Consolidation tales in the semiconductor industry: NXP buys Freescale

NXP Semiconductor NV; Market Cap (as of 06/03/15): $22.7bn Freescale Semiconductor Ltd; Market Cap (as of 06/03/15): $12.3bn Introduction On March 2, NXP Semi announced it will acquire Freescale Semi in a $11.8bn transaction. Amalgamating the Eindhoven-based chip manufacturer with its American rival will create the leader in both Auto Read more…

Iberdrola responds to Spanish austerity measures: UIL acquired in a $3bn deal

UIL Holdings Corp.; market cap (as of 27/02/15): US$2.86bn Iberdrola SA; market cap (as of 27/02/15): US$43.5bn   Introduction  On February 26, Iberdrola SA, Spain’s largest electricity company, agreed to buy UIL Holdings Corp. in a deal valued at about US$3bn in cash and shares. With the acquisition, Iberdrola plans Read more…

Valeant, the serial pharma dealmaker cuts again

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc.; market cap (as of 26/02/2015): US$76.68bn Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd.; market cap (as of 26/02/2015): US$10.07bn     Introduction The pharmaceutical industry has undergone an intense period of consolidation in the past 18 months which is far from over as the big players take advantage of the Read more…

Pfizer sets sail for a new (nearer) shore: Hospira

Pfizer Inc.; market cap (as of 20/02/2015): US$217.75bn Hospira Inc.; market cap (as of 20/02/2015): US$14.97bn Introduction On February 5th, 2014, pharmaceutical behemoth Pfizer signed with Hospira, the world’s leading provider of injectable drugs and biosimilars, a definitive merger agreement which consists of the fully acquisition of Hospira for US$90 Read more…

Two is better than one! Or not? Rio Tinto declines a merger offer to create world’s largest mining player

Rio Tinto Plc; market cap (as of 10/10/2014): £55.42bn Glencore Plc; market cap (as of 10/10/2014): £41.52bn Rio Tinto, the England-based second-largest supplier of iron ore worldwide, has rejected a merger proposal from the smaller Switzerland-based rival Glencore, preventing a deal that would have created the largest player in mining Read more…

Scramble to fend off takeover: Allergan vs. Valeant

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International; Market Cap. (as of 3/10/2014): $42.9bn Allergan Inc.; Market Cap. (as of 3/10/2014): $53.64bn As low debt obligations alongside large cash holdings and patent expiration liabilities continue to foster a conducive environment for M&A activity in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry another multi-billion dollar struggle has emerged: Read more…