Deals of the day-Mergers and acquisitions
Deals of the day-Mergers and acquisitions Adds: Nvidia, UniCredit, Custom Ink, Big Yellow Group, EssilorLuxottica and Proofpoint; Updates: Cohere and International Paper
Oct 15 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 2030 GMT on Thursday:
** Cybersecurity company Proofpoint, owned by private equity firm Thoma Bravo, will buy data security firm Varonis Systemsin all-cash deal valued at about $6.3 billion, the companies said. nL4N461233
** Delfin, the holding company of Italy's Del Vecchio family and top shareholder in EssilorLuxottica ESLX.PA, has held preliminary talks with banks to explore financing options for a possible purchase of stakes in Delfin held by one or more shareholders, two people close to the matter said. nL8N4611CX
** Activist investor Irenic Capital Management has built a stake of about 4% in UK self-storage company Big Yellow Group BYG.L and is pushing it to explore a sale, the Financial Times reported, citing people familiar with the matter. nL4N46119Z
** Custom Ink is exploring a sale that could value the custom-design apparel and accessories company at close to $1.5 billion, according to people familiar with the matter. nL6N461176
** UniCredit CRDI.MI, Italy's second-largest bank, said that the European Central Bank had authorised it to take control of Commerzbank CBKG.DE, after a hostile takeover offer completed in July lifted its stake in the German rival to 48%. nL8N45Y13Q
** Germany plans a wide-ranging cooperation agreement with US chip maker Nvidia NVDA.O to boost the take-up of artificial intelligence in German industry, business daily Handelsblatt said, citing people familiar with the issue. nL1N4610UA
** Lufthansa LHAG.DE is in talks to take full control of Portugal's flag carrier TAP, as the Portuguese government seeks opposition support for the sale of the state's remaining 50.1% stake for €1.351 billion ($1.52 billion). nL1N4610EK
** CCC Intelligent Solutions CCC.O said it agreed to be acquired by a consortium led by private investment firms GTCR and including Elliott Investment Management in a $6.1 billion take-private deal. nL4N46119D
** International Paper IP.N said it was in talks with potential bidders for its Europe, Middle East and Africa packaging business after unsolicited approaches, opening up an alternative to its planned spinoff of the unit.[nL6N4610YH]
** Laboratory operator Labcorp LH.N said it will buy some assets from Opko Health's OPK.O subsidiary in a $722 million cash deal, with a potential additional payment of up to $150 million tied to revenue from a prostate cancer test. nL4N46116D
** Cartier-owner Richemont CFR.S is in talks to join a consortium bidding for De Beers, the diamond miner being sold by Anglo American AAL.L and valued at about $1 billion, a person familiar with the matter said. nL6N4610NV
** Canadian AI lab Cohere said it had signed a letter of intent to buy Aisle, a San Francisco-based cybersecurity startup that uses AI to detect vulnerabilities in software. [nL6N46115Z]
** EasyJet EZJ.L faces opposition from unions over its £5.7 billion ($7.5 billion) takeover by Apollo APO.N, though the airline says it remains on track to complete the deal before the end of the first quarter of next year. nL6N4610G6
** EQT EQTAB.ST has agreed to buy US real estate investment manager Stockbridge for an initial consideration of $375 million, the Swedish private equity firm said. nL4N4610D3
(Compiled by Shania S Thomas and Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru)