M&A Navigator: Deal pipeline – 8 July

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

- US HEALTHPLAN PURCHASES ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE FIRM GEMGROUP

US provider of outsourcing to insurers HealthPlan Holdings Inc said it had bought local accounting and pension software developer GEMGroup for an undisclosed sum.

Status: Closed

- EU COURT RULES AGAINST PORTUGAL'S VETO RIGHTS AT PT

The European Court of Justice rejected Portugal's request to keep its veto rights at Portugal Telecom (ELI:PTCA), or PT, a decision which may facilitate the bid by Spanish Telefonica (MCE:TEF) for PT's stake in Brazilian mobile operator Vivo (SAO:VIVO3).

Status: Bidding

- US RANIR TAKES OVER SYNPART IN UK, GERMANY

US oral care consumer products specialist Ranir said it had bought Synpart Limited and Synpart AG from HemCon Medical Technologies to form the largest global store brand oral care company.

Status: Closed

- US THE DOCTORS COMPANY TO ACQUIRE AMERICAN PHYSICIANS CAPITAL

US healthcare liability insurer American Physicians Capital (NASDAQ:ACAP) said it agreed to be taken over by The Doctors Company, a provider of insurance for medical malpractice, for some USD386m (EUR304.3m).

Status: Agreed

- WELSH CARSON TO TAKE CONTROL OF MEDICAL DEVICE FIRM K2M

US medical device company K2M said it had reached a deal with private equity firm Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe (Welsh Carson), where Welsh Carson will take a majority stake in K2M, for an undisclosed sum.

Status: Agreed

- US MPR ASSOCIATES CLOSES HUCKDESIGN ACQUISITION

US engineering services firm MPR Associates said it had wrapped up the purchase of industrial design company Huckdesign, for an undisclosed price.

Status: Closed

- CHEVRON TO TAKE 30% IN JV WITH ROSNEFT

US oil and gas group Chevron (NYSE:CVX) will take a 30% interest in its oil joint venture in the Black Sea with Russian sector player Rosneft (MCX:ROSN).

Status: Agreed

- WHIRLPOOL SECURES EU GO-AHEAD TO BUY OTTO'S PRIVILEG

US household appliances maker Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) got clearance by the EU for its planned acquisition of the Privileg brand from German mail-order group Otto.

Status: Agreed

- FRENCH CDC, ARTEA JOIN FORCES IN SOLAR ENERGY

French financial group Caisse des Depots et Consignations (CDC) said it has established a solar energy joint venture with real-estate firm Artea.

Status: Closed

- VANTAGE DRILLING TO BUY OUT MANDARIN DRILLING

US offshore drilling company Vantage Drilling (AMEX:VTG) announced an agreement to acquire the remaining 55% of the shares in Marshall Islands-based Mandarin Drilling from F3 Capital for some USD140m (EUR110.9m).

Status: Agreed

- GENERAL MOTORS TO DISPOSE OF NEXTEER AUTOMOTIVE UNIT

General Motors announced an agreement to divest from its Nexteer Automotive unit in a move to focus on its core auto business.

Status: Agreed

- SWISS LOGITECH TAKES OVER NORWEGIAN FIREWALL, NAT SPECIALIST PARADIAL

Swiss provider of computer peripherals Logitech International SA (VTX:LOGN; NASDAQ:LOGI) said it had bought Norwegian firewall and network address translation (NAT) specialist Paradial AS for an undisclosed sum.

Status: Closed

- US TEXTRON BUYS CRANE'S WMS

Textron Systems, part of US multi-industry group Textron Inc (NYSE:TXT), said it had bought the Crane Wireless Monitoring Solutions (WMS) business of US engineered products company Crane Co (NYSE:CR).

Status: Closed

- US BLACKBOARD TO BUY ELLUMINATE, WIMBA FOR USD116M

US software firm Blackboard (NASDAQ:BBBB) announced a cash deal, worth some USD116m (EUR91.6m), to buy Elluminate and Wimba, two companies specialising in virtual classroom technology.

Status: Agreed

- CANADIAN COTT INKS USD500M DEAL TO BUY US CLIFFSTAR

Canadian soft drinks company Cott Corp (TSE:BCB) said it would buy US private-label juice producer Cliffstar in a cash deal, worth USD500m (EUR394.9m).

