Here’s a quick thought about the Abbvie – Shire transaction that’s received so much recent attention because of the decision to reincorporate in Ireland once the deal is completed. Tax inversions are in vogue and a hot topic in the media. While the tax benefits of an inversion certainly are important in this acquisition, that’s …
Category: M&A in the News
Zillow, Dollar Tree Announce Acquisitions
It was a busy Monday for Mergers & Acquisitions with two big brands announcing consolidations: Zillow will buy Trulia and Dollar Tree will buy Family Dollar. Activity is getting frothy and as I’ve been saying, the sleeping dragon is starting to wake up. Here’s what you need to know about these transactions: Zillow to acquire …
M&A Update: 1H 2014
M&A activity was on the rise in the first six months of 2014. Global M&A increased 73 percent to $1.77 trillion and Midmarket M&A increased 18 percent to $399.4 billion. Check out our infographic for a snapshot on Global Mergers and Acquisitions in 1H 2014. Click on the image for a closer look. Feature Photo …
Mergers and Acquisitions Reach a 7-Year High
Mergers have hit a seven year high. While deal value is up 73 percent, the number of deals has decreased 0.4 percent, according to Reuters data. This confirms what we’ve been seeing since last year: larger, fewer transactions. With mega deals on the rise, we will likely see more activity in the middle market as …
Top Posts from the First Half of 2014
It’s hard to believe we’re already half way through the year! I’ve had the opportunity to write about a variety of M&A topics from analyzing transactions and trends to developing your acquisition strategy. I’ve compiled a list of the most popular posts from the Successful Acquisitions blog in 2014. I hope you enjoy these posts …
Closing the Deal: Lessons Learned from the LA Clippers Sale
The ability to move quickly can be crucial in successfully closing a deal. A large part of that means having financing ready so you can swiftly respond to the seller’s decision. I was reading a post about Steve Ballmer’s $2 billion acquisition of the LA Clippers that illustrates why having your financial package prepared is …
Tyson Foods Wins Fight for Hillshire
Two of the largest chicken producers, Pilgrim’s Pride and Tyson Foods, have been fighting over Hillshire Farms. On Monday, Tyson Foods raised its offer to $63 a share in cash, which values Hillshire at $7.7 billion. Last week, Pilgrim’s Pride had raised its bid 22% to $55 a share; however Pilgrim’s Pride has withdrawn its …
Pharmaceuticals Refocus and Consolidate
Pharmaceutical companies are using acquisition to become “pointy,” or more focused. Two recent examples are Bayer and Merck. Bayer is focusing on over the counter medications by acquiring Merck’s consumer care business for $14.2 billion. On the other hand, Merck has become more streamlined through divestment. As I’ve mentioned before, although divestment means becoming smaller, …
Publicis – Omnicom Merger Breaks Up Over Culture Clash
Pubicis and Omnicom have called off their proposed $35 billion merger that would have created the largest advertising agency in the world. According to reports, Publicis CEO Maurice Levy and Omnicom CEO John Wren disagreed over many details, including filling key management positions and corporate structure. This comes as no surprise to me. Ten months …
Why Pfizer Really Wants to Acquire AstraZeneca
Pfizer looks to AstraZeneca acquisition to bolster its drug pipeline and reap tax savings. Pfizer’s $119 billion bid for AstraZenca indicates a change in strategy for the company. According to the Wall Street Journal “A big deal, potentially worth $100 billion, would mean Pfizer is shifting from its steady diet of cost-cutting and reorganizations over …
