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.
Thursday, 18 May 2023, 2:02 pm
One of the companies circling Asos, the London-listed online fashion retailer, is said to be working with Morgan Stanley on a potential transaction.
Last week Asos was at the centre of speculation a company from Turkey is circling the business.
People following the situation have heard talk the international company that has been stalking Asos since late last year is being advised by bankers at Morgan Stanley on its interest in the business...
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Betaville IntelligenceThursday, 18 May 2023, 12:54 pm
There is right old dust up going on between Matt Moulding, the founder and boss of THG (also known as The Hut Group), and the venerable Financial Times.
Moulding has just gone completely beserk, releasing a lengthy attack on the FT on Linked In, where you get to self-publish i.e. write whatever you like to promote your own agenda. Little old Betaville isn't going to provide the link to his latest rant as it would appear to contain potential libels...
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Betaville IntelligenceThursday, 18 May 2023, 8:49 am
This morning Aston Martin has announced Chinese car maker Geely has increased its stake to 17pc in the luxury marque by buying a large lump of stock at a premium. Below is a link to this morning's announcement:
https://otp.tools.investis.com/clients/uk/astonmartin/rns/regulatory-story.aspx?cid=2424&newsid=1688513 ..
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Betaville IntelligenceWednesday, 17 May 2023, 3:08 pm
It would appear at least 50pc of last week's UNCOOKED Alert on ASOS was bang on the money.
This morning Frasers Group - which is controlled by the billionaire retailer Mike Ashley - has announced it has increased its shareholding in ASOS from 5.1pc to 7.4pc. Below is a link the announcement and last week's UNCOOKED alert:
https://www.investegate.co.uk/announcement/7531329..
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Wednesday, 17 May 2023, 10:44 am
So, one of the most ferocious bears has stepped out of the woods and is now officially mauling Hexatronic Group AB, the Sweden-listed telecoms equipment supplier.
Fraser Perring, the founder of Viceroy Research, has just released a diatribe on Twitter about Hexatronic Group AB...
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Wednesday, 17 May 2023, 9:36 am
Carson Block's activist short selling outfit Muddy Waters has unveiled its latest target - a US-listed biopharmaceutical company called Chinook Therapeutics Inc.
Now, it's not exactly Block's typical fodder but if you want to find out why Muddy Waters doesn't like Chinook then I suggest you head on to its website at:
https://www.muddywatersresearch.com ..
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Betaville IntelligenceTuesday, 16 May 2023, 5:46 pm
I see Reuters has finally decided to follow up little old Betaville's UNCOOKED Alert about Maravai Life Sciences, the US-listed vaccine reagent vendor.
This afternoon Greg Roumeliotis, a deals hack at Reuters, ran an "exclusive" story about a takeover approach for Maravai that was eerily similar to last week's UNCOOKED Alert. Below is a link to Roumeliotis's "exclusive" and last week's UNCOOKED Alert:..
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Tuesday, 16 May 2023, 8:12 am
Word reaches little old Betaville that bears are pawing away at Hexatronic Group AB, a Sweden-listed telecoms equipment supplier.
However, it's not clear why these bears are circling Hexatronics, whose shares have collapsed around 30pc over the last month.
Perhaps the more ferocious bears are about to emerge from the woods?..
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Monday, 15 May 2023, 9:45 am
Ping!
A loyal reader points out that Canadian investment giant Brookfield has just set up another holding vehicle on Companies House - a certain BCP VI Neptune Bidco Holdings Limited.
Tristan Tully and Edward Brogan are the two executves named in the filing as company directors of BCP VI Neptune Bidco Holdings Limited.
Below is a link to the filing:..
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Betaville IntelligenceFriday, 12 May 2023, 2:57 pm
ASOS, the London-listed online retailer, is at the centre of takeover speculation and stakebuilding talk.
People following the situation have heard rumours ASOS has attracted takeover interest from an international predator.
Some people following the situation have heard a company based in Turkey with a multibillion dollar valuation is the suitor stalking ASOS...
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Betaville IntelligenceFriday, 12 May 2023, 9:53 am
So, takeover talks between THG and Apollo are off.
And Matt Moulding, the chief executive and founder of the online retailer, has released a highly unusual rant (please excuse the expletive within his copy) on his Linked In page about the whole situation whilst also taking verbal potshots at a variety of City types.
I have pasted it below for interested readers:..
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Betaville IntelligenceFriday, 12 May 2023, 7:53 am
Nordic private equity house EQT has set up a company called Freya Holdco Limited and registered it on Companies House a few days ago.
The directors of Freya include Peter Balslev and Sara Huda, both managing directors at EQT, and Thomas Spicer, a finance manager of EQT.
A quick glance at the respective ages of all these high powered buy-out executives made little old Betaville feel very old. Below is the link the filing on Companies House:..
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Betaville IntelligenceThursday, 11 May 2023, 8:40 am
Another major shareholder in US-listed biopharmaceutical company Aurinia Pharmaceuticals has publicly come out against the board of the company.
Iljin, a longtime Korean investor in Aurinia with just over 6.1pc of the company, has written a letter to the board saying it does not intend to support the company's chairman, George Milne, along with several other board members, including Joseph Hagan...
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Betaville IntelligenceWednesday, 10 May 2023, 6:42 pm
Maravai Life Sciences Holdings Inc, the US-listed biomedical company, is back in focus amid a renewed round of takeover talk.
People following the situation have heard rumours Maravai Life Sciences Inc has once again drawn takeover interest.
Last year, Reuters reported that Germany's Sartorius AG had approached Maravai Life Sciences Inc with a takeover offer...
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Wednesday, 10 May 2023, 5:53 pm
Here is something to set European rainmakers' pulses racing.
Spanish newspaper OK Diario claims Iberdrola is working with bankers at JP Morgan on a potential takeover of German utlity RWE. Below is the link to the OK Diario story:..
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Wednesday, 10 May 2023, 7:59 am
There is plenty of activity taking place despite rival media outlets suggesting dealmaking chatter is fading away...
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Betaville IntelligenceTuesday, 9 May 2023, 3:28 pm
Suse, the Germany-listed open source software company, is at the centre of a fresh round of bid speculation.
Last year, Betaville Intelligence reported that EQT, Suse's largest shareholder, and the German company were working with advisers from Goldman Sachs and Bank of America following takeover interest from several potential acquirers...
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Exclusive to Betaville Intelligence subscribersTuesday, 9 May 2023, 1:51 pm
Betaville IntelligenceTuesday, 9 May 2023, 7:34 am
I see rivals at American publication CTFN have followed up little old Betaville's recent UNCOOKED Alert on about the London-listed upmarket tonic maker Fever-Tree.
On Friday afternoon CTFN reportedly claimed that Fever-Tree has retained Morgan Stanley to carry out a "strategic review".
This line, though, appeared to be swiftly denied by a company spokesperson in follow up reports.
How curious.....
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Tuesday, 9 May 2023, 7:15 am
All the talk recently has been about how London-listed companies are vulnerable to foreign predators.
But this morning JD Sports, one of Britain's largest sportswear retailers, has just announced a deal to buy French trainers retailer Courir, which has over 190 outlets in France and several more across Europe.
JD Sports is buying Courir for around £453 million from private equity outfit Equistone. Below is a link to this morning's announcement:..
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[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].