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☆ Private equity double-dips are a tasty faux pas
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Aimee Donnellan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Private equity groups are trying something similar in the capital markets: successfully listing a company, then coming back for a second bite by buying it back once its stock craters. Take Synlab (SYAB.DE), listed at the height of a Covid-19 boom in testing by investment group Cinven. European companies listed by private equity groups since 2020 are trading, on average, at a 22% discount to their IPO price, according to data from Dealogic and Breakingviews calculations. The message from such deals, however, is that it’s better to buy a private equity-owned company after it has listed. Follow @aimeedonnellan on XCONTEXT NEWSPrivate equity firm Cinven on Sept. 29 offered 10 euros a share to take Covid test maker Synlab private.

Persons: Russell Boyce, Synlab, Cinven’s, Cinven, Sweden’s, Dr Martens, Elliott, Neil Unmack, Oliver Taslic Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Revenue, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Cinven, France, Dealogic, Permira, Synlab

☆ ASML’s new CEO has tricky path to a 1,000% return
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

On Thursday the Dutch group said Chief Executive Peter Wennink is retiring after a decade at the helm. The Veldhoven-based group dominates the market for lithography equipment, a key tool for making microchips used to power everything from smartphones to cars. Demand for its kit has seen ASML’s revenue quadruple and its shares deliver a 1,000% total return since Wennink took over in July 2013. But ASML’s current market power makes it harder for his successor to do deals without inviting antitrust scrutiny. The next 1,000% return is likely to take longer than 10 years.

Persons: Peter Wennink, Christophe Fouquet, ASML, microchips, Wennink, Fouquet, Karen Kwok, Julius Baer’s, Neil Unmack, Oliver Taslic Organizations: Reuters, X, Barclays, Thomson Locations: U.S, China

☆ US and India’s strengthening bond is weak on trust
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Una Galani | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque Acquire Licensing RightsMUMBAI, Nov 30 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Trust between the United States and India is eroding. It says it will investigate security concerns aired by the United States. Trying that on the United States would be more consequential: Apple (AAPL.O) and Tesla (TSLA.O) are looking to build supply chains in the country, and the U.S. is the largest market for India’s people-heavy IT services companies. The United States and India may draw a quick line under the murder-for-hire episode, but it will sow a lasting seed of doubt in the relationship. Prosecutors did not name the Indian official.

Persons: Kevin Lamarque, soberly, ”, Justin Trudeau, Joe Biden, Narendra Modi, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Jamal Khashoggi, Nikhil Gupta, “, Arindam Bagchi, Neil Unmack, Oliver Taslic Organizations: White, REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, U.S . Department of Justice, U.S, Companies, Micron, General Electric Aerospace, Ottawa, Global, Saudi Arabia’s Crown, Indian, U.S . Justice, New, New York City, Prosecutors, “ Security Management, Thomson Locations: India, Washington , U.S, Rights MUMBAI, United States, Delhi, American, China, Asia, Canada, U.S, Vietnam, Saudi, Istanbul, Manhattan, New York

☆ Private-asset binge exposes insurance to new risks
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( John Foley | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

The concept is not new: Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway (BRKa.N) has used its insurance premiums to help fund everything from railways to cowboy-boot makers. The prospect of insurance companies buying risky loans or private equity investments has raised eyebrows. Many private credit assets, for example, rely on so-called private letter ratings based on confidential data. Given the private nature of private credit, it’s hard to see from the outside how big these risks are, or where they lurk. Besides, even if the share of life insurance assets that are mis-rated or undercapitalized is tiny, smaller insurers could carry more concentrated risk.

Persons: Blackstone, Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, Fitch, Kroll, Egan, Jones, DBRS Morningstar, Banks, SVB, Jonathan Guilford, Neil Unmack, Peter Thal Larsen, Oliver Taslic Organizations: Reuters, Apollo Global Management, KKR, Global Atlantic, Investments, National Association of Insurance, England’s Everton FC, Rivals, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Federal Reserve, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp, Athene, P Global, Insurance, SVB, Thomson Locations: Global, Delaware , New York, Iowa, New York, London

☆ Rolls-Royce's overhaul is deceptively ambitious
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Nov 28 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Rolls-Royce (RR.L) boss Tufan Erginbilgic wants to push Britain's biggest aerospace company to its limit. On the face of it, Erginbilgic's targets are not overly ambitious. Analysts were already forecasting a group operating margin of 11% in 2025 on the back of an air traffic recovery, according to LSEG data, not far below Erginbilgic's goal of 13%-15%. Yet this is the same margin range of Rolls-Royce's rivals Safran (SAF.PA) and General Electric (GE.N) which make engines for short-haul flights. Rolls-Royce's engines are instead used to power so-called widebody aircraft like Airbus's A330neo, used for transatlantic flights.

