A cheeky website about deals, dealmakers and anything else I find interesting. Edited by Ben Harrington. If you have a tip, want to discuss a story or have a subscription enquiry please feel free to email Betaville at [email protected]. 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.
Much of the mainstream business press dubbed Mike Ashley's comments to The Times earlier this week as an "own goal" by the maverick entrepreneur and owner of Newcastle United (I'm pretty sure I saw at least two headlines containing "own goal")...
I see Watkin Jones has this morning issued a statement about its listing on AIM, which saw the Welsh property developer raise £131 million.
Here is a link to today's statement:
http://www.investegate.co.uk/watkin-jones-plc--wjg-/rns/first-day-of-dealings-on-aim/201603230700089642S/..
Hat tip to Ars Technica, the tech blog, for breaking the news about Apple's interest in purchasing Imagination Technologies, which sent the shares up 18pc during this morning's trading session...
It sounds like the Welsh student accommodation developer's initial public offering is set for lift off.
Watkin Jones announced its intention to float earlier this month -
http://www.investegate.co.uk/watkin-jones-limited/rns/intention-to-float-on-aim/201603110700117724R -..
Old Harrovian Zak was in the chair today, quizzing me about the weekend M&A stories and recent bid gossip. So, here is a link to today's Tip TV clip:
http://www.tiptv.co.uk/finance/ma-update-whitbread-breakup-back-on-the-cards-monsanto-one-to-watch/..
I see JP Morgan has decided to dedicate a piece of equity "research" to little old Betaville and the stories I have published following my tale from earlier in the week on Mead Johnson...
The Serious Fraud Office took a bit of pasting yesterday in the British business press following it's move to close its criminal investigation into the $5 trillion-a-day global currency markets after two years of investigation...
There is a good follow up in the The Times today about the Saudi Arabian diplomat who is suing Credit Suisse and Tom Ryan, the mystery Irish property developer, for the return of a £25 million investment in Hertsmere House, the scheme to develop a residential skyscraper in Canary Wharf...
Here's a curiosity - a quick look at the LSE / Deutsche Borse merger announcement shows that Lucas Van Praag has landed a rather juicy mandate as a PR advisor to the LSE on the £20 billion plus exchange tie-up...
The Mead Johnson bid tale is back...
Sometimes in the world of business knock backs only strengthen your resolve to succeed...
So, rival hacks and news organisations are mocking the FT's Burberry scoop on the Twittersphere following this morning's news from HSBC. Burberry shares are down about 7pc after the bank released a statement to the market that implies it's not holding a stake on behalf of a mystery investor looking to make a takeover bid. Here is the link:..
Hat tip to the Financial Times. The newspaperbroke a great story yesterday evening about Burberry hiring Robey Warshaw to defend the company after a mystery investor built up a stake in the clothing brand via HSBC.
Here is the link: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/34b6aa28-e48f-11e5-a09b-1f8b0d268c39.html#axzz42Fx3Tj8H..
It's a Monday, so here is a link today's Tip TV session:
M&A stories are a bit like London buses. You wait around at the bus stop for one to arrive, it never comes but when it does another two buses arrive straight afterwards...
Here is a rare piece of upbeat news for the City of London's stockbroking industry - I understand Zeus Capital has just hired Rob Collins as head of natural resources...
A rather nice person familiar with the matter has been in touch to point out that BBA Aviation's shares are only down about 20pc over the last twelve months if you take in the account the 6 for 5 rights issue that took place last September/October. Happy to set the record straight.
Here are the details of the rights issue:..
PSP Investments has been circling BBA Aviation.
Good sources tell me PSP, a massive Canadian pension fund that looks after money for the Canadian mounted police, is in the early stages of examining a purchase of BBA Aviation.
I also understand PSP has been talking to potential partners in recent weeks about forming a consortium to buy BBA Aviation, which is listed in the FTSE 250 index...
So, loyal readers have got in touch following yesterday's item regarding the Chicago Mercantile Exchange's interest in buying Deutsche Borse to point out that there are clear, hard news reports about the former's interest in purchasing the latter.
Here is a link to what looks like a very well sourced Bloomberg piece from 2013:..
Most of today's coverage of ICE's confirmation of interest in the LSE focussed on how the owner of the New York Stock Exchange and rival Chicago Mercantile Exchange are weighing making counter offers for the London-listed company...
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