M&A Navigator: Deal pipeline – 13 August

The following is a list a of deals covered in detail by M&A Navigator this week:

- EMERGENT BIOSOLUTIONS AGREES TO BUY TRUBION PHARMACEUTICALS

US biopharmaceutical company Emergent Biosolutions (NYSE:EBS) has agreed to acquire sector firm Trubion Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:TRBN) for USD135.5m (EUR1052m) to add oncology and autoimmunity products to its portfolio.

Status: Agreed

- YIT TO GROW CENTRAL, EASTERN EUROPE BUSINESS WITH BUY IN SLOVAKIA

Finnish construction company YIT (HEL:YTY1V) has agreed to acquire 70% of Slovakian sector player Reding from its founder Ladislav Versovsky in a move to expand into central and eastern Europe.

Status: Agreed

- RELIANCE BROADCAST, CBS TO SIGN DEFINITIVE JV DEAL ON 18 AUG

India's radio station operator Reliance Broadcast Network (BOM:RMEDIA), a unit of conglomerate Reliance ADA Group, said it would ink the joint venture deal with CBS Studios, part of US media giant CBS Corp (NYSE:CBS), on 18 August.

Status: Exclusivity

- IBM BUYS SOFTWARE FIRM UNICA

US IT giant IBM (NYSE:IBM) has agreed to acquire marketing planning software company Unica Corporation (NASDAQ:UNCA), following its strategy to grow its business analytics and online marketing operations.

Status: Agreed

- POLAND GETS SIX PRELIMINARY OFFERS FOR ENEA

The Polish treasury has received six bids for the privatisation of electricity utility Enea (WAR:ENA).

Status: Auction

- SEAWELL ACQUIRES US ALLIS-CHALMERS FOR USD890M

Bermuda-registered oilfield service company Seawell (OSL:SEAW) has agreed to buy US peer Allis-Chalmers Energy (NYSE:ALY) to expand its onshore and offshore drilling operations.

Status: Agreed

- ZOUK SHEDS SIC PROCESSING STAKE

British private equity firm zouk ventures said it has closed the sale of its minority stake in German photovoltaic cells components maker SiC Processing for an undisclosed sum.

Status: Closed

- FRANCISCO PARTNERS CLOSES ACQUISITION OF EF JOHNSON TECHNOLOGIES

US wireless communications group EF Johnson Technologies (NASDAQ:EFJI) said that its USD40m (EUR31m) cash takeover by a unit of private equity firm Francisco Partners has been completed.

Status: Closed

- ASTUTE BUYS VOICE SEARCH FIRM SPEECH LABS

US customer relationship software firm Astute has acquired voice search provider Speech Labs to add enterprise voice search (EVS) and contact centre voice search (CVS) technologies to its current line of services.

Status: Closed

- US WORLDMEDS BUYS SOLSTICE NEUROSCIENCES FOR USD35.7M

Kentucky-based speciality drug maker US WorldMeds has taken over Pennsylvania-headquartered biopharmaceutical company Solstice Neurosciences for USD35.7m (EUR27.9m) to expand its business and diversify its product portfolio.

Status: Closed

- GMT, VSS announce sale of German Pepcom to STAR Capital

British venture capital firm GMT Communications Partners (GMT) and US private equity firm Veronis Suhler Stevenson (VSS) said they have agreed to sell German cable TV operator Pepcom GmbH to STAR Capital Partners for an undisclosed sum.

Status: Closed

- TRIMBLE BUYS CANADIAN FIRM ACCUBID SYSTEMS

US advanced positioning product solutions provider Trimble (NASDAQ:TRMB) said it has acquired Canadian privately-held Accubid Systems, which offers project and service management software for the construction industry, for an undisclosed sum.

Status: Closed

- VEOLIA TRANSPORT-TRANSDEV MERGER GETS PARTIAL EU NOD

The European Commission cleared partly the proposed merger of Veolia Transport, a unit of French waste and water management group Veolia Environnement (EPA:VIE), and Transdev, part of financial organisation Caisse des Depots et Consignations.

Status: Agreed

- RANDSTAD SAYS NO MORE BUYS IN JAPAN ON CURRENT AGENDA

Dutch recruitment firm Randstad (AMS:RAND) is not planning more buys in Japan in the short term.

Status: Denied

- DYNEGY AGREES ON BLACKSTONE'S USD4.7BN LBO

US utility Dynegy (NYSE:DYN) said it has agreed to be acquired by private equity firm Blackstone (NYSE:BX) in a deal valued at USD4.7bn (EUR3.7bn), including debt.