Persons: Tufan Erginbilgic, Safran, Pamela Barbaglia, Julius Baer’s, Warren Buffett, Neil Unmack, Streisand Neto Organizations: Reuters, Royce, Investors, General Electric, X, Thomson

☆ Schaeffler’s token bump sets up bigger battle
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Staff Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 27 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Schaeffler’s (SHA_p.DE) token bump for Vitesco Technologies (VTSCn.DE) may not ensure a smooth ride. The 3.4 billion euro German industrial group raised its tender price for shares in auto parts group Vitesco by 3% to 94 euros. On that basis the 94 euros tender price is only a 7% premium above fair value. Assuming enough shareholders now tender, the final merger price for any remaining shares will be set by a third-party valuer. Yet Vitesco’s board, backed by three banks including JPMorgan (JPM.N) and Lazard (LAZ.N), have now published fairness opinions saying the company is worth more than 94 euros.

Persons: Thomas Stierle, David Einhorn’s, Neil Unmack, Warren Buffett, George Hay, Streisand Neto Organizations: REUTERS, Staff, Reuters, Vitesco Technologies, JPMorgan, Lazard, X, Thomson Locations: Frankfurt, Germany, China, Rome

☆ Dutch shock points to tremors in Europe’s core
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Rebecca Christie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Dutch far-right politician and leader of the PVV party, Geert Wilders speaks to the press following the exit poll and early results in the Dutch parliamentary elections, in The Hague, Netherlands November 22, 2023. The results add to the sense that Europe’s core is starting to rot. Even if Wilders drops his most radical ideas, mainstream conservatives, who won 24 seats, may have reservations about supporting his cause. The Dutch results, combined with German political turmoil, likely put paid to hopes of a deal on Europe’s fiscal rules by year-end. Europe’s core, the bloc’s lynchpin during the euro zone crisis, is now a shaky foundation.

Persons: Geert Wilders, Yves Herman, Mark Rutte, Wilders, won’t, Giorgia Meloni, ’, Rutte, Neil Unmack, Streisand Neto Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, EU, Party, Freedom Party, Labour, Italian, Green, People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy, Thomson Locations: The Hague, Netherlands, Rights BRUSSELS, Wednesday’s, Hague, Europe, Ukraine, Israel, France, Germany, Dutch, Belgium

☆ Choppy luxury waters lift Burberry turnaround bar
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MILAN, Nov 16 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Stuttering consumer confidence is complicating CEO Jonathan Akeroyd’s attempts to revive Burberry (BRBY.L). Like-for-like retail sales in the quarter to end-September grew a dismal 1% at the UK maker of fancy trench coats, below analyst expectations of 4%. But brands attempting a revamp, like Burberry or Kering’s (PRTP.PA) star label Gucci, are likely to suffer more than rivals. Akeroyd sounded confident that new designer Daniel Lee’s first collection, which was launched in shops in September, will energise shoppers. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: Jonathan Akeroyd’s, Gucci, Daniel Lee’s, Lisa Jucca, Neil Unmack, Streisand Neto Organizations: MILAN, Reuters, Burberry, X, Alstom, Thomson Locations: China, U.S

☆ Britain solves half of its wind power problem
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( George Hay | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Andrew Boyers Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 16 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Maybe UK wind isn’t a busted flush after all. Britain needs 50 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind by 2030, against 14 GW completed now and around 13 GW in development. It will also increase by 52% for floating offshore wind projects, from 116 pounds per MWh to 176 pounds per MWh. In AR6, offshore wind will also be given a separate funding pot in recognition of the high number of projects ready to participate. The UK aims to deliver 50 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind by 2030, including up to 5 GW of floating offshore wind.

Persons: Andrew Boyers, Sweden’s Vattenfall, Jefferies, Denmark’s, LCPDelta, Neil Unmack, Streisand Neto Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Jefferies, Grantham Research, Thomson Locations: Watchfield, Swindon, Britain, British

☆ HelloFresh becomes buyout amuse-bouche
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Vegetable and chillies are seen at the vegetable market in Jakarta, Indonesia, June 2, 2017. REUTERS/Beawiharta Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 16 (Reuters Breakingviews) - HelloFresh (HFGG.DE) could be a guinea pig for food delivery buyouts. That’s mainly because one of its meal-prep sites faced water supply problems, and a slowdown in new customers in the United States. Assume a buyout group were to pay a 30% premium to the company’s market value, implying an enterprise value of 3.6 billion euros. For a buyout group, that’s food for thought.

