M&A
Sainsbury's agrees Asda merger for 42% Walmart stake
Sainsbury's, the UK's second largest supermarket group, has agreed terms with Walmart over a merger with its third-placed UK supermarket chain Asda to create a £15bn market cap, £51bn-revenue business.
Marriott Vacations to buy ILG for $4.7bn
Marriott Vacations Worldwide has agreed to buy timeshare operator ILG for around $4. 7bn in a cash and stock deal.
Marathon Petroleum to acquire rival Andeavor
Marathon Petroleum will purchase rival Andeavor as part of a deal valued more than $23bn that would see the company jump right past Valero Energy to become the largest refiner in the US by capacity.
T-Mobile and Sprint plan merger to keep up with rivals
Communications titans Sprint and T-Mobile have agreed to unite under a deal valuing the new combined company at $146bn.
Andalas snaps up stake in private UK oil and gas firm
AIM-quoted oil and gas firm Andalas Energy & Power bought an interest in a large undrilled gas prospect at the southern end of the North Sea via the acquisition of a 14. 75% stake in private UK `.
AccorHotels to buy Movenpick Hotels & Resorts for CHF560m
AccorHotels has agreed to buy Movenpick Hotels & Resorts for CHF560m in cash in a deal that is expected to be accretive to group earnings from the first year.
Mondi buys Egypt's NPP for €23m
Mondi on Monday said it was buying Egypt's National Company for Paper Products and Import & Export (NPP) for EGP 510m (€23. 7m) on a debt and cash free-basis.
Waterstones bookshop chain sold to New York hedge fund
British book retailer Waterstones has been bought by US hedge fund Elliot Advisers.
Tern ups stake in connected devices outfit InVMA
Investor Tern has made an additional £125,000 investment in InVMA, one of its existing portfolio companies and a key strategic partner for Device Authority Limited.
Intu concedes to ending Hammerson offer period
Shopping mall owner Intu Properties has bowed to the inevitable and admitted that it believes there is now "no realistic prospect" that its takeover will be approved by shareholders of larger suitor Hammerson, bringing the offer period to an end.
Canaccord buys into Whitbread demerger plans
Analysts at Canaccord Genuity bought into Whitbread's announced de-merger with its Costa Coffee arm, arguing that there were no synergies to be had from keeping the two together.
Comcast contests Murdoch Sky bid with own all-cash offer
Comcast has finally waded into the fray for Sky, confirming its proposed £22bn all-cash acquisition offer for the broadcaster, in a direct challenge to 21st Century Fox Inc. 's.
Shire board willing to recommend £46bn Takeda deal
Shire directors said on Wednesday they would be willing to recommend the latest takeover proposal from Takeda Pharmaceutical that was pitched at roughly £49 per share, subject to certain terms.
Shire mulling new offer from Takeda
Shire received a revised takeover proposal from Japan's Takeda Pharmaceutical on Tuesday, which the board said it was considering.
Fidessa agrees terms of £1.5bn Ion Investment bid; Temenos out in the cold
Financial technology group Fidessa agreed the terms of a £1. 5bn offer from Dublin-based Ion Investment Group on Friday, just hours before the deadline to make a formal bid.
Takeda bumps up proposed offer for Shire
Shire received an improved takeover offer from Takeda Pharmaceutical on Friday, a day after turning down a £46. 50 bid made up of shares and cash.
Allergan rows back on talk of Shire bid after shares drop
US pharma giant Allergan has pulled back from tabling a bid for UK-listed rival Shire just hours after first indicating its possible interest.
Shire surges as Allergan confirms interest after Takeda rejected
Shire has received and rejected a takeover approach from Japan's Takeda Pharmaceutical, but was later confirmed to be in talks with US giant Allergan.
Weir snaps up $1.3bn ground-tools outfit as Q1 orders expand
Engineer Weir Group has acquired US-based ground engaging tools specialist ESCO for $1. 28bn and also reported orders increased 22% across all divisions in the first quarter, outperforming its main markets.
Melrose restates GKN potential as offer goes unconditional
Melrose Industries said an early review of GKN confirmed its potential for improvement as Melrose's £8bn offer for the engineering company became unconditional.