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If General Atlantic decided to sell its stake, a deal could now garner more interest from investors, the sources said. A deal could value the company, which assesses global oil prices and provides industry news, at north of 4 billion pounds ($5.08 billion), Reuters previously reported. Deliberations remain at an early stage and General Atlantic and Hg may decide not to proceed with a transaction, two of the people said. Argus Media, Hg and General Atlantic declined to comment. Hg bought half of General Atlantic's 50% stake in Argus in 2019, valuing the business at more than 2 billion pounds then.

Persons: Adrian Binks, Amy, Jo Crowley, Victoria Farr, Mark Porter Organizations: Argus Media, Reuters, Private, Investments, Atlantic, Atlantic's, Argus, Astorg, Thomson Locations: GIC, London, Argus, Frankfurt

FRANKFURT, Oct 26 (Reuters) - Private equity firm Hg is weighing options, including a sale, for its German software business F24 next year, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Hg is also weighing only selling part of its majority stake in the process, which is likely to target other private equity firms, one of the sources said. Deliberations are at an early stage and sale plans may not materialise if market conditions deteriorate, the sources said. Hg, which has not disclosed the exact size of its stake in F24, declined to comment. Earlier this year, F24 said it would work with telecom operator Telenet to continue to run the Belgian government's BE-Alert warning system for the next six years.

Persons: Emma, Victoria Farr, Anousha Sakoui, Mark Potter Organizations: Reuters, Telenet, Belgian, BE, Thomson Locations: FRANKFURT, Germany, Munich

The deal would value Arriva, which operates red London buses and train services in the UK, at around 1.6 billion euros ($1.68 billion) including debt, the sources said. However, while the deal is nearing final stages, the sources cautioned that the timing could still shift. Deutsche Bahn said in an emailed statement: "We want to sell DB Arriva by the end of 2024. Reuters reported in April that British transport company FirstGroup (FGP.L) and I Squared had been weighing competing bids for parts of Arriva. Its annual sales rose to 4.2 billion euros in 2022, making up 7.5% of Deutsche Bahn's total revenue.

Persons: Andrew Couldridge, Emma, Victoria Farr, Andres Gonzalez, Markus Wacket, Susan Fenton Organizations: Arriva, REUTERS, Squared Capital, Deutsche, Reuters, Financial Times, Deutsche Bahn, DB Arriva, London's, Cross Country, Deutsche Bahn's, Thomson Locations: Harlow , Britain, FRANKFURT, LONDON, Miami

That was until this week, when the company decided to pull its listing in the final hours of Wednesday, blaming market conditions. In the coming weeks, a string of European companies are slated to come to market. Among them is CVC Capital Partners, which is still planning a November listing depending on market conditions, a person with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. However, the fate of Renk highlights the challenges facing new issuers, exacerbated by a recent bout of volatility in equity and debt markets. On Thursday it was trading around its opening IPO price at 30 euros, still above its issue price, a positive sign.

Persons: Andreas Bernstorff, Germany's DAX, Susanne Wiegand, Schott, Perfumery, Douglas, Emma, Victoria Farr, Pablo Mayo Cerqueiro, Alexander Huebner, Anousha Sakoui Organizations: Capital Partners, Reuters, Equity Capital Markets, BNP, Renk, Rheinmetall, Schott Pharma, DKV, CVC Capital Partners, Paris bourse, Thomson Locations: FRANKFURT, LONDON, Frankfurt, U.S, Europe, East, Africa, European, Germany, York, Lincoln

The logo of German chemicals maker Covestro is pictured outside its headquarters in Leverkusen, Germany, July 26, 2019. The sign of change from Covestro's previous stance comes after two top-15 investors of the plastics and chemicals maker told Reuters last month that it should engage in formal takeover talks in the interest of its shareholders. The German group's shares were up 8.6% at 51.96 euros at 1445 GMT, their highest level in about 18 months. In August, ADNOC indicated to Covestro, which has not commented on the takeover approach, that it could raise its informal offer to 60 euros conditional on the German company entering formal talks, Reuters reported at the time. That non-binding offer would value Covestro, a maker of chemicals used in insulation, upholstery foams, coatings and transparent engineering plastics, at about 11.6 billion euros ($12.4 billion).

