Transactions UK

  • May 16, 2025

    UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London

    This past week in London has seen Linklaters and EY face negligence claims from a fintech investment firm, property developer Sir John Ritblat bring legal action against a Guernsey-registered company, and fresh equal pay litigation filed against Morrisons and Safeways. Here, Law360 looks at these and other new claims in the U.K.

  • May 16, 2025

    BCLP-Led KKR Funds Student Asset Near Warwick University

    Private equity giant KKR said Friday that it has agreed to fund the development of a purpose-built student accommodation near the University of Warwick in middle England in a deal guided by Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP, Gunnercooke LLP and Shoosmiths LLP.

  • May 16, 2025

    UK Biotech Biz Issues Shares To Fund £5M Canadian Buy

    Biotech company Solvonis said Friday that it has issued more than 1.5 billion of its shares to raise part of the approximately £5 million ($6.6 million) needed for the acquisition of Canadian rival Awakn Life Sciences Corp.

  • May 16, 2025

    Shell Affiliate Sells Trinidad Assets To Touchstone For $28M

    An affiliate of oil giant Shell has offloaded its assets in Trinidad in a $28.4 million deal with Touchstone Exploration Inc., the Canadian energy business said Friday, to add at least four active natural gas wells to expand its portfolio on the island.    

  • May 16, 2025

    EU 'Champions' Ambitions Could Cause Antitrust Friction

    Plans by the European Commission to amend merger guidance to help create "European champions" that could compete with technology and industrial heavyweights in the U.S. and China might cause tension among member state authorities hoping to protect antitrust ideals.

  • May 16, 2025

    Investor Pulls De La Rue Bid Amid Competing Offer

    Two investors, Pension SuperFund and Disruptive Capital, have pulled their bid of approximately £260 million for De La Rue after the banknotes maker backed a rival £263 million offer from U.S. investment firm Atlas Holdings LLC.

  • May 16, 2025

    US Auto Parts Maker Eyes London Listing After £1.2B UK Deal

    American Axle said Friday that it is planning a secondary listing in the U.K. after it takes over automotive group Dowlais, which trades in London, in a £1.16 billion ($1.5 billion) deal, appeasing shareholders across the Atlantic.

  • May 22, 2025

    Freeths Hires Pensions Specialist From Simmons & Simmons

    Freeths has hired James Dean, a pensions specialist from Simmons & Simmons LLP, to lead the growth and development of the firm's national pensions practice.

  • May 15, 2025

    Vinge-Led Swedish Wine Group To Buy Dutch Rival For €57M

    Viva Wine Group AB said Thursday that it has agreed to acquire Dutch wine distributor Delta Wines from venture capital firm Navitas Capital for approximately €57 million ($64 million) to expand its footprint in Europe.

  • May 15, 2025

    Gov't To Allow Foreign States To Own 15% Of UK Newspapers

    The government said on Thursday that it plans to loosen the rules on state ownership of British newspapers in a move to allow media outlets to draw in investment from sovereign wealth and pension funds.

  • May 15, 2025

    Software Biz Sage Group To Extend Share Buyback By £200M

    Sage Group PLC said Thursday it will extend its current stock repurchase program worth up to £400 million ($530 million) by buying more shares worth a maximum of £200 million as the accounting software business drives its growth strategy forward.

  • May 15, 2025

    Building Materials Biz Wins Irish Clearance For €32M Deal

    Ireland's antitrust regulator has given the green light for Grafton Group PLC's €31.6 million ($35.4 million) acquisition of the Irish arm of HSS Hire Group PLC, the British tool and equipment hire company said Thursday.

  • May 15, 2025

    Brabners Guides Telecoms Biz In £63M Pension Deal

    Telecommunications company CommScope has offloaded £63 million ($8 million) of its U.K. pension liabilities to insurer Aviva PLC, advisers have said, in a deal guided by Brabners.

  • May 15, 2025

    Greencore Set To Devour UK Meal Maker Bakkavor For £1.2B

    Irish sandwich maker Greencore said Thursday that it will gobble up ready-to-eat meals producer Bakkavor Group PLC in a cash and share takeover worth approximately £1.2 billion ($1.6 billion) to create a U.K. convenience food giant.

  • May 15, 2025

    Alliance Pharma AIM Listing Canceled After £362M Takeover

    Consumer healthcare company Alliance Pharma PLC said Thursday that it has canceled its share trading on London's junior AIM market following its £362 million ($481 million) takeover by a consortium that includes asset manager DBAY Advisors.

