Transactions UK

  • February 13, 2025

    Unilever Starts €1.5B Buyback, Unveils Ice Cream Listing Plan

    Unilever PLC on Thursday began a share buyback of up to €1.5 billion ($1.5 billion), as it announced plans to have Amsterdam as the primary listing of its ice-cream business and London and New York as secondary listings.

  • February 13, 2025

    2 Firms Assist Steve Madden On £289M Kurt Geiger Deal

    U.S. footwear and accessories brand Steve Madden, guided by Travers Smith LLP and Foley & Lardner LLP, said Thursday that it plans to buy U.K. rival Kurt Geiger from a consortium led by the Cinven private equity group for £289 million ($361 million) to expand in international markets.

  • February 13, 2025

    Essity Faces Investors' Claim Over Chinese Tissue Biz Sale

    A group of investment companies has sued Essity at a London court, alleging that the manufacturer of hygiene and health products defaulted on bond notes when it sold its controlling stake in a Chinese tissue company.

  • February 13, 2025

    Logistics Co. Ferrari Eyes €785M Market Cap In Amsterdam IPO

    Ferrari Group PLC confirmed Thursday it has floated on the Euronext Amsterdam stock exchange, with the shipping and logistics business pricing its initial stock offering at €8.6 ($9) per share.

  • February 13, 2025

    UK Greenlights PE Biz's £840M Deal For Workplace E-Trainer

    Workplace training provider Learning Technologies Group PLC said Thursday the U.K. government has approved its planned £836 million ($1 billion) sale to a subsidiary of private equity group General Atlantic.

  • February 13, 2025

    RELX Plans £1.5B Buyback Amid Revenue Growth

    Information and analytics giant RELX PLC said Thursday that it will reward shareholders with £1.5 billion ($1.9 billion) over 2025 as it reported a 3% revenue jump amid growing demand for its AI-driven tools.

  • February 12, 2025

    Davis Polk Guides Irish Sensor Co. On $2.3B Stateside Buy

    Davis Polk-led TE Connectivity PLC said Wednesday it has agreed to acquire Richards Manufacturing Co. from funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management LP and members of the Bier family, in an all-cash transaction valued at $2.3 billion.

  • February 12, 2025

    Homebuilder Barratt Redrow Kicks Off £50M Share Buyback

    Barratt Redrow PLC launched a £50 million ($62 million) share buyback program on Wednesday, a move expected to lower the British homebuilder's outstanding share capital.

  • February 12, 2025

    Reading FC Owner Sues Buyer Over Unreturned Loan Security

    The owner of Reading Football Club has sued a potential buyer of the League One club over a "continuing refusal" to return assets used to secure the outfit's sale, in the latest legal twist in litigation following the botched takeover deal.

  • February 12, 2025

    UK Clears £2.55B BlackRock Bid For Data Biz Preqin

    The U.K.'s competition watchdog said Wednesday it has given the green light to asset management giant BlackRock's £2.55 billion ($3.16 billion) takeover of Preqin Ltd., a markets data provider based in London.

  • February 12, 2025

    Take-Private Deal For Retailer N Brown Completes

    British retailer N Brown Group PLC said Wednesday that a £191 million ($238 million) deal pulling it off of London's Alternative Investment Market has completed.

  • February 12, 2025

    Fintech Asia To Complete £114M Takeover Deal

    Fintech Asia Ltd. said Wednesday that it expects to complete the takeover of Asian financial services business ICFG Pte. for £114 million (£142 million) as part of a reverse takeover deal that stipulated Fintech Asia will be renamed ICFG Ltd. upon completion of the transaction.

  • February 12, 2025

    Gowling Steers £250M Pension Deal For Machinery Co.

    A U.K. machinery dealership has passed £250 million ($311 million) of its pension liabilities to Standard Life, the insurer said Wednesday, in a deal advised by law firm Gowling WLG.

  • February 12, 2025

    Kirkland-Led Telecoms Biz To Sell Balkan Units For €1.5B

    United Group BV said Wednesday it has agreed to sell two telecommunications companies in the Balkans for a combined total of €1.5 billion ($1.55 billion), as the Dutch media company refocuses on the European Union market.