Status: Agreed

- GERMAN LOEWE BUYS 78.7% IN MACROSYSTEM DIGITAL

German electronic entertainment products supplier Loewe (ETR:LOE) has bought a 78.7% stake in bankrupt video firm Macrosystem Digital.

Status: Closed

- THYSSENKRUPP DENIES PLANS TO BID FOR US AK STEEL

German steelmaker ThyssenKrupp (ETR:TKA) dismissed rumours that it was planning to bid for US sector player AK Steel (NYSE:AKS).

Status: Denied

- FRENCH AIR LIQUIDE GROWS IN S KOREA WITH H-PLUS SGS BUY

French industrial gases company Air Liquide (EPA:AI) said it has closed the acquisition of Korean peer H-Plus SGS as part of its strategy to expand its reach on the country's mature market.

Status: Closed

- US ECO DEPOT TAKES OVER LED SPECIALIST CS TECH AMERICA

US development-stage firm Eco Depot Inc (PINK:ECDP) said it had wrapped up the takeover of LED technology specialist CS Tech America in an all-stock transaction.

Status: Closed

- CERBERUS CLOSES DYNCORP INTERNATIONAL BUY

US DynCorp International (NYSE:DCP), a government services provider, said that private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management completed the acquisition of the company.

Status: Closed

- CKE RESTAURANTS EXPECTS ITS BUYOUT TO CLOSE ON 12 JUL

US restaurant operator CKE Restaurants (NYSE:CKR) said it expects its takeover by Apollo Management VII, a unit of buyout firm Apollo Global Management, to be completed on or about 12 July.

Status: Agreed

- UK EREDENE CAPITAL BUYS 8.22% IN INDIAN OSL FOR USD11.1M

UK Eredene Capital (LON:ERE), an equity investor in Indian infrastructure, said it had acquired 8.22% in Indian port services operator Ocean Sparkle Limited (OSL) for USD11.1m (EUR8.8m).

Status: Closed

- CITIGROUP REPORTEDLY DISPOSES OF PRIVATE EQUITY ARM

US financial services giant Citigroup (NYSE:C) has inked a deal to divest from its private equity arm to Lexington Partners for over USD900m (EUR711m).

Status: Speculation; Agreed

- SISTEMA TO SELL REMAINDER OF PROPERTY UNIT TO VTB

Russian conglomerate Sistema (MCX:AFKC) is to shed its residual 27.6% stake in its property arm Sistema-Hals (MCX:HALS) to state-owned lender VTB (MCX:HALS).

Status: Agreed; Speculation

- TATA'S AEROSPACE UNIT IN JV DEAL WITH LOCKHEED MARTIN

Tata Advanced Systems, the aerospace and defence unit of Indian diversified group Tata has formed a joint venture with US sector player Lockheed Martin Corp (NYSE:LMT) for the production of defence equipment and aircraft parts.

Status: Speculation; Agreed

- UNICAJA, CAJASOL SAY WILL PLACE SEPARATE BIDS FOR CAJASUR

Spanish savings banks Unicaja and Cajasol said their boards of directors decided to place separate bids for struggling peer CajaSur.

Status: Bidding

- DUTCH NIBC BUYS INTO MARLIES DEKKERS

Dutch investment firm NIBC Capital Group has agreed to buy a minority stake in Marlies Dekkers, the lingerie designer said, without providing financial details.

Status: Agreed

- BOEING AGREES ON BUY OF US SOFTWARE FIRM NARUS

US aircraft manufacturer Boeing (NYSE:BA) said it had agreed to take over local real-time network traffic and analytics software developer Narus Inc for an undisclosed sum.

Status: Agreed

- HSBC SAID TO MULL OVER BID FOR S AFRICAN NEDBANK

British banking group HSBC Holdings (LON:HSBA) is studying a potential bid for South African lender Nedbank (JNB:NED).

Status: Speculation; Bidding

- US SABRE TAKES OVER FLIGHTLINE DATA TO WIDEN AIRLINE SOLUTIONS

US travel company Sabre Holdings said it had purchased local Flightline Data Services Inc, a specialist in the field of airline crew member schedule management solutions, for an undisclosed sum.

Status: Closed

- US CEQUEL DATA CENTERS BUYS COLO4DALLAS

US Cequel Data Centers LLC said it had purchased local carrier-neutral colocation services firm Colo4Dallas LLC but did not provide the acquisition price.