Persons: Dominik Richter, Karen Kwok, Neil Unmack, Oliver Taslic Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, X, Alstom, Thomson Locations: Jakarta, Indonesia, United States, China

☆ UK takeover net gets only slightly less bothersome
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak gestures during an in-conversation event with Tesla and SpaceX’s CEO Elon Musk in London, Britain, Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023. Kirsty Wigglesworth/Pool via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 13 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Rishi Sunak’s latest policy target is his own government’s M&A rules. The UK prime minister is consulting on changes to the framework for assessing when to block takeovers on national security grounds. The National Security and Investment Act gave the government power to “call in” and impose changes or block deals in specific sectors, such as defence. Moreover, stakeholders can only know whether a deal aligns with state industrial objectives if the UK has clearly understandable sector strategies in the first place.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Tesla, Elon Musk, Kirsty Wigglesworth, Sunak’s, It’s, Neil Unmack, Cameron, George Hay, Oliver Taslic Organizations: British, REUTERS Acquire, Reuters, National Security and Investment, X, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, ”, China

☆ Sunak rolls the dice with Cameron resurrection
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Nov 13 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Rishi Sunak's latest pivot is riskier than it might look. The British prime minister has appointed former leader David Cameron as foreign secretary, part of a reshuffle in which he sacked firebrand Home Secretary Suella Braverman. The move suggests Sunak may be looking to appeal to centrist voters ahead of next year’s national ballot, but that may also make his party more fragile. Cameron, who left parliament in 2016 after proposing a referendum on Brexit he then lost, isn’t an obvious choice for Sunak. Centrist voters may not forgive him for allowing an EU referendum and jumping ship shortly afterwards.

Persons: David Cameron, Suella Braverman, Cameron, Keir Starmer, Sunak, Neil Unmack, George Hay, Streisand Neto Organizations: Reuters, firebrand, Greensill Capital, Conservative, X, Thomson

☆ IPO laggards’ race to the bottom misses the target
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Lisa Jucca | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

A view shows the Milan stock exchange building, as stocks slid in the first hours of trading after fears that the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank could trigger a broader financial crisis, in Milan, Italy, March 13, 2023. REUTERS/Claudia Greco Acquire Licensing RightsMILAN, Nov 10 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Italy is scrambling to make its stock market more attractive. Over the past few years, some prominent companies have moved their listing venue abroad. Companies rushing to list in the Netherlands are no doubt attracted by its lax approach to companies with dual voting share classes. Doubts over the sustainability of Rome’s high public debt push up listed companies’ cost of capital, depressing their valuations and making the stock market less appealing.

Persons: Claudia Greco, Giorgia, Rishi, Agnelli, Neil Unmack, Oliver Taslic Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Ministry, Companies, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Financial, Thomson Locations: Milan, Silicon, Italy, Amsterdam, New York, Paris, Italian, Netherlands, Britain, United States, London

☆ Bayer slow-motion breakup may leave clunky core
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Nov 8 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Bayer’s (BAYGn.DE) planned surgery risks leaving an ailing rump. Valued in line with peers, Bayer’s seeds, drugs and consumer units could be worth 54 billion euros, 38 billion euros and 16 billion euros respectively, according to Breakingviews calculations using LSEG data. Take off debt and pensions, and Bayer’s equity should total nearly 60 billion euros, some 47% above its current market capitalisation. But hiving off the seeds business would leave a pharma business hitched to a consumer unit, a model shunned by rivals Pfizer (PFE.N), Sanofi (SASY.PA) and GSK (GSK.L). They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: weedkiller, Bill Anderson’s, Anderson, Aimee Donnellan, Neil Unmack, Oliver Taslic Organizations: Reuters, Pfizer, Sanofi, GSK, X, SEC, Paramount, Thomson

☆ UBS faces a long wait for M&A share-price boost
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Liam Proud | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

But investors in his bank UBS (UBSG.S) still seem relatively cool on his Credit Suisse acquisition. Ermotti has reversed the client exodus that ultimately sank Credit Suisse. Yet there’s much to do before investors give UBS credit for that rosier future. Bloomberg reported in September that the U.S. Department of Justice had stepped up a probe into Credit Suisse and UBS over suspected Russian compliance failures. The group also booked a $2 billion expense related to the cost of integrating Credit Suisse, which it bought earlier this year.