  • February 11, 2025

    Fieldfisher, Ogier Guide Lithium Explorer On £2.4M Fundraise

    CleanTech Lithium PLC, an explorer and developer focused on lithium projects, said Tuesday it has conditionally raised £2.4 million ($3 million) through selling shares to investors, advised by Fieldfisher LLP and Ogier.

  • February 11, 2025

    PE Unit Defeats Investor In Fight Over Software Co. Stakes

    Wealthy investor Barry Maloney attempted to force a subsidiary of Intermediate Capital Group out of their joint investment in an Irish technology unicorn, in breach of his obligations to the U.S. private equity giant, a London court ruled on Tuesday.

  • February 11, 2025

    Metals Firm To Partly Shed Biz Stake In £9M Deal

    Power Metal Resources PLC said Tuesday it aims to partially dispose of its stake in a metals exploration business under a cash transaction worth about £9.2 million ($11.4 million).

  • February 11, 2025

    Danish Estate Makes $130M Take-Private Offer For FirstFarms

    Constantinsborg AS, which owns a Danish farming estate, has made a $130 million offer for FirstFarms AS, the agriculture and food production business said on Tuesday, which will take it off of the Danish stock exchange.

  • February 11, 2025

    Tech Biz Crimson Tide To Merge With Checkit In £6.5M Deal

    Workflow optimization company Checkit PLC plans to merge with Crimson Tide PLC, a service management software company, the companies said on Tuesday after four years of talks about combining in a move to grow the business in the U.S.

  • February 11, 2025

    Novartis To Buy US Pharma Biz Anthos For Up To $3.1B

    Novartis AG said Tuesday that it plans to buy Anthos Therapeutics Inc. for up to $3.1 billion, allowing the Swiss pharmaceutical heavyweight to return a drug that originated at the company back into its portfolio of cardiovascular therapies.

  • February 10, 2025

    Yodel Denies Handing Investment Bank 10% Of Business

    Yodel has denied in court filings that it agreed to hand an investment bank a 10% stake in the business in return for the bank waiving £2.6 million ($3.2 million) in fees the logistics company allegedly owed for investment and financing services.

  • February 10, 2025

    French Giant Saint-Gobain Completes $1B Dubai Acquisition

    Saint-Gobain said Monday it has completed its purchase of Dubai-headquartered Fosroc, a deal it believes will bolster its presence in India and the Middle East.

  • February 10, 2025

    Pension Deal Adviser Isio Buys Rival Broking Specialist

    Pension advisory business Isio Group Ltd. has formally confirmed its acquisition of rival insurance and risk settlement specialist K3 Advisory Ltd. for an undisclosed fee.

  • February 10, 2025

    Maurel & Prom Buys Colombia Gas License Stake For $150M

    Maurel & Prom, an oil and gas explorer and producer, said Monday it has agreed to buy a 40% interest in a license for a gas block off Colombia's Caribbean coast for $150 million.

  • February 10, 2025

    BoE Sets Out Pro-Growth Priorities For Finance Infrastructure

    The Bank of England this year will focus on regulating financial market infrastructures to help underpin growth, as it benefits from technology such as artificial intelligence, a senior BoE official said Monday.

Expert Analysis

  • Managing Transatlantic Antitrust Investigations And Litigation

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    As transatlantic competition regulators cooperate more closely and European antitrust investigations increasingly spark follow-up civil suits in the U.S., companies must understand how to simultaneously juggle high-stakes multigovernment investigations and manage the risks of expensive new claims across jurisdictions, say lawyers at Paul Weiss.

  • What To Know As EU Urges Outbound Investment Reviews

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    A recent European Commission recommendation urges European Union member states to review outbound investments in certain critical technologies sectors, but does not clarify the next steps for states once information on relevant transactions in third countries is received, say lawyers at Cleary.