  • May 14, 2025

    Novo Nordisk, Septerna Ink Up To $2.2B Obesity Drug Deal

    Denmark's Novo Nordisk said Wednesday it has signed a drug development deal worth up to $2.2 billion with U.S.-based Septerna, part of its continued push to expand treatments for obesity, Type 2 diabetes and related diseases.

  • May 14, 2025

    Addleshaw Goddard Steers £56.4M Bid For Property Biz

    Energy and compliance services business Sureserve on Wednesday announced a recommended final cash offer to buy property services group Kinovo PLC for approximately £56.4 million ($75.2 million).

  • May 14, 2025

    Sidley-Led Evri To Merge With DHL Unit In The UK

    Evri said Wednesday that it has agreed to merge with the U.K. e-commerce unit of global delivery heavyweight DHL to form a giant postal logistics service in Britain in a deal guided by Sidley and Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison LLP.

  • May 21, 2025

    BCLP Hires 2 Partners From Taylor Wessing, A&O Shearman

    Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP said Wednesday that it has recruited two new partners from Allen Overy Shearman Sterling and Taylor Wessing LLP to boost its finance and tax capabilities in London.

  • May 14, 2025

    Homebuilder Persimmon To Sell Broadband Arm For £100M

    British homebuilder Persimmon PLC said Wednesday that it has agreed to sell its broadband arm FibreNest to utility infrastructure company BUUK Infrastructure for up to approximately £100 million ($133.1 million).

  • May 14, 2025

    Kirkland-Led Equity Firm To Buy UK Insurance Broker JMG

    GTCR Inc. has said that it has penned a deal to acquire JMG Group in an acquisition the U.S. private equity firm hopes will help to drive the broker's expansion across the British insurance market.

  • May 14, 2025

    Macfarlanes-Led US Pawnshop To Buy UK Rival For £300M

    U.S. pawn store giant FirstCash said Wednesday that it is expanding its geographical footprint by acquiring a British rival, H&T Group PLC, for approximately £297 million ($396 million) in a deal guided by Alston & Bird, Macfarlanes and Gowling.

  • May 14, 2025

    UK Optics Biz Agrees $17.5M Buy Of US Military Kit Supplier

    Optical systems maker Gooch & Housego said Wednesday that it has agreed to buy U.S.-based Global Photonics in a $17.5 million transaction, in which it was advised by Burges Salmon and Goulston & Storrs.

  • May 14, 2025

    Aviva's £3.7B Deal To Buy Direct Line Gets UK Investigation

    Britain's antitrust watchdog said Wednesday that it is investigating Aviva's proposed £3.7 billion ($4.9 billion) cash and stock acquisition of rival insurer Direct Line, saying it has concerns about competition.

  • May 14, 2025

    HP's $4B Fraud Case To Resume After Mike Lynch's Death

    A London court unjammed Hewlett Packard's $4 billion fraud case against Mike Lynch on Wednesday by approving an administrator to his estate, reactivating the case after the technology entrepreneur died when a yacht he was aboard sank in the Mediterranean Sea.

Expert Analysis

  • A Look At UK's 1st Report On Security Regime For Deals

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    The U.K. government’s recent report on the National Security and Investment Act, covering its first three months since it came into force in January, suggests that the regime may not be leading to a surge in benign notifications and that the government is responding quickly, which is good news for businesses, say attorneys at Cooley.

  • What EU Changes To Dual Distribution Mean For Franchises

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    Following the European Commission’s adoption of the Vertical Block Exemption Regulation and accompanying vertical guidelines regarding dual distribution, which took effect this month, franchisors should examine their flow of information to and from franchisees to determine whether it must be restricted, say attorneys at Baker McKenzie.

  • How ESG Matters Are Influencing M&A Due Diligence Trends

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    With a proliferation of environmental, social and governance-related regulatory developments and a desire to comply with best practice, ESG matters have become an increasingly important area of focus for both clients and advisers in M&A transactions, say attorneys at Sullivan & Cromwell.

  • Changes To UK Competition Rules Will Extend CMA Powers

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    Recent amendments to U.K. competition and consumer law regimes introduce changes to merger control and antitrust investigations that will result in the speedier resolution of cases and greater autonomy for the Competition and Markets Authority, say Bill Batchelor and Aurora Luoma at Skadden.

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