Status: Agreed

- KNOC, DANA PETROLEUM END TAKEOVER TALKS

British oil group Dana Petroleum (LON:DNX) said it has ended takeover talks with The Korea National Oil Corp (KNOC) after KNOC refused to raise its indicative bid price of GBP18 (USD28.1/EUR21.9) per share.

Status: Terminated

- INDIA'S MCNALLY BHARAT DISCUSSING ACQUISITION OF EUROPEAN FIRMS

India's engineering group McNally Bharat Engineering Co (BOM:532629) is negotiating with two or three western European companies over their potential takeover.

Status: Talks

- SCHINDLER'S ALSO, GERMAN ACTEBIS TO TEAM UP

Swiss IT and communications technology distributor Also Holding (SWF:ALSN) said it would merge with German sector player Actebis GmbH.

Status: Exclusivity

- PORTUGAL'S AUTO SUECO BUYS 66% IN EXPRESSGLASS

Portuguese automotive group Auto Sueco has acquired a 66% stake in sector firm ExpressGlass in a deal worth EUR9m (USD11.6m).

Status: Closed

- DUTCH HAL TO SELL AUSTRALIAN OPTICIAN CHAIN OPTIFASHION

Dutch investment company HAL Holding (AMS:HAL) unveiled an agreement to sell Australian optician chain Optifashion to Luxoticca Retail Australia, without providing financial details.

Status: Agreed

- X5 RETAIL BIDDING FOR MOSCOW RETAILER OSTROV

Dutch-based retailer X5 Retail Group (LON:FIVE) has applied with the Russian competition regulator for clearance to acquire Moscow grocery chain Ostrov.

Status: Bidding

- MORDASHOV'S HIGHSTAT SETS PRICE FOR POWER MACHINES TAKEOVER

Russian mogul Alexei Mordashov's firm Highstat Ltd said it has set the price of its takeover offer for power engineering group Power Machines (RTC:SILM) at RUB6.995 (USD0.23/EUR0.18) per share.

Status: Bidding

- GERMAN INFINEON, IBM EXIT ALTIS SEMICONDUCTOR JV IN FRANCE

German chip maker Infineon Technologies (ETR:IFXA) and US computer giant IBM (NYSE:IBM) have sold their shares in their Altis Semiconductor joint venture in France.

Status: Closed

- AVNET TO TAKE OVER AUSTRALIAN ITX GROUP FOR USD70M

US electronic components distributor Avnet (NYSE:AVT) said it has struck a deal to buy out Australian value-added IT products distributor itX Group (ASX:ITX), for AUD77.5m (USD69.9m/EUR54.3m) in cash.

Status: Agreed

- RSA BIDDING TO BUY AVIVA NON-LIFE UNIT, APPROACH REJECTED

UK insurance group RSA (LON:RSA) has approached its British rival Aviva (LON:AV) over the potential acquisition of the latter's general insurance business for GBP5bn (USD7.8bn/EUR6.1bn).

Status: Bidding; Speculation

- MEDTRONIC CLOSES ATS MEDICAL BUY FOR USD370M

US device-based therapy specialist Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) has closed the acquisition of peer ATS Medical (NASDAQ:ATSI) for USD370m (EUR288m), including the assumption of the company's debt.

Status: Closed

- BARCLAYS RAISES PORTUGAL TELECOM HOLDING TO OVER 2.5%

UK financial and banking group Barclays (LON:BARC) has bought 3.55m shares in Portugal Telecom (ELI:PTC), or PT, increasing its stake in the telecom operator by 0.4% to 2.57%.

Status: Closed

- RANDSTAD TO BUY OUT JAPANESE PEER FUJISTAFF FOR USD160M

Dutch staffing firm Randstad (AMS:RAND) said it has agreed to acquire the residual 79.5% of Japanese competitor FujiStaff Holdings (JSD:2147) for JPY13.7bn (USD159m/EUR124m) in an effort to bolster its position in Japan.

Status: Agreed

- ASHLAND MULLS OVER SELLING DISTRIBUTION BUSINESS

US chemical maker Ashland (NYSE:ASH) is seeking to sell its chemicals and plastics distribution business.

Status: Auction; Speculation

- ORASCOM SAYS NOT TAKING PART IN TALKS WITH VIMPELCOM

Egyptian mobile operator Orascom Telecom (CAI:ORTE) said it was not involved in any talks with Vimpelcom (RTD:VIMP) over the potential sale of a stake to the Russian telecom group.

