A cheeky website about deals, dealmakers and anything else I find interesting. Edited by Ben Harrington. If you have a tip or want to discuss a story please feel free to email Betaville at ben@betaville.co.uk. Betaville can also be reached at Whats App, Signal or Telegram. Betaville's Twitter handle is @bharringtonw11 and you can message me via Twitter with stories.
RARE ALERT: Telit Communications said to ... - Part 19
So, it would appear the chaps at Dbay weren't the only investors hoovering stock in Telit Communications, the Aim-listed 'internet of things provider' last week.
Richard Griffiths - one of the savviest small cap punters in London market who is also known as the "Welsh Wizard" - also took advantage of last week's shortlived dip in the share price following the company's decision to end talks with U-blox, the Swiss chip group...
RARE ALERT: Telit Communications said to ... - Part 18
Activist fund Dbay has just increased its stake in Telit Communications to 18.52pc after backing out of making an offer for the business in December. Below is a link to yesterday's RNS with the details.
UNCOOKED ALERT: Ralph Lauren Corp said to .....
OKYO Pharma returns ...
There was a bit of a buzz around small cap OKYO Pharma last summer and that excitement could be about to return.
Last week the company appointed Dr Gary S Jacob as its new chief executive. Dr Jacob has worked in the biopharmaceutical industry for 35 years, including a 10-year stint as the boss of Callisto Pharmaceuticals...
Sir Martin said to be cooking up a mega deal... - Part 3
It would appear Betaville's snouts were onto something when they suggested deal hungry Sir Martin was eyeing up a deal in the Far East as this morning S4 Capital announced it was acquiring China-based creative agency Tomorrow. Below is a link to today's deal announcement and the piece containing the titbit about Sir Martin's next deal:..
RARE ALERT: Natixis said to ... - Part 8..
Weekend review: Entain, MGM Resorts International and Next...
Olly Gill, a quality business hack at The Sunday Telegraph, dug out some decent corporate scoops this weekend.
One of his tales was based on some on the record quotes from one of Entain's largest shareholders - Aberdeen Standard. The investor, according to Olly's piece, is arguing the £8.1 billion takeover offer from MGM is 'not in the right postcode'. Below is the link:..
Publicis Groupe targeted by private equity, reveals Campaign
Publicis Groupe's shares are sharply up 5pc following reports from well respected industry trade rag Campaign that buy out firms are circling the French advertising giant about a potential multibillion deal.
Gideon Spanier, veteran media hack, reports that Publicis, run by Maurice Levy, has held talks with private equity houses, including - well, possibly - CVC Capital Partners. Below is a link to Spanier's piece:..
UNCOOKED ALERT: DXC Technology said to ... - Part 2
Apologies Betavillers for this rather late self congratulatory missive; I have been running around a bit today.
Anyway, it would appear rivals at Reuters have finally cottoned on to the fact that DXC Technology is a takeover target and produced a line about France's Atos making an approach for the business. Below is the link:..
UNCOOKED ALERT: Signature Aviation said ... - Part 5
So, Mark "the Kleinmanator" Kleinman just dug out a decent line about Blackstone teaming up with Bill Gates's fund to launching a joint £3.5 billion takeover bid for Signature Aviation. Below is a link to Mark's scoop with all the gory detail:
https://news.sky.com/story/bill-gates-and-blackstone-team-up-for-3-5bn-signature-bid-12181809..
UNCOOKED ALERT: Signature Aviation said to ... - Part 4
Signature Aviation, the London-listed aviation services group, is said to have attracted a "third bidder".
Last month, Signature Aviation confirmed Betaville's intelligence alert about the possibility of takeover interest by disclosing both Blackstone and Global Infrastructure Partners, the owner of Edinburgh airport, had made approaches for the company...
RARE ALERT: Lantronix Inc said to ...
Lantronix, the US-listed 'internet of things' designer, is said to have teamed up with a financial sponsor with a view to submitting a fresh takeover approach for Aim-listed rival Telit Communications.
People following the situation said Lantronix and its advisers recently indicated it could be willing to offer up to 220p a share in cash for Telit to the company and its advisers at NM Rothschild...
Quelle Surprise: Marks & Spencer in talks to buy Jaeger - as first revealed by the Mail on Sunday
The British daily newspapers have finally cottoned on to the story about Marks & Spencer trying to buy ailing fashion brand Jaeger after Mark, "Kleinmanator", Kleinman of Sky News "revealed" last night a deal could be announced as early as this week.
Below is a link to the "Kleinmanator" piece's piece and follow up in the daily press...
IAG and easyJet could tap the the market for fresh funds, say Citigroup analysts - Part 4
We are only into the second full trading of the year but scribblers at Citigroup are quick out the blocks with their prediction that easyJet will have to carry out another equity issue, most likely in the second quarter of this year...
UNCOOKED ALERT: DXC Technology said to .....
UNCOOKED ALERT: Pure Storage said to ... - Part 4..
Ferguson said to have appointed NM Rothschild to find a buyer for £500 million Wolseley UK - sources - Part 4
The confirmations keep on coming for little old Betaville.
This morning FTSE 100-listed Ferguson announced it has struck a deal to sell plumbing merchant Wolseley to Clayton Dubilier & Rice, whose advisers include Sir Terry Leahy, for just over £300 million. Below is the link to the Ferguson statement:..
MGM launches $10 billion bid for Ladbrokes owner Entain, reveals the WSJ - Part 2
So, Entain has been forced to confirm it has received a takeover approach from MGM Resorts at £13.83 a share, valuing the business at just over £8 billion. Below is a link:
MGM launches $10 billion bid for Ladbrokes owner Entain, reveals the WSJ
The London market hasn't even yet opened for its first full day of trading of the New Year but already there is fresh multi-billion bid on the table.
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that MGM has submitted a $10 billion takeover approach for Entain, which was formerly known as GVC and owns the bookeeper Ladbrokes. Below is the link:..
[Disclaimer - the information on Betaville does not consitute any form of investment recommendation and is not intended to be relied upon by readers in making, or refraining from, any investment decisions].