Dec. 9, 2010 at 2:00 p.m.
Filed under:
Health care,
M&A
By Bruce Japsen
Loyola University Health System, parent of Loyola University Medical Center in west suburban Maywood, is evaluating whether to merge with another health care system, according to sources close to the west suburban teaching hospital.
Reached this afternoon, medical center executives issued a statement saying details of their discussions are confidential. The Catholic hospital, located in west suburban Maywood, is one of five large academic medical centers in the Chicago area. Get the full story »
Dec. 9, 2010 at 11:39 a.m.
Filed under:
International,
M&A,
Regulations
From Bloomberg | Unilever’s $3.7 billion takeover of Melrose Park-based Alberto Culver Co. may be reviewed by U.K. antitrust regulators, who said in a statement that they are looking at whether the deal could trigger “a relevant merger situation” and whether it was likely to reduce competition.
Dec. 9, 2010 at 9:58 a.m.
Filed under:
Exchanges,
M&A
By Dow Jones Newswires
Futures exchange operator CME Group Inc. on Thursday struck a deal to buy Elysian Systems Ltd., a London company that provides trading systems for over-the-counter derivatives. Get the full story »
Dec. 9, 2010 at 9:54 a.m.
Filed under:
Insurance,
International,
M&A
By Reuters
Aon Corp. will bid as much as $86 million to buy South African insurance firm Glenrand MIB Ltd., giving the world’s largest insurance broker a bigger presence in Africa’s top economy. Get the full story »
Dec. 7, 2010 at 4:26 p.m.
Filed under:
Energy,
M&A,
Updated
By Julie Wernau
Nicor's Naperville headquarters. (Tribune file photo)
Tuesday’s announcement that AGL Resources would acquire Naperville-based Nicor Inc. for $2.4 billion would put AGL in an envious position if energy policy moves to replace coal with natural gas — with a natural gas distribution system that would stretch from Chicago to the east coast and a bevy of natural gas storage facilities around the country.
The deal — which is subject to several layers of regulatory approval — would create the natural gas industry’s largest public company by market cap. Together, the companies would have annual revenues of $5.1 billion, according to a statement and carry a market cap that is nearly twice the size of its nearest peer in a deal expected to close in the second half of 2011. Get the full story »
Dec. 7, 2010 at 2:20 p.m.
Filed under:
Chicago executives,
Exchanges,
M&A
By Reuters
CBOE CEO William J. Brodsky (center), facing camera, kicks off CBOE's first day as a publicly-traded company on the NASDAQ on June 15, 2010. (José M. Osorio/Chicago Tribune)
CBOE Holdings Inc. CEO William Brodsky said he is open to growth by acquisition, but added that the exchange operator’s tendency to build its own systems rather than buy them has saved shareholders money.
Asked at a conference hosted by Goldman Sachs if he would consider making acquisitions, Brodsky said, “We are certainly open to that. We are looking at things strategically in ways we couldn’t have six months ago.” Get the full story »
Dec. 6, 2010 at 4:27 p.m.
Filed under:
M&A,
Media,
Updated
By Reuters
Hedge fund manager William Ackman is raising his wager on bookseller Borders Group Inc, offering to help it buy larger rival Barnes & Noble Inc for $963.7 million. Get the full story »
Dec. 6, 2010 at 3:58 p.m.
Filed under:
Energy,
M&A
By Julie Wernau
Nicor Inc.’s stock price rose 4.24 percent to $46.76 today on reports that the Naperville energy company is set to announce a deal to be acquired by Atlanta-based AGL Resources.
The company has been shopping itself for months, courting regulated utilities and infrastructure funds with little success. Speculation arose last week that Integrys Energy Group Inc., parent of People’s Gas, was a considering a bid. AGL surfaced as Nicor’s likely buyer Monday in a report by Mergermarket, which tracks such deals and cited sources close to the situation. Get the full story »
Dec. 6, 2010 at 10:09 a.m.
Filed under:
Food,
International,
M&A
By Associated Press
Sara Lee Corp. has completed the $1.6 billion sale of its body care and European detergent segments to Unilever NV, the food company said Monday. Get the full story »
Dec. 6, 2010 at 6:24 a.m.
Filed under:
Internet,
M&A
By Reuters
AOL Inc., undergoing a radical transformation into the king of content on the Internet, is actively exploring a breakup involving a complicated series of transactions that may lead to a merger with Yahoo Inc., sources close to the plans told Reuters.
The plans are still in the exploratory stage and Yahoo has not been contacted, the sources said. The plans are also fraught with complications involving myriad moving pieces. Get the full story »
Dec. 3, 2010 at 6:04 p.m.
Filed under:
Consumer news,
IPOs,
Internet,
M&A,
Startups,
Technology
Groupon CEO Andrew Mason speaks at the company's headquarters on Aug. 31, 2010. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
By Melissa Harris and Wailin Wong
The deal didn’t tip after all.
Chicago-based Groupon Inc. has turned down an acquisition offer from Google Inc. and is staying independent, two sources with direct knowledge of the situation said Friday.
The two companies had been engaged in talks, with speculation about the marriage reaching a fever pitch over the last week. Mountain View, Calif.-based Google reportedly had offered between $5 billion and $6 billion for the daily deal start-up. Get the full story »
Dec. 3, 2010 at 10:39 a.m.
Filed under:
Food,
M&A
By Associated Press
Shareholders of pretzel and snack food maker Snyder’s of Hanover Inc. are casting their ballots to approve the company’s acquisition by Lance Inc.
Privately held Snyder’s makes EatSmart products, Krunchers! and Grande tortilla chips. It expects the results of the vote to be announced later Friday. Get the full story »
Dec. 3, 2010 at 6:21 a.m.
Filed under:
Energy,
M&A
From Crain’s Chicago Business | Peoples Gas parent Integrys Energy Group Inc., which owns utilities in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan,parent of Peoples Gas, is considering a bid for Naperville natural-gas utility Nicor Inc. At least one out-of-state utility and possibly a private-equity firm are also kicking Nicor’s tires. Get the full story>>
Dec. 2, 2010 at 2:35 p.m.
Filed under:
Energy,
M&A
By Dow Jones Newswires
Nicor Inc. is seeking a buyer and has hired JPMorgan Chase & Co. to run the auction, Bloomberg News reported Thursday, citing people with knowledge of the matter. Get the full story »