Persons: Wolfgang Rattay, Abu, ADNOC, Ludwig Burger, Urvi, Elisa Martinuzzi, Jason Neely Organizations: REUTERS, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, Reuters, Covestro, BASF, Bloomberg News, Thomson Locations: Leverkusen, Germany, Abu Dhabi, Frankfurt, Bengaluru

Private equity firms are looking at Statista ahead of a formal sale process, which is likely to kick off later next year, the sources told Reuters. Only once this transaction is finished will a Statista process begin, they added. Asam sits alongside Statista in Stroeer's data-as-a-service and e-commerce division, which it has signalled as non-core to its advertising business. Statista is viewed as non-core because the rest of Stroeer operates out-of-home advertising, online advertising and billboards across Germany. Stroeer acquired a 78.8% majority stake in Statista in December 2015 for around 57 million euros ($61 million).

Persons: JP Morgan, Friedrich Schwandt, Stroeer, Christian Schmalzl, Asam, Statista, Emma, Victoria Farr, Jo Crowley, John O'Donnell, Alexander Smith, David Evans Organizations: Reuters, NASDAQ, Thomson Locations: FRANKFURT, LONDON, Statista, Stroeer, Germany, Hamburg, Frankfurt, London

The logo of German chemicals maker Covestro is pictured outside its headquarters in Leverkusen, Germany, July 26, 2019. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsFRANKFURT, Aug 24 (Reuters) - Germany's Covestro (1COV.DE) should engage in formal takeover talks with Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (ADNOC) in the interest of its shareholders, two top-15 investors of the plastics and chemicals maker told Reuters. ADNOC, which is trying to diversify and develop its downstream and renewable energy operations, made a non-binding offer for Covestro of 55 euros per share in June, which was rejected, according to press reports. Rautenberg declined to comment on the price at which he would recommend Covestro accept an offer. Covestro this week appointed Christian Baier as chief financial officer, with Rautenberg noting his past dealmaking experience at private equity firm Permira.

Persons: Wolfgang Rattay, ADNOC, Arne Rautenberg, Covestro, Rautenberg, Christian Baier, Emma, Victoria Farr, Elisa Martinuzzi, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Abu, Abu Dhabi National Oil Co, Reuters, Union Investment, Thomson Locations: Leverkusen, Germany, Abu Dhabi

A sign of Wanda is pictured at the headquarters of Dalian Wanda Group, in Beijing's Central Business District (CBD), China August 8, 2023. China's largest commercial property group has tapped Deutsche Bank for advice on the sale of Infront Sports & Media, the sources said, adding the process is in the early stages and could take months to complete. Headquartered in Switzerland, Infront's businesses include managing Italy's Serie A and the UK Premier League's international media rights, as well as event operations, media rights distribution and sponsorship sales. It raised $320 million through the partial sale of its entertainment unit Beijing Wanda Cultural Industry to pay it off. Spain's Mediapro, which manages international media rights for LaLiga, restructured 900 million euros in debt a year ago selling shares to investors including the group's majority shareholder Southwind.

Persons: Wanda, Tingshu Wang, China's, Wang Jianlin, Infront, Amy, Jo Crowley, Emma, Victoria Farr, Milana, Andres Gonzalez, Kane Wu, Clare Jim, Elisa Martinuzzi, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Dalian Wanda Group, Beijing's, Business, REUTERS, Reuters, Deutsche Bank, Infront Sports & Media, Serie, Premier League's, South East, Olympic Games, Beijing Wanda Cultural Industry, Infront, Companies, LaLiga, Thomson Locations: China, FRANKFURT, Switzerland, Central, South, South East Asia, Dalian, Beijing, Infront

REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsAug 16 (Reuters) - ArcelorMittal SA (MT.LU), the world's second-largest steelmaker, is considering a potential offer for U.S. Steel Corp (X.N), three people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. ArcelorMittal is discussing a possible offer with its investment bankers, and there is no certainty that it will press ahead with it, the sources said. Representatives for ArcelorMittal and U.S. Steel did not immediately respond to requests for comment. ArcelorMittal's deliberations come after U.S. Steel said on Sunday it had launched a process to explore interest from potential acquirers. The United Steelworkers union supports Cleveland-Cliffs' bid, however U.S. Steel has rebuffed it as "unreasonable".

