M&A News

Latest M&A News:

  • 04/23/25: Boeing Reports Smaller Loss but Trade War Threats Loom
    The plane maker, which has been trying to recover from a quality crisis, could lose orders in China as a result of President Trump’s tariffs. - Source: NYT > Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestitures
  • 04/23/25: Arthur Fleischer Jr., Veteran Corporate Takeover Lawyer, Dies at 92
    He was a top deal maker in the world of mergers and acquisitions, during the 1980s takeover boom and beyond. He also had a keen interest in art. - Source: NYT > Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestitures
  • 04/23/25: At Meta Trial, Instagram Co-Founder Says Startup Was Denied Resources
    Kevin Systrom said during testimony in a landmark antitrust trial that he believed Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s chief executive, viewed Instagram as a threat. - Source: NYT > Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestitures
  • 04/23/25: The Dispatch Buys SCOTUSblog, a Supreme Court Mainstay
    The Dispatch, a right-of-center political news and commentary start-up, plans to keep the legal news website available at no cost. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. - Source: NYT > Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestitures
  • 04/23/25: ‘60 Minutes’ Chief Resigns in Emotional Meeting: ‘The Company Is Done With Me’
    The news program has faced mounting pressure from both President Trump and its corporate ownership at Paramount, the parent company of CBS News. - Source: NYT > Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestitures
  • 04/22/25: Trump Media Enters Deal With Crypto Trading Platform
    The agreement will allow the president’s social media company to market investment products, including crypto, to retail investors through a series of exchange-traded funds. - Source: NYT > Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestitures
  • 04/22/25: Boeing Will Sell Its Digital Businesses for $10 Billion
    The deal, with the private equity firm Thoma Bravo, will help the struggling aerospace manufacturer pay down debt and streamline its operations. - Source: NYT > Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestitures
  • 04/21/25: U.S. Asks Judge to Break Up Google
    The Justice Department said the best way to address the company’s monopoly in internet search was to force it to sell Chrome, among other measures. - Source: NYT > Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestitures
  • 04/21/25: Will a Federal Judge Break Up Google?
    On Monday, the tech giant and the U.S. government face off in court over how to fix the company’s online search monopoly. The outcome could alter Google and Silicon Valley. - Source: NYT > Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestitures
  • 04/18/25: Capital One and Discover Can Merge, Regulators Say
    Two regulators signed off on the $35 billion deal, which the banks say will create a competitor to Visa and Mastercard. But consumer advocates warn that the deal may raise costs. - Source: NYT > Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestitures
  • 04/17/25: Polish parcel locker network InPost buys UK delivery firm Yodel for £106m

    Deal will create third largest independent delivery business serving online retailers in Britain

    The UK parcel delivery company Yodel has been snapped up by the Polish parcel locker firm InPost in a £106m deal that will create the third-largest independent delivery business serving online retailers in Britain.

    InPost, which placed its first locker in Kraków in 2009, said the takeover would combine its drop-off and collection network with Yodel’s home delivery capabilities, “seamlessly integrating out-of-home and to-door solutions” under a single brand.

    Continue reading... - Source: Mergers and acquisitions | The Guardian
  • 04/15/25: Zuckerberg feared monopoly scrutiny and mulled Instagram split, files show

    Testimony that Instagram was ‘better’ seems to bolster allegations Meta used ‘buy or bury’ tactic to snap up rivals

    Meta’s chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg, considered spinning off Instagram in 2018 in anticipation of a potential antitrust suit, documents unveiled at a trial in Washington showed on Tuesday.

    ​​“While most companies resist break-ups, the corporate history is that most companies actually perform better after they’ve been split up,” he wrote in an email at the time. He said there was a “there is a non-trivial chance” his company would be forced to spin Instagram and WhatsApp out anyway.