Status: Closed

- BELGIAN KBC TO SELL BALTIC UNIT TO MANAGEMENT

Belgian financial services group KBC (EBR:KBC) said it had agreed to sell its unit Baltic Investment Company in a management buyout.

Status: Agreed

- VENTAS WRAPS UP LILLIBRIDGE TAKEOVER

US healthcare real estate investor Ventas (NYSE:VTR) announced the completion of the acquisition of sector player Lillibridge and its interests in 95 medical office buildings and ambulatory facilities (MOBs).

Status: Closed

- BCB BANCORP COMPLETES PAMRAPO BANCORP BUY

US bank holding company BCB Bancorp (NASDAQ:BCBP) said it has finalised the acquisition of local savings bank Pamrapo Bancorp (NASDAQ:PBCI) in an all-stock deal valued at USD38.8m (EUR30.6m).

Status: Closed

- PORTUGAL TELECOM SAYS READY TO RESUME TALKS WITH TELEFONICA ON VIVO DEAL

Portugal Telecom (ELI:PTCA), or PT, said in a statement to stock market regulator CMVN that it was willing to resume negotiations with Spanish Telefonica (MCE:TEF) over its bid for Brazilian mobile operator Vivo (SAO:VIVO3).

Status: Bidding; Talks

- US NBH HOLDINGS TO BUY BANK MIDWEST FROM DFC

US NBH Holdings said it had agreed to buy the commercial and retail banking operations of Bank Midwest National Association, a unit of Dickinson Financial Corporation (DFC) for an undisclosed sum.

Status: Agreed

- SEVERSTAL UPS CREW GOLD STAKE TO 36.22%

Russian steel producer Severstal (MCX:CHMF) said its unit Severstal Gold NV had bought 9.63% of Canada-based gold miner Crew Gold (OSL:CRU), raising its total stake to 36.22%. Severstal Gold bought 206 million common Crew Gold shares at NOK1.7475 (USD0.3/EUR0.22) per share on 6 July from non-Canadian vendors.

Status: Closed

- UK TECHNIS BUYS 10% IN BECOGNITIVE SYSTEMS

UK technology development firm Technis (OFEX:TECP) said it has taken 10% in BeCognitive Systems (BCS) in a stock deal worth GBP25,000 (USD38,000/EUR30,000).

Status: Closed

- MARWYN CAPITAL COMPLETES FULCRUM BUY

UK investor Marwyn Capital I Ltd (LON:MCIL) said it had closed the acquisition of gas transporter Fulcrum, announced on 17 June 2010.

Status: Closed

- US PICTAGE TAKES OVER SOFTWARE FIRM SHOOTQ

US Pictage Inc, a provider of services to professional photographers, said it had bought ShootQ, a developer of business management solutions for the sector, without providing the purchase price.

Status: Closed

- ITALIAN AZIMUT WRAPS UP APOGEO TAKEOVER

Italian asset manager Azimut Holding (BIT:AZM) said it has fully acquired Milan-based Apogeo Consulting Sim from insurer Societa Cattolica di Assicurazione (BIT:CASS) in a deal worth EUR3.2m (USD4m).

Status: Closed

- NORGES BANK RAISES PORTUGAL TELECOM STAKE TO OVER 5%

Norway's central bank, Norges Bank, has increased its stake in Portugal Telecom (ELI:PTC), or PT, to 5.19%, PT said, without giving financial details.

Status: Closed

- WUSTENROT BAUSPARKASSE CLOSES ALLIANZ DRESDNER BAUSPAR BUY

German lender Wustenrot Bausparkasse said it has closed the takeover of Allianz Dresdner Bauspar (ADB) after getting the green light from regulators.

Status: Closed

- RATOS TO BUY TRIPLE-PLAY OPERATOR STOFA FOR EUR146M

Swedish private equity firm Ratos (STO:RATO B) said it has struck a deal to buy Danish triple-play operator Stofa from telecom group TeliaSonera (STO:TLSN) for an enterprise value of DKK1.09bn (USD185m/EUR146m).

Status: Agreed

- SWISS PRIME SITE AUCTIONS JELMOLI'S HOTEL BUSINESS

Property firm Swiss Prime Site (SWF:SPSN), or SPS, has put the Geneva-based hotel business of its subsidiary Jelmoli (SWF:JELN) up for sale.