Persons: Benoit Tessier, ArcelorMittal, Steel, Greg Roumeliotis, Victoria Farr, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: REUTERS, ArcelorMittal SA, U.S . Steel Corp, U.S . Steel, Cliffs Inc, Esmark Inc, Representatives, ArcelorMittal, Steel, . Steel, The United Steelworkers, Thomson Locations: Dunkirk, France, Cleveland, New York, U.S, China, Europe, Frankfurt

This would boost the oil giant's non-binding bid to about 11.6 billion euros ($12.63 billion), the people said. The indication of a raised offer is, however, not in writing, the people cautioned, adding that Covestro will take time to consider any next steps. ADNOC last raised its informal offer to 57 euros per share in July. Covestro shares jumped about 4.2% in a volume spike after Bloomberg News first reported that ADNOC was prepared to sweeten its offer. Earlier in August, Covestro reported a 21% fall in revenues to 3.7 billion euros in the second quarter.

Persons: Toru Hanai, ADNOC, Covestro, Austria's, Emma, Victoria Farr, Maha El Dahan, Yousef Saba, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: REUTERS, Abu Dhabi National Oil Co, Reuters, Bloomberg News, Thomson Locations: Gastech, Chiba, Japan, FRANKFURT, DUBAI, Abu Dhabi, Frankfurt, Maha, Dubai

[1/2] A general view of ADNOC headquarters in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates May 29, 2019. REUTERS/Christopher Pike/File PhotoJune 20 (Reuters) - Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has approached German plastics and chemicals maker Covestro AG (1COV.DE) with a takeover proposal worth more than 10 billion euros ($10.9 billion), two people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. The OMV deal would indirectly also increase ADNOC's holding in both European petrochemicals maker Borealis and Abu Dhabi-listed petrochemicals company Borouge (BOROUGE.AD). SABIC (2020.SE), also of Saudi Arabia, in the same year purchased a stake of almost 25% in Swiss chemicals maker Clariant (CLN.S). Thanks to a 2007 deal to buy GE's plastics unit, SABIC competes with Covestro in polycarbonate plastics.

Persons: Christopher Pike, Abu Dhabi's, ADNOC, Sultan, Jaber, Lanxess, SABIC, Ludwig Burger, Patricia Weiss, Christoph Steitz, Hadeel Al, Greg Roumeliotis, Louise Heavens, Sharon Singleton, Elisa Martinuzzi, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: United, United Arab Emirates, REUTERS, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, Covestro, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: Abu Dhabi, United Arab, Covestro, Europe, Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia, Swiss, Frankfurt, Hadeel Al Sayegh, Dubai

[1/2] A general view of ADNOC headquarters in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates May 29, 2019. ADNOC and Covestro declined to comment. The OMV deal would indirectly also increase ADNOC's holding in both European petrochemicals maker Borealis and Abu Dhabi-listed petrochemicals company Borouge (BOROUGE.AD). SABIC (2020.SE), also of Saudi Arabia, in the same year purchased a stake of almost 25% in Swiss chemicals maker Clariant (CLN.S). Thanks to a 2007 deal to buy GE's plastics unit, SABIC competes with Covestro in polycarbonate plastics.

BERLIN, June 8 (Reuters) - Reality star Kim Kardashian's arrival at a gathering of the globe's top deal brokers in Berlin failed to dispel their dark mood as the rising cost of money puts the brakes on the private equity industry. But private equity is currently experiencing one of its toughest runs since coming of age in the 1980s as rapid rises in interest rates to combat inflation make the debt that underpins the industry scarce and expensive. "It has been easier in the past, deal flow is reduced significantly...we have to pedal harder," said Jose Pfeifer, who leads Investcorp's European private equity group, on the sidelines of SuperReturn. "Europe is doing better than expected...we are seeing opportunity in corporate carve-outs," said Marco De Benedetti, co-head of Europe private equity at Carlyle (CG.O). Emmanuel Laillier, head of private equity at Tikehau Capital, said that makes it hard to read the level of competition, although there is more flexibility in the M&A process.