    Continue reading... - Source: Mergers and acquisitions | The Guardian
  • 04/15/25: US firm in £263m takeover bid for Bank of England banknote printer

    Board has recommended all-cash deal with Atlas Holdings, but Edi Truell may be considering a higher offer

    A bidding war could be heating up for De La Rue, the 200-year-old British firm that prints banknotes for the Bank of England, after its board recommended an all-cash offer from the US buyout firm Atlas Holdings.

    De La Rue’s shares climbed by as much as 16% on Tuesday morning after the company released a statement to investors saying that its board had recommended shareholders accept Atlas’s offer of 130p a share, which valued the company at £263m.

    Continue reading... - Source: Mergers and acquisitions | The Guardian
  • 04/14/25: Belgian insurer buys Sheilas’ Wheels owner Esure in £1.3bn deal

    Ageas acquisition will unite two ‘complementary’ firms to create UK’s third-biggest home and motor insurer

    The Sheilas’ Wheels owner, Esure, will be sold to the Belgian insurer Ageas in a £1.3bn deal that will create the UK’s third-biggest home and motor insurer.

    Ageas is buying the UK insurer from the private equity firm Bain Capital in a deal funded through a combination of surplus cash and debt or equity.

    Continue reading... - Source: Mergers and acquisitions | The Guardian
  • 04/10/25: Prada buys Versace in €1.25bn deal uniting Italy’s biggest fashion brands

    Prada has secured Versace at a €180m discount amid market turmoil and after months of speculation

    Prada has agreed to buy the Versace fashion brand for €1.25bn ($1.38bn) from the fashion conglomerate Capri Holdings.

    It comes after months of speculation about a potential deal to combine the two Italian fashion houses and, more recently, rumours that the acquisition was set to collapse after market upheaval in response to President Trump’s tariff policies.

    Continue reading... - Source: Mergers and acquisitions | The Guardian
  • 04/10/25: Shifting Sands – Recent Developments in UK Merger Control
    The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is taking significant steps to update its approach to merger control following both the coming into force of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers (DMCC) Act on 1 January 2025 and the most recent strategic steer from the UK government. While the DMCC Act expanded the CMA’s merger […] - Source: Cooley M&A
  • 04/09/25: Royal Mail asks Ofcom to let it offer tracking for every parcel sent in UK

    Company wants regulator to remove rule preventing it from offering tracking on standard services

    Royal Mail has asked Ofcom to allow it to offer tracking for all parcels sent first or second class around the UK, as the company raised concerns over the communications regulator’s planned shake-up of the postal service.

    Ofcom has been holding a consultation on a proposed overhaul of the universal service obligation (USO), the remit held by the 508-year-old Royal Mail to deliver nationwide at one price, six days a week, at a time when people are sending ever fewer letters.

    Continue reading... - Source: Mergers and acquisitions | The Guardian
  • 04/03/25: Royal Mail takeover deal by Czech billionaire to be finalised this month

    Daniel Křetínský clears final regulatory hurdles for £3.6bn takeover of Royal Mail parent company

    The £3.6bn takeover of Royal Mail’s parent company will be completed this month, nearly a year after it was first agreed, as the Czech billionaire Daniel Křetínský cleared the final regulatory hurdles standing in the way.

    International Distribution Services (IDS), the owner of the 508-year-old Royal Mail, said on Thursday the deal “may become or be declared unconditional” by 30 April, after a delay due to issues in Romania.

    Continue reading... - Source: Mergers and acquisitions | The Guardian
  • 04/02/25: ‘Business Vikings’ in line for payday as deal agreed to create £4bn UK food giant

    Icelandic brothers’ ready meal firm Bakkavor to be taken over by sandwich maker Greencore

    Two Icelandic brothers, described as “business Vikings”, are in line to make millions after their ready meals company, Bakkavor, agreed a takeover deal with the competitor Greencore, in a move set to create a £4bn food-to-go giant.

    Greencore, the UK’s largest sandwich maker, said it had agreed to buy its rival Bakkavor in a deal valuing the company at £1.2bn.

