Deals of the day-Mergers and acquisitions

Namoi Cotton

01/08/2024 10:41

Aug 1 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers,
acquisitions and disposals were reported by 0930 GMT on
Thursday:

    ** Cellnex  CLNX.MC , Europe's largest mobile phone tower
operator, said it was in advanced negotiations to sell its
Austrian unit after receiving binding offers, triggering a rise
in shares.
     urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N3JO0IM
    
    ** Ayala Corp  AC.PS , the Philippines' oldest conglomerate,
is exploring selling a minority stake in Ayala Healthcare
Holdings (AC Health) in a potential deal that could value its
healthcare arm at up to $500 million, two people said.
     urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N3JO0KW
    
    ** Japan's Otsuka Pharmaceutical  4578.T  said it agreed to
pay more than $1 billion to acquire Jnana Therapeutics as it
looks to expand its drug pipeline and research base in the
Boston area.
     urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N3JO052
    
    ** The Australian competition watchdog will not oppose Louis
Dreyfus' proposal to take over Namoi Cotton  NAM.AX , the
regulator said, a month after it raised concerns over a similar
buyout bid by a Singaporean entity.
     urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N3JN39X
    
    ** U.S. businessman Elon Musk said his artificial
intelligence startup xAI is not considering an acquisition of
chatbot startup Character.AI, according to a statement on social
media website X.
     urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N3JO036
    
    ** Australia's Pacific Smiles  PSQ.AX  recommended that
shareholders vote in favour of a sweetened bid of A$327.1
million ($214.05 million) by National Dental Care (NDC) over a
competing takeover offer from U.S.-based Genesis Capital.
     urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N3JN38P

    ** Chevron Corp's  CVX.N  proposed purchase of oil producer
Hess  HES.N  faces a lengthy new delay, with an arbitration
panel not expected to hear a rival's claim to Hess' stake in a
Guyana oil-producing joint venture until May 2025, the company
said.
     urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N3JN1RE
    
    ** Egyptian microfinance lending and payments company
MNT-Halan's recent purchase of Turkey's biggest nonbank
micro-leasing company will help develop its factoring business
in Egypt while expanding consumer credit in Turkey, its chief
executive said.
     urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N3JN16E
    
    ** Italian app developer Bending Spoons has bought
file-sharing platform WeTransfer, the companies said in a joint
statement, as the Milan-based tech company presses ahead with a
string of deals for software firms.
     urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N3JN37Z
    
    ** French retailer Casino  CASP.PA  no longer considers
Brazil's GPA  PCAR3.SA  a strategic holding and is open to
selling its remaining 22.5% stake in the company, an executive
at Casino's financial communications department said.
     urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N3JN12B
    
    ** UK's John Wood Group  WG.L  extended the deadline by
which Dubai-based engineering and consulting firm Sidara would
need to make a firm offer for the company to not later than
August 9.
     urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N3JN2CO

 (Compiled by Rajarshi Roy and Harshita Mary Varghese in
Bengaluru)
 ((Harshitamary.varghese@thomsonreuters.com))