Status: Denied

- PORTUGUESE REDITUS BUYS OGIMATECH FOR EUR1.7M

Portuguese IT firm Reditus (ELI:RED) said it has acquired international consultancy services firm Ogimatech Portugal in a deal worth some EUR1.7m (USD2.2m).

Status: Closed

- GEO GROUP COMPLETES CORNELL ACQUISITION

US correctional and detention facilities operator GEO Group (NYSE:GEO) said it has completed the previously announced acquisition of sector player Cornell Companies (NYSE:CRN) for USD730m (EUR567.6m) in cash and stock.

Status: Closed

- NOBLE ENERGY WRAPS UP ASSET SALE TO CITATION OIL & GAS

US independent energy company Noble Energy (NYSE:NBL) announced the completion of the sale of certain assets in the Illinois basin and elsewhere to a unit of Citation Oil & Gas.

Status: Closed

- IRVING PLACE CAPITAL TO BUY PET SUPPLIES

US private equity firm Irving Place Capital said it has agreed to buy pet speciality retailer Pet Supplies "Plus", or PSP, in partnership with the company's CEO Harvey Solway, COO Dominic Buccellato and CFO Richard Valade.

Status: Agreed

- POLO RESOURCES SENIOR MANAGER SHEDS COMPANY STAKE

British Virgin Islands-based mining group Polo Resources (LON:POL) said that senior non-executive director Guy Elliott has disposed of his entire holding in the company at a price of GBP0.063 (USD0.098/EUR0.077) per share.

Status: Closed

- VIMPELCOM MAY TAKE OVER ITALIAN WIND, EGYPTIAN ORASCOM

Dutch-registered telecoms company Vimplecom (NYSE:OVIP) might buy Italian mobile operator Wind Telecomunicazioni and 51% of Egyptian sector player Orascom Telecom (CAI:ORTE) from Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris.

Status: Speculation

- CZECH UPC CR MIGHT ACQUIRE SLOANE PARK

Czech cable TV operator and Internet services provider UPC Ceska Republika (UPC CR) might acquire sector company Sloane Park Property Trust.

Status: Speculation

- US NATURAL NUTRIENTS INKS LOI TO FORM JV WITH TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY SYSTEMUS Natural Nutrients and Minerals (OTCBB:USMN) has signed a letter of intent (LoI) with The Texas A&M University System to evaluate the potential setting up of a joint venture to sell new soil and mineral products.

Status: Exclusivity

- VEDANTA CONFIRMS TALKS WITH UK CAIRN OVER POTENTIAL DEAL

India-focused mining group Vedanta Resources (LON:VED) confirmed media reports that it is in talks with British oil and gas group Cairn Energy (LON:CNE) to buy a stake in its Indian unit, Cairn India (BOM:532792).

Status: Talks

- RIO TINTO REPORTEDLY INTERESTED IN BUYING STAKE IN RUSSIAN URALKALI

Anglo-Australian miner Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) (ASX:RIO) could buy a stake in Russian potash producer Uralkali (MCX:URKA) from its biggest shareholder, Russian businessman Suleiman Kerimov.

Status: Talks

- KNOC NEARING DEAL WITH UK DANA PETROLEUM

The Korea National Oil Corp (KNOC) is set to be close to signing a GBP1.7bn (USD2.6bn/EUR2.1bn) takeover agreement with British oil group Dana Petroleum (LON:DNX).

Status: Talks; Speculation

- DUTCH AALBERTS TARGETS GROWTH VIA ACQUISITIONS

Dutch industrial group Aalberts Industries (AMS:AALB) is seeking a further growth that will be achieved also via acquisitions.

Status: Bidding

- SEVERSTAL SAID TO BE SELLING PART OF US BUSINESS

Severstal North America, part of Russian steel producer Severstal (MCX:CHMF), has invited potential buyers of its North American business to present their bids by Friday.

Status: Auction; Speculation

- BASIC ELEMENT REPORTEDLY INKS MOU TO MERGE AVIATION OPS WITH SKY EXPRESS

Basic Element, the holding company of Russian tycoon Oleg Deripaska, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to merge its aviation operations with low-cost airline Sky Express.

Status: Exclusivity; Speculation

- POLAND'S ENEA LIKELY TO ATTRACT FOUR BIDDERS

Four suitors are reportedly planning to submit bids for the 51% stake in Polish electricity utility Enea (WAR:ENA) which was put up for sale by the treasury.

