Consolidate or Perish: Largest Japanese Freight Ship Companies to Combine Container Shipping Operations

Nippon Yusen K.K. — market cap as of 11/11/2016: ¥326.51bn (€2.94bn) Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. — market cap as of 11/11/2016: ¥320.87bn (€2.89bn) Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. — market cap as of 11/11/2016: ¥225.45bn (€2.03bn) Introduction On October 31, Nippon Yusen K.K., Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, and Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha reached Read more…

Disruptive Trends in Tech M&A: The Cases of Microsoft and Snapchat

Introduction Over the past years, the technology industry experienced an overwhelming volume of M&A activity. The following article aims at outlining the motivations behind this phenomenon and at identifying numerous disrupting factors. Microsoft’s acquisition of the professional social network LinkedIn, as well as Snapchat’s rebranding strategy and potential IPO in Read more…

Times are Smoking Hot! – BAT to Acquire the Remaining Stake in Reynolds for $47bn

British American Tobacco Plc. (BATS)—market cap as of 28/10/16: £87.26bn Reynolds American, Inc. (RAI)—market cap as of 28/10/16: $78.16bn Introduction On October 21, 2016, British American Tobacco (“BAT”) delivered a non-binding merger proposal to Reynolds American Inc. (“Reynolds”). Through this $47bn deal, BAT will acquire the remaining 57.8% of Reynolds’ Read more…

Information is Power: Blockbuster Media Merger Faces Political Skepticism

AT&T Inc. (NASDAQ T:NYQ)—market cap as of 28/10/16: $224.61bn Time Warner Inc. (NASDAQ TWX:NYQ)—market cap as of 28/10/16: $68.04bn Introduction On October 22, 2016, AT&T Inc. announced the acquisition of Time Warner Inc. in a stock and cash transaction valued at $108.7bn including Time Warner’s $23.3bn Net Debt. AT&T will Read more…

Micro Focus and HPE Software to Give Birth to One of the World’s Largest Software Companies

HP Inc. (HPQ) – Market cap as of 30/09/2016: $26.57bn Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. (HPE) – Market cap as of 30/09/2016: $23.08bn Micro Focus International plc (MCRO) – Market cap as of 30/09/2016: $5.04bn Introduction On September 7, 2016, Micro Focus and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) announced an $8.8bn “spin-merge”, Read more…

Comcast’s dreams worked: Shrek finds a new home among the Minions

DreamWorks Animation SKG, Market cap as of 29/04/2016: $3.8bn Comcast Corporation, Market cap as of 29/04/2016: $147.12bn   Introduction Last Thursday April 28, 2016, Comcast Corporation announced after quick merger talks that it would acquire DreamWorks Animation SKG for $3.8bn in an all-cash transaction. DreamWorks Animation will be folded under Read more…

Nokia is “Connecting People” again with the Withings Acquisition

Nokia Corp.; market cap as of 29/04/16: €29.746bn Introduction On April 26, Finland-based Nokia announced plans to acquire France-headquartered healthcare wearables devices manufacturer Withings S.A. in a €170m cash deal. The transaction comes as Nokia seeks to make a consumer-focused comeback, prompted by slowing sales in its network equipment business. Read more…