Persons: Kim Kardashian's, Kardashian, Jose Pfeifer, Hythem, Marco De Benedetti, Sellers, Emmanuel Laillier, Christian Sindig, Jay Sammons, Emma, Victoria Farr, John O'Donnell, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: European Central Bank, Bundesliga, TA Associates, Carlyle, Tikehau, Thomson Locations: BERLIN, Berlin, Europe, SuperReturn

[1/2] The word Stock is seen on the facade of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., May 30, 2023. REUTERS/Brendan McDermidFRANKFURT, May 31 (Reuters) - Germany's Schmid Group said on Wednesday it plans to list in New York via a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), in a deal estimated to give the technology firm a valuation of $640 million. The fifth generation family-owned business, which specialises in electronics, would become a publicly-listed company on the New York Stock Exchange in the fourth quarter of this year. The transaction will be through blank-check company Pegasus Digital Mobility Acquisition Corp (PGSS.N) led by automotive veteran Ralf Speth, it said in a statement. "We have been considering this step for some time and see the NYSE and the U.S. capital markets as much more suitable for a technology company," CEO Christian Schmid told Reuters, regarding the location of the transaction.

Persons: Brendan McDermid FRANKFURT, Germany's Schmid, Ralf Speth, Christian Schmid, Schmid, StratCap, Speth, Emma, Victoria Farr, Madeline Chambers, Emelia Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Pegasus Digital Mobility, Corp, NYSE, Reuters, Pegasus, BMW, Jaguar, Rover, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, New York, Freudenstadt, Germany's Black

Private equity firm Silver Lake has offered to buy Software AG for 32 euros per share, valuing the German software developer at 2.37 billion euros ($2.61 billion) and said it plans to take the company private. Software AG has backed the Silver Lake offer despite a higher 34-euro a share non-binding bid coming in from Bain-backed Rocket Software earlier this month. Some investors argue that the Silver Lake offer undervalues Software AG and that minorities never fare well in delistings. Software AG has faced criticism from shareholders over its handling of the sales process. Software AG, Rocket Software and Silver Lake all declined to comment.

The future of Credit Suisse's business in Switzerland is being closely watched as one of UBS's key strategic decisions. Credit Suisse's Swiss bank is one of the lender's four operating units and is seen as the jewel in the crown. In January, Credit Suisse had moved the business from its broader investment banking division into the Swiss unit, according to Credit Suisse's 2022 annual report. On a possible sale, Ermotti has said all options for the Swiss business are on the table. On Sunday, NZZ am Sonntag newspaper reported that UBS was working towards spinning off Credit Suisse's domestic unit.

LONDON, April 20 (Reuters) - British transport company FirstGroup (FGP.L) and infrastructure fund I Squared are weighing competing bids for parts of Deutsche Bahn's international transport business Arriva, according to a number of people familiar with the matter. The British transport company may also consider partnering with another bidder for the UK operations, the two added. Arriva, Deutsche Bahn, FirstGroup and I Squared declined to comment. A Bloomberg report in January suggested Arriva may now fetch as much as 2 billion euros. Binding offers for Arriva are expected in the next couple of months, two of the sources said.

FRANKFURT, April 5 (Reuters) - Thyssenkrupp (TKAG.DE) may pick June to list its hydrogen business Nucera, provided equity markets are robust, three people familiar with the matter said, in what could be a multi-billion euro initial public offering. Plans to list Nucera, a 66%-34% joint venture between Thyssenkrupp and Italy's De Nora (DNR.MI), were put on the backburner last year due to unfavourable market conditions following the war in Ukraine and subsequent energy crisis. Nucera makes the electrolysers that are needed to produce green hydrogen - a sector that is currently benefiting from the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act and European Union initiatives to support the green energy transition. Thyssenkrupp Chief Executive Martina Merz, under pressure to deliver on her pledge to turn the sprawling conglomerate into a leaner and more focused holding, said last month that the group would make a new effort to list Nucera, without elaborating. When plans for a listing of the business were first communicated in 2021, analysts valued Nucera at between 3 billion and 6 billion euros.

As part of the overhaul announced in October, it is seeking to spin off merger advice and leveraged finance into a new entity named Credit Suisse First Boston (CSFB), for which it has been seeking buyers. Credit Suisse is most valuable in separate parts, and there are high-level M&A talks taking place, said a senior banker who advises banks on deals. TAKEOVERSelling off parts of Credit Suisse could require time, which markets may not give. The two have complementary investment banking businesses -Credit Suisse is stronger in credit and UBS in equities. However, some have faith that Credit Suisse can still make it safely to the end of the tight rope.

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