Status: Bidding; Speculation

- AMERISTAR CASINOS CONFIRMS STUDYING STRATEGIC OPTIONS, SALE

US casino operator Ameristar Casinos (NASDAQ:ASCA) confirmed that its board of directors has been evaluating strategic options for the company, including a sale, and has hired investment bank Lazard to seek buyers.

Status: Auction

- UK HEALTHCARE PROVIDER NESTOR REBUFFS ACROMAS TAKEOVER BID

UK healthcare provider Nestor Healthcare (LON:NSR) rejected an unsolicited offer, worth GBP113m (USD177m/EUR137m), from insurance and tourism group Acromas.

Status: Bidding

- BARILLA MULLS OVER SELLING GERMAN BAKERY CHAIN

Italian dry pasta maker Barilla is willing to dispose of its German bakery chain Kamps.

Status: Auction

- AMERISTAR CASINOS HIRES LAZARD TO SEEK BUYERS

US casino operator Ameristar Casinos (NASDAQ:ASCA) has been reportedly considering selling the company and has appointed investment bank Lazard to run the process.

Status: Auction; Speculation

- RWE STARTS AUCTION FOR GERMAN GAS GRID THYSSENGAS

German utility RWE (ETR:RWE) has initiated the auction for the divestment of its gas transmission network Thyssengas.

Status: Auction

- POLKOMTEL INTERESTED IN SMALLER DIALOG, EXATEL AND PLAY

Polish mobile telecom group Polkomtel is willing to buy smaller competitors Dialog, Exatel and Play, the company's CEO Jaroslaw Bauc told reporters.

Status: Bidding

- HONEYWELL BUYS ESSILOR STAKE IN SPERIAN

US diversified technology group Honeywell International (NYSE:HON) said it has acquired the stake of French ophthalmic and optical products maker Essilor (EPA:EI) in personal protective equipment maker Sperian Protection (EPA:SPR).

Status: Closed; Bidding

- POLAND LIKELY TO SELL ENTIRE STAKE IN GRUPA LOTOS BY YEAR-END

Poland could sell off its 53% interest in the country's second-largest oil refiner Lotos (WAR:LTS) by the end of the year, if an attractive offer comes up, deputy treasury minister Mikolaj Budzanowski said.

Status: Auction

- OAKTREE NEGOTIATING PURCHASE OF IRISH HOUSE BUILDER MCINERNEY

US investment firm Oaktree is negotiating to acquire Irish home builder McInerney Holdings (ISE:MK9), which has been trying to restructure its debt for months.

Status: Talks

- RENAULT-NISSAN WITHDRAWS FROM BUYING S KOREAN SSANGYONG

French carmaker Renault (EPA:RNO) and Japanese Nissan (TYO:7201) announced a decision to leave the race for troubled South Korean sector company Ssangyong Motor (SEO:003620).

Status: Bidding; Terminated

- CHINATRUST FINANCIAL SAYS WILL PURSUE AIG'S NAN SHAN ACQUISITION

Taiwanese banking and financial group Chinatrust Financial Holding (TPE:2891) said it would pursue the acquisition of Nan Shan Life, the local life insurance unit of AIG (NYSE:AIG), if the current deal fails.

Status: Bidding

- RBC SAID TO BE LOOKING FOR BUYERS FOR US INSURANCE UNIT

Royal Bank of Canada (TSE:RY), or RBC, is seeking buyers for its US insurance unit, Liberty Life Insurance Co.

Status: Auction

- BLACKSTONE KEEN ON BUYING NON-WOVEN MATERIALS MAKER POLYMER US private equity firm Blackstone (NYSE:BX) is exclusively negotiating the acquisition of non-woven materials maker Polymer (OTC:POLGA), which is currently controlled by private equity firm MatlinPatterson.

Status: Exclusivity

- KKR, TPG MAY BUY STAKE IN MORGAN STANLEY'S REAL ESTATE FUND

US private equity firms KKR & Co (NYSE:KKR) and TPG are interested in buying a stake in Morgan Stanley's (NYSE:MS) real estate fund.

Status: Bidding

- FORD, MAZDA GET GOVT APPROVAL TO END CHINA JV

Car maker Ford Motor (NYSE:F) and its partners Mazda Motor Corp (TYO:7261) and Chongqing Changan Automobile Co (SHE:000625) have received approval from the Chinese government to terminate their joint venture in the country.