    Continue reading... - Source: Mergers and acquisitions | The Guardian
  • 04/01/25: Wild co-founders ‘land £100m’ from sale of natural deodorant maker

    Childhood friends sell upmarket brand to Unilever, the maker of Marmite, Dove soap and Lynx deodorant

    A pair of UK entrepreneurs selling refillable deodorants and manuka honey lip balms made from natural ingredients have landed a near-£100m payday from the sale of their brand to Unilever, the global consumer goods group.

    Wild Cosmetics, founded six years ago by two childhood friends, Freddy Ward and Charlie Bowes-Lyon, has been bought by Unilever, the maker of a host of brands including Marmite, Dove soap, and Axe, Lynx and Sure deodorant.

    Continue reading... - Source: Mergers and acquisitions | The Guardian
  • 03/28/25: WH Smith name to disappear from high street in agreed £76m sale to Modella

    Under terms of deal with Hobbycraft owner, 233-year-old brand will become TGJones

    WH Smith is to sell its 480 high street stores to the Hobbycraft owner, Modella Capital, in a deal worth £76m, and has confirmed that the 233-year-old brand will disappear from town centres after a “short transitional period”.

    Under the terms of the deal, the high street business, which employs 5,000 staff, will be rebranded as TGJones starting from about June, when the deal is expected to be completed. WH Smith is retaining its brand for its travel shops in railway stations, airports and hospitals.

    Continue reading... - Source: Mergers and acquisitions | The Guardian
  • 03/27/25: Delaware Enacts Amendments to Provide Safe Harbors for Conflicted Transactions  
    On March 25, 2025, Delaware enacted Senate Bill 21, which introduces significant changes to the Delaware General Corporation Law. The amendments put in place a statutory structure that provides guidance on the considerations, procedures and approvals required to obtain safe harbor protection for acts or transactions in which a director, officer or controlling stockholder may […] - Source: Cooley M&A
  • 03/18/25: Google’s parent to buy cybersecurity group Wiz in its biggest ever deal

    Alphabet’s acquisition of Israeli startup for $32bn follows rejection of takeover bid last summer

    Google’s owner, Alphabet, has agreed to buy the cybersecurity group Wiz for $32bn (£24.7bn), the biggest acquisition it has ever made.

    The search company’s purchase of the Israeli startup comes as Google attempts to catch its competitors Microsoft and Amazon in the competitive cloud services market.

    Continue reading... - Source: Mergers and acquisitions | The Guardian
  • 03/17/25: Rachel Reeves is causing confusion on competition policy. What does she want? | Nils Pratley

    Is the chancellor just tweaking, or is she rewriting the definition of ‘anti-competitive’ under consumer’s noses?

    Another day, another trip to Downing Street for the nation’s regulatory chiefs as the chancellor attempts (again) to “kickstart” growth and chop back red tape. A novelty this time was the suggestion that the Competition and Markets Authority would be told to restrict the number, or at least the type, of deals it investigates. There could be changes to the “share of supply” and “material influence” tests that determine whether the watchdog barks.

    What does that mean in practice? Is it merely a tweak that removes a few administrative blurs in the current setup? Or is the definition of “anticompetitive” being quietly rewritten under consumers’ noses? There is a very big difference between the two visions. Unfortunately, no one seems keen to offer clarity.

    Continue reading... - Source: Mergers and acquisitions | The Guardian
  • 03/12/25: New CDIs Related to M&A
    Corp Fin has just posted some new CDIs related to M&A transactions, more specifically, a revised CDI related to Form S-4 and lock-up agreements and a new group of CDIs related primarily to material changes in tender offers. To see a summary of the CDIs, please see the full blog post published on Cooley PubCo. - Source: Cooley M&A
  • 03/11/25: Boohoo rebrands as Debenhams amid drop in youth labels’ sales

    Chief executive says sales figures are down by more than a fifth but its brands still carry ‘significant potential’

    The online fashion retailer Boohoo is to rename itself Debenhams, the department store brand it bought out of administration four years ago, after sales from its young fashion labels sank more than a fifth amid heavy competition from the likes of Shein.