  • Competition Act Brings Important UK Merger Control Changes

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    Although recently effective sections of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act provide clarity on the transactions that may attract Competition and Markets Authority attention, some reforms potentially expanding the regulator's scope may be concerning to transacting parties, say lawyers at Fried Frank.

  • How GCs Can Protect Cos. From Geopolitical Headwinds

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    Geopolitical uncertainty is perceived by corporate leaders as the biggest short-term threat to global business, but many of the potential crises are navigable if general counsel focus on what is being said about a company and what the company is doing, says Juliet Young at Schillings.

  • Key Points From FCA Financial Crime Guide Updates

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    The Financial Conduct Authority’s recent updates to its financial crime guide reflect the regulator’s learnings on sanctions following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, highlighting and clarifying consumer duty, anti-money laundering and other compliance expectations, say lawyers at Womble Bond.

  • Tax Directive Marks Milestone In Harmonizing EU System

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    The Council of the European Union’s recently adopted tax directive is a significant step toward streamlining and modernizing procedures for member states, and will greatly reduce administrative burden and compliance costs for cross-border investors, says Martin Phelan at Simmons & Simmons.

  • Decoding Arbitral Disputes: UK Awards Versus EU Judgments

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    The Court of Appeal of England and Wales' recent refusal to enforce a €855 million Spanish judgment inconsistent with earlier binding arbitral awards in England provides crucial guidance for practitioners navigating the complexities of cross-border disputes involving arbitration agreements and sovereign states, says Josep Galvez at 4-5 Gray's Inn.

  • Insider Info Compliance Highlights From New FCA Guidance

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    The Financial Conduct Authority's recent guidance to companies on identifying inside information clarifies the regulator's expectation of case-by-case assessment, helpfully highlighting that abuse of U.K.-regulated markets can arise earlier than some might think, say lawyers at Sullivan & Cromwell.

  • Key Points From EU's Latest FDI Screening Regulation Review

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    The European Commission’s recent assessment of the Foreign Direct Investment Screening Regulation indicates that with strong control here to stay, precautionary filings are likely to remain necessary, and member states should prepare for greater rule alignment to reduce inefficiencies caused by a current lack of synchronization, say lawyers at Linklaters.

  • How Lawyers Can Work On Unmasking Beneficial Ownership

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    The Solicitors Regulation Authority's recent anti-money laundering report suggests that identifying ultimate beneficial owners in a transaction is one of the key day-to-day challenges that law firms face, and the solution lies in combining know-your-business processes with know-your-client verification, says Sam Ruback at Thirdfort.

  • Anticipating The UK's Top M&A Trends In 2025

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    Conversations with market participants are focusing on five key questions about 2025's transactional markets, ranging from issues of artificial intelligence, to the boom in takeovers and increased regulatory scrutiny, says Layla D’Monte at King & Spalding.

  • Businesses Should Expect A Role In Tackling Fraud Next Year

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    If one word sums up a key trend in financial crime enforcement in 2024, it would be fraud, as enforcement agencies clamped down on consumer-focused crime — and businesses will need to be prepared to play a part in 2025 with the coming of the "failure to prevent fraud" offense, says Jessica Parker at Corker Binning.

  • Decoding Arbitral Disputes: Cross-Border Contract Lessons

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    A U.K. court's decision this month in Banco De Sabadell v. Cerberus provides critical lessons for practitioners involved in drafting and litigating cross-border investment agreements, and offers crucial insight into how English courts apply foreign law in complex cross-border disputes, says Josep Galvez at 4-5 Gray's Inn. 

  • Preparing For The Next 5 Years Of EU Digital Policy

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    The new European Commission appears poised to build on the artificial intelligence, data management and digital regulation groundwork laid by President Ursula von der Leyen's first mandate, with a strong focus on enforcement and further enhancement of previous initiatives during the next five years, say lawyers at Steptoe.

  • The Rising Tide Of EU Antitrust Enforcement In Pharma

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    The European Commission’s recent record-breaking €463 million fine of Teva for abusing its dominant position confirms that European Union competition law enforcement in the pharmaceutical sector remains a priority, with infringements drawing serious financial exposure, say lawyers at Cooley.

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