Status: Auction

- UK PEARSON HOLDS 99.3% OF MELORIO, ANNOUNCES COMPULSORY BID

UK media company Pearson (LON:PSON) said it will launch a compulsory bid for the residual stock of training and assessment services provider Melorio (LON:MLO), after having secured 99.3% of its shares by 6 July.

Status: Bidding

- DUTCH WESSANEN EYES ACQUISITIONS TO BOOST MARKET SHARE

Dutch food group Wessanen (AMS:WES) is exploring potential acquisitions in a move to gain a bigger market share in organic food.

Status: Bidding

- INVESTEC TO STUDY SALE OF RENSBURG FUND MANAGEMENT

British financial group Investec (LON:INVP) said it could offload the fund management business of Rensburg Sheppards (LON:RBG), which it recently acquired, as it has received expressions of interest from potential buyers.

Status: Auction

- DEEPDALE OWNS 81.15% OF PRESTON NORTH END, EXTENDS OFFER

Preston North End (LON:PNE), managing UK football club Preson North End FC, said that Deepdale received acceptance for 187,803 of the company shares by 6 July and owns now 81.15% in the company.

Status: Bidding

- AUSTRIAN UNIQA CONSIDERS DIVESTING ROMANIAN ASTRA STAKE

Austrian insurer Uniqa (WBAG:UQA) considers to sell its 27% stake in Romanian sector company Astra to major shareholder Dan Adamescu.

Status: Auction

- AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION BODY DELAYS RULING ON BHP-RIO JV

Australia's competition regulator (ACCC) said it would again extend the deadline for its decision on the proposed iron ore joint venture between Anglo-Australian miners BHP Billiton (LON:BLT; ASX:BHP) and Rio Tinto (LON:RIO; ASX:RIO), but has set no date.

Status: Delayed; Agreed

- SPANISH CAJA DE CATALUNYA, TARRAGONA Y MANRESA COULD JOIN BUYOUT BID FOR ABERTIS

Spanish savings bank Caja de Catalunya, Tarragona y Manresa may take part in the takeover of infrastructure manager Abertis (MCE:ABE), led by Abertis' main holders.

Status: Bidding

- SWISS FEDERAL RAILWAYS, DEUTSCHE BAHN PLAN CROSSBORDER JV

The Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) and its German peer Deutsche Bahn unveiled plans to establish a joint venture in a move to boost railway transportation between Switzerland and Germany.

Status: Talks

- MUTUA MADRILENA TO SELL 4% IN SPANISH BUILDER SYV

Spanish insurer Mutua Madrilena will sell 4% of its 5% interest in builder Sacyr Vallehermoso (MCE:SYV), or SyV.

Status: Auction

- US WORLDVEST IN LOI TO BUY CHILE INVERSIONES DE MINERALES

US WorldVest (OTC:WOVT), doing business as WorldVest Hurricane Resources, said it had entered into a letter of intent to take over Chile Inversiones de Minerales (CIM), a mineral investor and miner in Chile.

Status: Exclusivity

- US CLIFFS NATURAL RESOURCES HOLDS 52.1% IN SPIDER, EXTENDS OFFER

US miner Cliffs Natural Resources (NYSE:CLF) said it had secured 52.1% in Canadian mineral explorer Spider Resources (CVE:SPQ) under its cash CAD0.19 (USD0.2/EUR0.14) per-share offer and extended its acceptance period until 16 July.

Status: Bidding

- RUSSIAN TVEL TO SELL ITS 51% IN CHEMICAL AND METALLURGICAL PLANT ON 23 AUG FOR RUB475.6M

Russian nuclear fuel company TVEL said it will sell its 51% in the Chemical and Metallurgical Plant (RTB:HMTZP) at an auction on 23 August 2010 for a starting price of RUB475.619m (USD15.3m/EUR12.14m).

Status: Auction

- BOSCH ALLEGEDLY PLANS TO MAKE BID FOR CENTROSOLAR

German industrial group Robert Bosch is reportedly planning to make a takeover bid for solar energy systems maker Centrosolar (ETR:C3O), traders speculated pushing the company's shares up by over 12% to EUR4.99.

Status: Speculation

- PURESPECTRUM IN MERGER TALKS WITH ULTRA-TECH LIGHTING US lighting technology maker PureSpectrum (OTCBB:PSRU) and New Jersey-based sector player Ultra-Tech Lighting announced on they were in talks over a potential combination of the two companies.