    Dan Finley, the chief executive of the online fashion specialist, said sales for its founding brand Boohoo, as well as MAN and Pretty Little Thing, slid by 21% to £947m as “we lost our way”.

    Continue reading... - Source: Mergers and acquisitions | The Guardian
  • 03/09/25: Just two buyers left in race to buy WH Smith high street division – report

    Alteri and Modella Capital are the only two parties remaining in talks, according to Sky News

    There are only two buyers left in the race to buy retailer WH Smith’s ailing high street division, according to a report.

    The retail group confirmed in January it was seeking a buyer for its 500 UK high street shops, in a shake-up that would leave it free to focus on its more successful travel arm, where it has stores in railway stations, airports and hospitals in the UK and abroad.

    Continue reading... - Source: Mergers and acquisitions | The Guardian
  • 03/07/25: US owner of UK pharmacy chain Boots to be taken private in $10bn deal

    Sale of Walgreens Boots Alliance to Sycamore Partners will mean further uncertainty for pharmacy chain staff

    The US owner of Boots is to be taken private in a $10bn (£7.8bn) deal that will mean further uncertainty for thousands of workers at the UK-based pharmacy chain.

    Walgreens Boots Alliance, which operates more than 1,800 Boots stores in the UK, has been sold to the US private equity firm Sycamore Partners. The chain has been struggling as customers turn to online shopping for cheaper products.

    Continue reading... - Source: Mergers and acquisitions | The Guardian
  • 03/06/25: Poundland up for sale as budget tax changes drive up costs

    Owner Pepco Group considers ‘all strategic options’ amid ‘increasingly challenging UK retail landscape’

    Poundland is to be put up for sale after the owner of the UK cut-price retail chain said it faced tough competition and increased wage costs from next month under Labour’s tax-raising plans.

    The Poland-based Pepco Group said it was considering “all strategic options” to spin out the struggling 825-store chain from the wider group, including a potential sale, as it focused on its more profitable Pepco brand.

    Continue reading... - Source: Mergers and acquisitions | The Guardian
  • 03/03/25: Prada in talks to buy Versace in deal that could reach almost €1.5bn

    New York-listed Capri could reportedly agree to sell the brand back into Italian ownership this month

    Prada is in talks to buy the Versace fashion brand from the US investor Capri Holdings for a price that could reportedly reach nearly €1.5bn (£1.2bn).

    Milan-based Prada and the New York-listed Capri could reach a deal for Versace this month, Bloomberg reported, although the talks could still fall apart.

    Continue reading... - Source: Mergers and acquisitions | The Guardian
  • 02/27/25: OFSI Steps Up: The Future of UK Sanctions Enforcement
    In the past year, the UK Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) actively has focused on sanctions enforcement efforts, particularly with respect to Russia-related measures (Russia sanctions), including by increasing spending for enforcement resources and collaborating with international allies. To learn more about recent trends and expectations with respect to OFSI’s enforcement priorities, please see […] - Source: Cooley M&A
  • 02/24/25: Just Eat Takeaway.com bought by South Africa’s Prosus in €4bn deal

    Food delivery group’s board approves takeover by investor in German rival Delivery Hero

    The food delivery business Just Eat Takeaway.com has been snapped up by an investor in its German rival Delivery Hero for €4.1bn (£3.4bn), two months after it left the London Stock Exchange.

    Just Eat’s board has unanimously approved the takeover by the South African-owned internet investor Prosus, in an all-cash deal six years after Prosusmade its first effort to buy the British part of the business.