Persons: Sergio Ermotti, Ermotti, Ermotti reckons, UBS’s, there’s, Neil Unmack, Streisand Neto Organizations: Reuters, UBS, Credit Suisse, Analysts, Bloomberg, U.S . Department of Justice, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Alpha, Suisse, Thomson

☆ Sainsbury’s gain is private equity’s pain
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Nov 2 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Red hot competition in the UK grocery market is favoring the largest players. Sainsbury’s CEO Simon Roberts reckons the 6.5 billion pound group has been taking market share from rivals including discounters Aldi and Lidl. That may not be good news for Sainsbury’s smaller peers like Morrisons and Asda, owned by Clayton, Dubilier & Rice and EG Group respectively. Both Sainsbury’s and Tesco have held their market shares relatively stable since 2021, when CD&R bought Wm Morrison. Sainsbury’s is currently valued at 5 times forward EBITDA, according to LSEG data.

Persons: J Sainsbury’s, Simon Roberts reckons, Wm Morrison, Aimee Donnellan, Aston Martin, Neil Unmack, Streisand Neto Organizations: Reuters, Aldi, Tesco, Clayton, Rice, EG, R, Asda, Morrisons, Pfizer, Thomson Locations: Britain’s, Asda, Dubilier

☆ CVC IPO efforts may not be third-time lucky
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 2 (Reuters Breakingviews) - CVC Capital Partners’ ambitions to become a publicly traded diversified asset manager are on the back burner. Shares of rival managers have been pummelled as investors fret over the Gaza conflict, a weakening economy and whether buyout groups can continue to flourish in an era of higher interest rates. True, interest rates may fall. But geopolitical tensions are unlikely to die down, given unresolved issues in the Middle East and Ukraine. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Pamela Barbaglia, Aston Martin, Neil Unmack, Oliver Taslic Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Partners, Financial Times, Moody’s, Pfizer, Thomson Locations: Amsterdam, Ukraine, Luxembourg, Gaza, East

☆ Upstart steals march on Atos’s M&A battle
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 2 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Atos (ATOS.PA) may have found a helper, and potential acquirer. Smaller rival Onepoint said on Wednesday that it had bought a 9.9% stake in the ailing French IT company. Mustier is trying to implement a plan devised before he took over, which will see Atos split into two entities. Its 10% stake will have cost no more than 70 million euros. If a 900 million euro rights issue included in the split plan is confirmed, the total outlay for the stake will be about 160 million euros.

Persons: Atos, Sarah Meyssonnier, Onepoint, Jean, Pierre Mustier, Daniel Kretinsky, Mustier, Pierre Briançon, Aston Martin, Neil Unmack, Oliver Taslic Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, French IT, Airbus, Pfizer, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, French, Czech, Orange, cybersecurity

☆ Rentokil may be next to nibble at US listing
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Mike Blake Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Oct 19 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Rentokil (RTO.L) is an obvious contender to ditch its London listing in favour of the U.S. CEO Andy Ransom said that it is getting harder to win new business due to “the macroeconomic backdrop”. Rollins is valued on nearly 38 times its forward earnings, versus Rentokil which was trading on just 23 times before Thursday’s fall, according to LSEG data. With Rentokil shareholders a little ratty, Ransom may come under more pressure to consider ways of pepping up the stock, like ditching London in favour of the more highly valued U.S. market. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: Mike Blake, Andy Ransom, Ransom, Rollins, Aimee Donnellan, Jean, Pierre Mustier, Atos, Larry Fink, Uncle Sam, Neil Unmack, Oliver Taslic Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, U.S, X, News Corp, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles , California, U.S

☆ Jean-Pierre Mustier enters Atos last chance saloon
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Oct 16 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Atos (ATOS.PA) is ending its long-running governance farce by starting at the top. Former UniCredit (CRDI.MI) CEO Jean-Pierre Mustier is taking over as chairman of the 540 million euro French IT group. Mustier, who led a recapitalisation for UniCredit in 2017, has his work cut out. On Monday, Atos also delayed the split until the second quarter of 2024, sending its shares down as much as 4%. Atos’s growing cybersecurity unit Evidian, which accounts for two-thirds of its current operating profit, will remain listed after the split.