Status: Speculation

- FRANCE TELECOM CONFIRMS TALKS TO BUY STAKE IN MOROCCAN MEDITEL

France Telecom (EPA:FTE) confirmed it is in talks with Morocco's second-largest telecom operator Meditel to buy a stake in the company.

Status: Talks

- LONE STAR PUTS BI-LO ON THE BLOCK

US private equity firm Lone Star Funds has put US supermarket chain Bi-Lo up for sale and received interest from strategic and financial buyers.

Status: Auction

- IRISH ELAN POSTPONES DRUG DELIVERY UNIT SALE

Irish biotechnology company Elan Corp (ISE:3072950, NYSE: ELN) said it has postponed the planned sale of its drug delivery operations as a result of the challenging economic climate.

Status: Delayed

- GERMAN QSC MULLS OVER SMALL TAKEOVERS

German telecommunications provider QSC AG (ETR:QSC) may carry out small-scale acquisitions in the IT field.

Status: Bidding

- GERMAN KOENIG & BAUER MULLS OVER MERGING WITH MANROLAND

German printing equipment maker Koenig & Bauer (ETR:SKB) is set to consider a possible merger with sector player Manroland.

Status: Bidding, Speculation

- BANCO POPULAR, BARCLAYS LIKELY TO BID FOR BPN

Spanish lender Banco Popular (MCE:POP) and British banking group Barclays (LON:BARC) are considering to join the re-privatisation of Portuguese BPN - Banco Portugues de Negocios.

Status: Bidding; Speculation

- INTERNATIONAL POWER EXPECTED TO ANNOUNCE TAKEOVER BY GDF SUEZ

French utility GDF Suez (EPA:GSZ) is expected to announce on a deal to acquire British sector player International Power (LON:IPR).

Status: Talks

- CZECH AIRLINES TO UNLOAD TECHNICAL MAINTENANCE UNIT

Czech Airlines (CSA) plans to divest its technical maintenance unit, servicing Boeing planes.

Status: Auction

- ITALIAN TBS, CHINESE CMIC INK PRELIMINARY JV DEAL

Italian medical IT group Telematic & Biomedical Services (BIT:TBS), or TBS, has sealed a preliminary deal with Chinese CMIC, part of drug maker China National Pharmaceutical Corporation (SINOPHARM), to form a clinical engineering joint venture.

Status: Exclusivity

- KGHM INTENDS TO BOOST TAURON HOLDING TO 10%

Polish copper producer KGHM (WAR:KGHM) is willing to raise its stake in the country's second-biggest utility Tauron to up to 10%.

Status: Bidding

- UK 3I REPORTEDLY TO DIVEST GERMAN NORMA, MWM

UK-based private equity firm 3i (LON:III) is said to be planning the divestment of two of its German companies in deals valued at above EUR1bn (USD1.328bn) in total.

Status: Speculation

- TURKISH JV SUBMITS HIGHEST BID FOR BOGAZICI POWER GRID

A joint venture between Turkish construction group Is-Kaya Insaat and engineering firm MMEKA has offered the highest price of USD2.99bn (EUR2.25bn) in the auction for the privatisation of the Bogazici power distribution grid serving Istanbul.

Status: Bidding

- ACS LIKELY TO SELL PART OF ABERTIS SHARES TO CVC

Spanish construction group ACS (MCE:ACS) is nearing a deal to sell part of its 25.8% stake in toll road operator Abertis (MCE:ABE) to British private equity firm CVC.

Status: Speculation

- US FIRST RESERVE, ALPHA REPORTEDLY INTERESTED IN AUSTRALIAN WHITEHAVEN

US private equity firm First Reserve and miner Alpha Natural Resources (NYSE:ANR) are said to be planning a USD2.75bn (EUR2.07bn) buyout of Australian coal miner Whitehaven Coal (ASX:WHC).

Status: Speculation

- US NATIONAL INVESTMENT CORP REAL ESTATE GETS TAKEOVER OFFER

US National Investment Corp Real Estate Holdings (PINK:NLIR) said it had got a takeover offer from Canadian real estate developer AlphaVita.

Status: Bidding

- NAVISITE REJECTS ATLANTIC INVESTORS BUYOUT OFFER

US enterprise-hosting and application services provider NaviSite (NASDAQ:NAVI) said that its board of directors has rejected the takeover bid of Atlantic Investors priced at USD3.05 (EUR2.30) per share in cash and announced on 12 July.

Status: Bidding

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