeten its EGP245 (USD45/EUR31.3) per share offer for the outstanding stock of Egypt's mobile operator Mobinil (CAI:EMOB).

Status: Bidding - UK TELEREAL PUTS UP FOR SALE 55 UK PROPERTIES UK property investor Telereal Trillium said it is selling 55 commercial properties in the UK worth some GBP475m (USD760.4m/EUR530m).

Status: Auction - INSURERS MAPFRE, AVIVA AFFECTED BY CAJA DUERO, ESPANA MERGER Spanish insurer Mapfre (MCE:MAP) and UK sector player Aviva (LON:AV) will have to negotiate which one will stay on as shareholder of the bank resulting from the merger of Spanish savings banks Caja Duero and Caja Espana.

Status: Agreed - DOLAN MEDIA UPS STAKE IN NATIONAL DEFAULT EXCHANGE TO 92.24% US Dolan Media Company (NYSE:DM) said it has raised its stake in mortgage default processing services provider National Default Exchange, or NDeX, to 92.24% from 84.67%.

Status: Closed - US VANITY EVENTS TARGETS ACQUISITIONS TO BOOST PORTFOLIO, SHAREHOLDER VALUE US development-stage firm Vanity Events Holding said it was looking at potential acquisition opportunities to expand its portfolio and build shareholder value.

Status: Bidding - US UNIVITA HEALTH BUYS ATENDA HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS US healthcare company Univita Health said it has acquired home care provider Atenda Healthcare Solutions and its affiliated companies, including Florida Home Medical Equipment.

Status: Closed - BULGARIA'S FINANCIAL REGULATOR OKS DEVIN BUYOUT BY ADVENT WATER Bulgaria's financial regulator approved the buy-out of mineral water bottling company Devin (BUL:6D3) by Luxembourg-based Advent Water.

Status: Agreed - FIRST POTOMAC BUYS CLASS-A BUSINESS PARK IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA FOR USD14M US real estate investment trust First Potomac Realty Trust (NYSE:FPO) announced that it had acquired Corporate Campus at Ashburn Center in northern Virginia, for USD14m (EUR9.8m).

Status: Closed - ORASCOM APPEALS IN COURT APPROVAL OF FRANCE TELECOM'S BID Egyptian mobile operator Orascom Telecom (CAI:ORTE), or OTH, said it has appealed the regulatory approval of a bid by France Telecom (EPA:FTE) to acquire OTH's stake in mobile operator Mobinil (CAI:EMOB).

Status: Bidding - BRAGANZA STARTS MANDATORY TAKEOVER BID FOR SWEDISH TICKET Norway's investment company Braganza, the major owner of Swedish travel agency Ticket Travel Group (STO:TICK), said Tuesday it has initiated a mandatory takeover bid to buy out the agency for SEK235m (USD33.2m/EUR23m).

Status: Bidding - GERMANY'S TELE COLUMBUS TO BE SOLD TO INDEPENDENT HOLDING Germany's fourth-largest cable company Tele Columbus is being prepared to be sold to an independent holding under Luxembourg law.

Status: Speculation - KRAFT EXTENDS TO 2 FEB DEADLINE FOR ACCEPTANCE OF CADBURY BID US food giant Kraft (NYSE:KFT) announced it will extend to 2 February the acceptance period for its takeover bid for UK confectioner Cadbury (LON:CBRY).

Status: Bidding - US APPLE SAID TO BUY QUATTRO WIRELESS US PC and musical player maker Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is set to unveil today the acquisition of home mobile advertising company Quattro Wireless for USD275m (EUR190.2m).

Status: Speculation - BOSNIAN TLEKOM SRPSKE IN TALKS TO TAKE FULL OWNERSHIP OF MONTENEGRO'S M:TEL Bosnian telecommunications services provider Telekom Srpske (BANJ:TLKM-R-A), owned by Serbia's Telekom Srbija, said it is negotiating to take full control of Montenegro's mobile operator M:tel.

Status: Talks - DUTCH SPYKER SAID TO RAISE SAAB OFFER Dutch sportscar maker Spyker Cars (AMS:SPYKR) is set to sweeten this week its takeover bid for Swedish Saab Automobile.

Status: Bidding; Speculation - CAJA ESPANA, CAJA DUERO RESTART DISCUSSIONS ON MERGER Spanish savings banks Caja Espana and Caja Duero resumed negotiations on their planned merger after cancelling them on 28 December.

Status: Talks - KRAFT SAID TO SWEETEN CADBURY BID US food giant Kraft (NYSE:KFT) intends to raise its GBP10bn (USD16.1bn/EUR11.3bn) hostile offer for UK confectioner Cadbury (LON:CBRY) in the next two weeks.

Status: Bidding; Speculation - ITALY FERRERO SOUNDS OUT PRIVATE EQUITY FOR CADBURY BID Italian chocolate maker Ferrero is discussing a potential joint bid for UK confectioner Cadbury (LON:CBRY) with private equity firms.

Status: Bidding; Speculation - BRAZIL ITAU UNIBANCO MULLS OVER BUYING STAKES IN UK BANKS Brazilian lender Itau Unibanco (SAO:ITUB3) intends to buy a stake in the state-held interest in either UK-based Royal Bank of Scotland (LON:RBS) or Lloyds Banking Group (LON:LLOY).

Status: Speculation - SPANISH A&G PLANS TAKEOVERS IN 2010 AS PART OF GROWTH STRATEGY Spanish private wealth manager A&G is considering acquisitions in 2010, in line with its growth strategy.

Status: Bidding - KRAFT CONFIDENT TO WIN EU APPROVAL FOR CADBURY BID US food giant Kraft (NYSE:KFT) is determined to get a conditional clearance this week from the EU regulators for its GBP10bn (USD16.2bn/EUR11.21bn) hostile takeover offer for UK confectioner Cadbury (LON:CBRY).

Status: Bidding ((Comments on this story may be sent to tww.feedback@m2.com)) (c) 2010 M2 COMMUNICATIONS

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