Filed under: M&A

Visit our Filed page for categories. To browse by specific topic, see our Inside page. For a list of companies covered on this site, visit our Companies page.

 

New owner for 4 Chicago radio stations

Four radio stations in Chicago, including WTMX-FM 101.9 and WDRV-FM 97.1, are getting new owners as part of a $505 million deal between Hubbard Broadcasting Inc. and Bonneville International Corporation.

Bonneville, which is headquartered in Salt Lake City, is selling 17 radio stations to Minneapolis-based Hubbard. Chicago is one of four “strategic markets” that Hubbard is adding to its portfolio with the acquisition, the company said in a press release. The other markets are Washington, D.C., St. Louis and Cincinnati. Get the full story »

Flight attendants weigh union merger at United

Flight attendants at United Airlines and Continental are represented by separate unions, but the union at United filed papers Tuesday that could start the process of combining them as parent company United Continental Holdings Inc. combines the two airlines into one. Get the full story »

Comcast wins FCC approval to take over NBC

The Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday gave Comcast Corp., the country’s largest cable company, the green light to take over NBC Universal, home of the NBC television network.

Four of the commission’s five members voted to let Comcast buy a 51 percent stake in NBC Universal from General Electric Co. for $13.8 billion in cash and assets. Michael Copps, one of the commission’s three Democrats and an opponent of media consolidation, voted against the deal. Get the full story »

J. Crew settles investor suit on pending takeover

Clothing retailer J. Crew Group Inc. is set to settle a shareholder lawsuit over its proposed takeover by private equity firms TPG Capital  and Leonard Green & Partners LP.

A $2.86 billion deal to acquire J. Crew was announced on Nov. 23, with TPG Group and Leonard Green & Partners LP agreeing to buy the company for $43.50 a share, a premium of about 15 percent. Get the full story »

FCC reportedly set to approve Comcast-NBC deal

Federal regulators are on the verge of announcing approval of Comcast Corp.’s  deal to acquire control of NBC Universal from General Electric Co. , according to people close to the review.

Federal Communications Commission officials spent the weekend making last-minute revisions to an order approving the deal. FCC commissioners are expected to approve it on a 4-1 vote, with Democratic commissioner Michael Copps, an opponent of media consolidation, voting against. Get the full story »

Sears passes on bid for J. Crew

From Bloomberg News | Sears Holdings Corp. opted not to rival a $3 billion bid for clother J. Crew Group Inc. from TPG Capital and Leonard Green & Partners LP, said two people familiar with the matter. Get the full story>>

Molex picks up unit of chip maker Luxtera

From Crain’s Chicago Business | Molex, the electronic connector maker based in Lisle, said it is buying the optical cable business of chip maker Luxtera Inc.

JBS, equity firms could team up on Sara Lee bid

JBS, the world’s top beef processor, could team up with a group of buyout firms as it seeks alternatives to win control of Sara Lee Corp., a source with knowledge of the plans told Reuters Tuesday.

Private equity firms have pursued Sao Paulo-based JBS since reports about a potential bid for Sara Lee arose late last year, the source said. No accord over a joint bid has been reached, said the source, who declined to be quoted by name because the talks remain private. Get the full story »

Groupon makes aquisitions in S. Africa, Israel, India

From Tech Crunch | Fresh off its billion dollar funding round, Groupon has snapped up more international competitors: Israel’s Grouper, South Africa’s Twangoo and India’s SoSasta. All sites will take the Groupon name. Terms of the deals were not disclosed. Get the full story>>

Idex to acquire Microfluidics International

Northbrook-based Idex Corp. will acquire Microfluidics International Corp., a maker of equipment used by pharmaceutical and chemical companies to make tiny materials, for about $14 million. Get the full story »

Hefner to take Playboy private; shares spike

Playboy will be taken private under an agreement with Icon Acquisition Holdings, a limited partnership controlled by founder Hugh Hefner, left. (LATimes)

By Robert Channick | More than 57 years after launching Playboy from his South Side apartment, Hugh Hefner is buying back the bunny.

After six months of deliberation, an improved offer to take Playboy Enterprises private at $6.15 a share passed muster with the board, which voted Sunday to return the magazine empire to its 84-year-old founder.

Shares of Playboy spiked nearly 18 percent on Monday. Get the full story »

Sara Lee shares up 2.5% on takeover talk

Shares of Sara Lee Corp. rose more than 2.5 percent Monday on reports that a group of private equity firms is interested in a buyout of the coffee and meat company. Get the full story »

Duke creates largest U.S. utility with Progress deal

Duke Energy said Monday it agreed to buy Progress Energy Inc for $13.7 billion in stock, creating the largest U.S. power company.

The transaction would create an industry giant with approximately 7.1 million electricity customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio, and 57,000 megawatts of generating capacity. Get the full story »

DuPont to purchase Danisco for $5.8B

DuPont Co. says it is buying Danish food ingredients maker Danisco A/S for $5.8 billion as it looks to broaden its food and biofuels operations. The deal has a total value of $6.3 billion, which includes the assumption of $500 million in debt. Get the full story »

Apollo, others consider Sara Lee buyout, sources say

Private-equity firm Apollo Global Management LLC and investor C. Dean Metropoulos have formed a group of investors to explore a purchase of Sara Lee Corp., people familiar with the matter said.

Apollo and Metropoulos, a Connecticut entrepreneur who acquired Pabst Brewing Co. last year, are leading a consortium that includes Bain Capital LLC and TPG Capital LP, the people said. Get the full story »