Status: Talks; Exclusivity

- ABERTIS BUYOUT TO REPORTEDLY COST EUR10BN

A possible takeover of Spanish infrastructure manager Abertis (MCE:ABE) by its core owners, Criteria CaixaCorp (MCE:CRI) and builder ACS (MCE:ACS), may need EUR10bn (USD12.6bn) in financing.

Status: Talks

- GERMANY TO START HYPO REAL PRIVATISATION IN 2013-14

Germany will kick off the privatisation of property lender Hypo Real Estate Bank (HRE) in 2013 or 2014.

Status: Auction

- RAIFFEISEN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT SAID INTERESTED IN SIEMENS' INNOVEST

Raiffeisen Capital Management (RCM) is said to be interested in the takeover of Innovest, the asset management subsidiary of Siemens Austria, part of German Siemens AG (ETR:SIE).

Status: Bidding

- PARTYGAMING SEEKS ACQUISITION DEALS - CEO

UK online gaming company PartyGaming (LON:PRTY) is looking for takeover opportunities as it wants to play an active role in the consolidation of the sector, chief executive Jim Ryan said.

Status: Talks; Bidding

- UNIT4 MANAGES TO WOO TETA SHAREHOLDERS WITH RAISED BID

Dutch software firm Unit4 (AMS:U4AGR) said over 90% of the shares in Polish sector firm Teta SA (WAR:TET) had been tendered under Unit4's sweetened takeover bid of PLN14 (USD4.26/EUR3.4) apiece.

Status: Bidding

- UK SPICE SAYS REVISED APPROACH BY CINVEN STILL TOO LOW

The board of UK utility services provider Spice (LON:SPI) said the new higher conditional proposal of between GBP0.62 (USD0.94/EUR0.75) and GBP0.65 per share received from investor Cinven still undervalues the company.

Status: Bidding

- PUBLICIS CEO SAYS SEEKS ACQUISITIONS IN DIGITAL AD SECTOR

French advertising group Publicis (EPA:PUB) is eyeing acquisitions in the digital advertising sector, the company's chief executive, Maurice Levy said.

Status: Bidding

- IT HOLDING EXTENDS DEADLINE FOR BIDS FOR FERRE UNTIL 2 AUG

The administrators of Italian luxury goods group IT Holding (BIT:ITH) said they have extended the deadline for collecting bids for IT Holding's fashion house Gianfranco Ferre until 2 August.

Status: Auction

- CARREFOUR SAID TO SELL ASIAN UNITS

French retailer Carrefour (EPA:CA) has put up for sale its units in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

Status: Speculation; Auction

- TPG, GOLDMAN SACHS NEGOTIATE ONTEX BUYOUT

US private equity firm TPG and the private equity arm of investment bank Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) are in talks to acquire Belgium-based diaper maker Ontex from UK investment firm Candover (LON:CDI) for over EUR1.2bn (USD1.5bn).

Status: Talks

- RUSSIAN VTB IN TALKS TO BUY TRANSCREDITBANK

Russian lender VTB (MCX:VTBR) is negotiating to buy local competitor TransCreditBank (MCX:TCBN), the banking arm of state-run railway monopoly Russian Railways.

Status: Talks

- CAIXANOVA TO SHED HOLDING IN BANCO GALLEGO

Spain-based savings bank Caixanova will be forced to offload its 50% stake in local Banco Gallego following its merger with peer Caixa Galicia.

Status: Auction

- US ENDO PHARMA SECURES 93% IN HEALTHTRONICS

US Endo Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ENDP) said it had completed its takeover offer for local urology company HealthTronics Inc (NASDAQ:HTRN) securing 93.38% in the company's stock by the expiry of the initial deadline.

Status: Bidding

- UK NCC GROUP WANTS TO MAKE FURTHER BUYS IN THE US, UK

UK IT assurance services provider NCC Group (LON:NCC) is looking to make more buys in the US and the UK in the next 12 months.

Status: Bidding

- LA CAIXA, ACS LOOKING TO TAKE FULL CONTROL OF ABERTIS

Spanish bank La Caixa and builder ACS (MCE:ACS), holding together nearly 55% of infrastructure manager Abertis (MCE:ABE), are working on a deal to take the residual Abertis stock.

Status: Talks

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