    Continue reading... - Source: Mergers and acquisitions | The Guardian
  • 02/20/25: New Delaware Bill Would Offer Safe Harbor for Conflicted Transactions—Will it Convince Companies to Stay Put in Delaware?
    As discussed on the Cooley PubCo blog earlier this month, there has been a lot of chatter and speculation recently about companies changing their states of incorporation from Delaware to other states.  In an interview with Business Insider, the new Governor of Delaware acknowledged that the state remained a “‘competitive environment’” and that “his state needed to take […] - Source: Cooley M&A
  • 02/14/25: OpenAI rejects $97.4bn Musk bid and says company is not for sale

    Maker of ChatGPT rebuffs consortium led by Tesla owner and rejects ‘latest attempt to disrupt his competition’

    OpenAI on Friday rejected a $97.4bn bid from a consortium led by billionaire Elon Musk for the ChatGPT maker, saying the startup is not for sale.

    The unsolicited approach is Musk’s latest attempt to block the startup he co-founded with CEO Sam Altman – but later left – from becoming a for-profit firm, as it looks to secure more capital and stay ahead in the AI race.

    Continue reading... - Source: Mergers and acquisitions | The Guardian
  • 02/14/25: The Private Equity Developments That Defined 2024
    Your essential recap is here Private equity in 2024 was marked by evolving deal dynamics, strategic shifts and heightened regulatory scrutiny. Which significant developments made the biggest waves? Find out with Cooley’s 2024 Private Equity Year in Review, where we take a closer look at the influential trends impacting the investment landscape.  Download the report › What’s covered […] - Source: Cooley M&A
  • 02/11/25: Antitrust in 2025: Shifting Sands and What to Expect
    In the US, the election of Donald Trump for a second term has significant implications for antitrust enforcement at the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). New leadership is expected to implement an agenda that hews more closely to traditional antitrust norms but will be an aggressive […] - Source: Cooley M&A
  • 02/09/25: At least half of WH Smith stores could close under a new owner, experts say

    Potential buyer would want only about 250 outlets, retail specialists say, raising prospect of major job losses

    At least half of WH Smith’s 500 high street stores could be closed by any new owner, industry experts say, raising the prospect of sweeping job losses at the ailing retailer.

    Predictions for the eventual size of the chain, which employs about 5,000 people in its high street shops, range from no more than 250 stores. Offers for the group are expected in the next few weeks and a deal completed by early May.