Persons: Jean, Pierre Mustier, Mustier, Atos, Daniel Kretinsky, Pierre Briancon, Neil Unmack, Oliver Taslic Organizations: Reuters, HSBC, UBS, X, Infosys, Thomson Locations: UniCredit, Czech, Europe

☆ Apollo may get noodle LBO thrown back in its face
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Aimee Donnellan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The private equity firm has offered to buy Wagamama owner Restaurant Group (RTN.L) for 701 million pounds including debt. Restaurant Group is an obvious takeover target. And Restaurant Group itself reckons it can crank up its EBITDA margin by as much as 3.5 percentage points by 2026. Apollo could comfortably double its money, assuming it used debt of around 300 million pounds to buy the business, or 3 times 2024 EBITDA. The deal is being undertaken by a special purpose vehicle indirectly owned by Apollo Funds, managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management.

Persons: Andy Hornby, Frankie, Jefferies, John Wood, Neil Unmack, Oliver Taslic Organizations: Reuters, Restaurant, Irenic Capital, Oasis Management, Apollo Group, Restaurant Group, Apollo Funds, Apollo Global Management, Thomson Locations: Britain

☆ Obesity revolution gorges on dialysis maker
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Aimee Donnellan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Megan Jelinger Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Oct 11 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Kidney dialysis kit-makers look set to be the latest victim of the obesity drug boom. On Wednesday, shares in Germany-listed Fresenius Medical Care (FMEG.DE) fell 20% after a medical trial showed a Novo Nordisk (NOVOb.CO) drug can reduce the risk of kidney failure. Diabetes and obesity drugs are showing their fringe benefits. In a recent drug trial, Wegovy, an obesity remedy made by Denmark’s Novo Nordisk, reduced the incidence of serious cardiovascular events like strokes and heart attacks by 20% in overweight patients. The collapse in Fresenius Medical Care’s share price looks appropriate.

Persons: Dawn, Megan Jelinger, Michael Sen, Danish drugmaker, Neil Unmack, Oliver Taslic Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Novo Nordisk, Denmark’s Novo Nordisk, Fresenius, Thomson Locations: Findlay , Ohio, U.S, Germany, Fresenius, Vamed, Danish

Private credit players like HPS Investment Partners and Blue Owl Capital (OWL.N) have a workaround, but it could prompt a painful hangover. Cashed-up private credit funds offered sums previously unseen outside of traditional bank financing on riskier deals. Private credit assets swelled 460% to over $1.4 trillion between 2010 and the end of 2022, Preqin says. Reuters GraphicsThe attraction of “mezz” and similar exotic lending isn’t just that it helps private credit source new deals. In 2021, that dynamic meant private loans briefly became cheaper than liquid, tradable loans – flying in the face of financial orthodoxy.

Persons: –, Zendesk, Preqin, LSEG, HPS, Goldman, Blackstone, Angelo Gordon, dealmaking, George Hay, Oliver Taslic Organizations: Reuters, HPS Investment Partners, Owl, Blackstone, Apollo, Treasury, Private, Management, Partners, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Sabre, Companies, Wolf, ADC Therapeutics, Equity, Thomson Locations: EBITDA

☆ Schaeffler auto deal has multiple value drivers
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The German share price index DAX graph is pictured at the stock exchange during the vitesco IPO in Frankfurt, Germany, September 16, 2021. REUTERS/Staff Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Oct 9 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Gearing up to take over an auto company on the eve of a recession might look risky. The merger will be done through a tender for the 50% of Vitesco’s stock not held by the family, then a merger with what's left. Cost synergies on top could be worth 3.5 billion euros in present value terms. As part of the merger, Schaeffler will adopt a more shareholder-friendly structure with equal voting rights.

Persons: what's, Schaeffler, Neil Unmack, Sandoz, George Hay, Streisand Neto Organizations: REUTERS, Staff, Reuters, Vitesco Technologies, X, Alstom, Thomson Locations: Frankfurt, Germany, China, Brussels

☆ Jittery markets may tie Dutch insurers' hands
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Sept 28 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Dutch insurers NN (NN.AS) and ASR (ASRNL.AS) have lost 3 billion euros of combined market value after court rulings in the Netherlands raised the prospect of large compensation claims. The respective 22% and 16% stock price collapse will put pressure on the two groups to reach a speedy resolution. But customers argue that the insurers marketing these policies failed to disclose how much of their premiums went to actual investments, and how much covered the sellers’ costs. Take Hague-based NN: it has 315,000 active woekerpolissen policies and 581,000 inactive ones, ING reckons. Its 2.1 billion euro market value loss is equivalent to a claim of 2,300 euros per policy.

Persons: Pamela Barbaglia, ’, quagmire, Neil Unmack, Streisand Neto Organizations: Reuters, ING reckons, JPMorgan reckons, Dutch, X, Thomson Locations: Netherlands, Ukraine

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