M&A
BT in sports talks with Discovery as profit drops
BT said it was in talks with Discovery of the US about forming a sport broadcasting joint venture as the company reported a 3% drop in profit for the first nine months of the year.
Aristocrat Playtech bid collapses after Asian investors block deal
The £2. 7bn bid by Australia's Aristocrat Leisure for gambling software maker Playtech collapsed on Wednesday after opposition from a bloc of Asia-based shareholders.
Wm Morrison debt sale gets underway - report
Banks involved in last year’s acquisition of Wm Morrison have privately sold £1. 2bn of the supermarket chain's riskiest class of debt, it was reported on Wednesday, as part of a wider £6. 6bn debt package.
Playtech says Aristocrat bid unlikely to get investor go-ahead
UK gambling software maker Playtech said it did not think shareholders would approve a takeover offer by Australia’s Aristocrat Leisure based on proxy counts, adding it was looking at “attractive alternatives” if the deal collapsed.
Carlyle, Blackstone mulling offer for Novartis generics business - report
Private equity firms Carlyle and Blackstone are reportedly in talks about potentially teaming up on a bid for the generics unit of Swiss drug maker Novartis, in what could rank as one of the biggest-ever buyout deals.
AT&T to merge WarnerMedia arm with Discovery in $43bn transaction
AT&T will merge its WarnerMedia unit with Discovery in a $43bn transaction following a spin-off of the business.