    Continue reading... - Source: Mergers and acquisitions | The Guardian
  • 02/07/25: Delaware Supreme Court Reverses Chancery Court, Holds Business Judgment Review Applicable to Tripadvisor’s Decision to Reincorporate in Nevada
    Delaware corporations contemplating conversion to another state should take note of the Delaware Supreme Court’s recent decision in Maffei, et al. v. Palkon, et al., in which the court ruled that Tripadvisor’s decision to reincorporate in Nevada was subject to business judgment review because no existing or threatened litigation was alleged. On February 4, 2025, the Delaware […] - Source: Cooley M&A
  • 02/03/25: Cooley’s 2024 Tech M&A Year in Review: We’re So Back (It’s So Over)
    There’s nothing people love more than a good comeback story. After a rough 2023, tech M&A in 2024 was slow to start but ended the year strong, with deal values up 32% from 2023, well outpacing the overall M&A market’s 10% growth in 2024. Over the course of the year, many of the headwinds that […] - Source: Cooley M&A
  • 01/30/25: Cooley’s 2024 Activism Year in Review: Activists Ascendent
    2024 was a prolific year for activists, with 243 campaigns launched globally – the highest number since 2018. US activity was up modestly, and a busy year in Asia offset a quieter year in Europe. With the 2025 proxy season in full swing, let’s take a fresh look at the landscape. Setting the stage: 2024 […] - Source: Cooley M&A
  • 01/28/25: New Hart-Scott-Rodino Act Filing Thresholds, Filing Fees and Interlocking Directorate Thresholds Announced
    The Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Act thresholds, which determine whether mergers and acquisitions must be reported to the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC), will increase by nearly 6% in February 2025. The key minimum “size-of-transaction” threshold will increase from $119.5 million to $126.4 million. These annual adjustments, announced by the FTC on […] - Source: Cooley M&A
  • 01/22/25: Cooley’s 2024 Life Sciences M&A Year in Review: M&A Slims Down in 2024, but Will Appetites Grow in 2025?
    With every new year comes reflection and resolutions. But as we go to press well into January, it is worth a reminder that studies show nearly 90% of New Year’s resolutions will have already failed by the end of the month. Fortunately, for those with the ever common resolution to slim down, the life sciences […] - Source: Cooley M&A
  • 12/13/24: Navigating the New European Commission’s M&A Landscape: What In-House Counsel Need To Know
    As the new European Commission (EC) assumes office for the 2024 – 2029 term, in-house legal counsel across industries must brace for an evolving regulatory environment that promises to influence the landscape of mergers and acquisitions (M&A). With significant shifts in priorities – from sustainability to strategic autonomy – and a new College of Commissioners, […] - Source: Cooley M&A
  • 10/24/24: Learning Old Lessons From Recent Life Sciences Earnout Disputes: Above All Else, Words Matter
    There’s an old saying – “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” While this mantra may help bruised egos on the playground, it’s of no use in M&A disputes. Three recent Delaware Court of Chancery rulings on earnout disputes demonstrate that the contractual post-closing obligations of the buyer (along […] - Source: Cooley M&A
  • 10/22/24: Key Considerations as FTC, DOJ Significantly Change HSR Premerger Notification Requirements
    On October 10, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a unanimous 5-0 vote to finalize changes to the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) premerger notification program, including changes to the HSR form and associated instructions, with the Department of Justice (DOJ) concurring with the final rule. Under the HSR Act, parties to transactions are required to notify the FTC […] - Source: Cooley M&A
  • 09/25/24: As CFIUS Announces Significant Penalties, Companies and Investors Confront a Shift in CFIUS Filing Cost-Benefit Dynamics
    On the heels of releasing its 2023 Annual Report to Congress, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) publicly announced six new penalties on parties that failed to comply with CFIUS requirements in connection with cross-border transactions. The penalties range from $100,000 to a staggering $60 million fine for T-Mobile’s alleged violation of the terms of […] - Source: Cooley M&A
  • 09/19/24: Not the Show They Wanted: DOJ Hits Venue Services Group With $3.5 Million HSR Gun-Jumping Penalty
    The US Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a complaint and proposed consent decree alleging that Legends Hospitality Parent Holdings prematurely acquired beneficial ownership – often referred to as “gun jumping” – in connection with its proposed acquisition of ASM Global. The proposed final judgment requires Legends, a global venue services company providing food and beverage services in stadiums and […] - Source: Cooley M&A
  • 09/16/24: 13 Top Considerations for Tackling a Merger of Equals Transaction Like a Mastermind
    Just like the romantic union of global pop superstar Taylor Swift and Super Bowl champion Travis Kelce, in the business world, combinations of similarly sized companies – or so-called mergers of equals – can yield positive benefits if executed with care[1]. Successful mergers of equals transactions prove the age-old saying that the whole is greater […] - Source: Cooley M&A
  • 07/16/24: Will A Bump-Up Exclusion Bar Coverage of an M&A Settlement? It Depends.
    Public company insurance policyholders beware: In recent years, insurance carriers have increasingly invoked the “bump-up” exclusion, which is a carve out provision typically found in directors and officers (D&O) insurance policies. In many public company M&A deals, the shareholders of the target or acquired company will file a lawsuit challenging the deal, generally alleging that […] - Source: Cooley M&A
  • 07/10/24: 4 Tips for Drafting Earnouts To Avoid Disputes
    Amid a somewhat sluggish mergers and acquisitions market, and as buyers seek to scoop up companies at a discount while sellers long for the sky-high valuations of 2020 and 2021, the earnout is having a moment. To learn more about tips on drafting earnouts to avoid disputes please see the client alert authored by Cooley’s […] - Source: Cooley M&A

 

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