MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS – AUSTRALIA

Deals boom set to gain new steam

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Original article by Joyce Moullakis
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 18 : 4-Jan-16

Dealogic notes that some $US129.8bn ($A177.7bn) worth of mergers and acquisitions were announced in Australia during 2015. However, the value of completed deals fell from $US101.2bn to $US97.4bn. Tim Joyce of Macquarie Capital expects M&A activity to increase in 2016, while Aidan Allen of Citigroup anticipates that the retail sector will be among those to be targeted in 2016. He also expects more takeover activity among private equity firms.

CORPORATES
DEALOGIC (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, MACQUARIE CAPITAL PTY LTD, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, RBC CAPITAL MARKETS, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, OIL SEARCH LIMITED – ASX OSH, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, SCEPTER PARTNERS, TRANSGRID, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, SOUTH32 LIMITED – ASX S32, ASCIANO LIMITED – ASX AIO, BROOKFIELD INFRASTRUCTURE PARTNERS LP, QUBE HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX QUB

Domino’s soars on European deals

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Original article by Sue Mitchell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 18 : 17-Dec-15

Australian-listed Domino’s Pizza Enterprises now expects 30 per cent growth in its 2016 underlying EBITDA and net profits. The group had only recently upgraded its earnings guidance to 25 per cent growth. It will also acquire German pizza chain Joey’s via a joint venture with UK-based Domino’s Pizza Group. Meanwhile, Domino’s Pizza Enterprises has secured long-term extensions to its master franchise rights to the Domino’s brand in several European countries.

CORPORATES
DOMINO’S PIZZA ENTERPRISES LIMITED – ASX DMP, DOMINO’S PIZZA GROUP PLC, DOMINO’S PIZZA INCORPORATED, JOEY’S PIZZA, PLATYPUS ASSET MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, PIZZA SPRINT

Woodside drops Oil Search bid

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Original article by Barry FitzGerald
The Australian – Page: 20 : 9-Dec-15

Woodside Petroleum has advised that it will no longer pursue a $A10.2bn takeover bid for Oil Search. Woodside had never convinced investors and the Papua New Guinea Government – which has a 10.1 per cent stake in Oil Search – of its one-for-four scrip offer’s merits. Suhas Nayak of Allan Gray notes that Oil Search could not be classified as a "distressed asset", but says Woodside’s relatively healthy balance sheet means it can pursue such assets if appropriate opportunities arise.

CORPORATES
WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, OIL SEARCH LIMITED – ASX OSH, ALLAN GRAY AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, EXXONMOBIL CORPORATION

No slow down in 2016 for hot M&A volumes

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Original article by Joyce Moullakis
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 9-Dec-15

Data from Dealogic shows that mergers and acquisitions activity involving Australian companies has risen by 80 per cent so far in 2015, to $US124.9bn ($A170.9m). This includes 23 deals worth $US1bn ($A1.4bn). Alex Cartel of Deutsche Bank forecasts further growth in M&A activity in 2016, while Gareth Cope of Rothschild Australia says the country remains highly attractive to offshore investors. Meanwhile, equity capital market issuance has reached its highest level since 2009, at more than $US42bn.

CORPORATES
DEALOGIC (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, NM ROTHSCHILD AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS PTY LTD, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, GOLDMAN SACHS AND PARTNERS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. FOREIGN INVESTMENT REVIEW BOARD, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, OIL SEARCH LIMITED – ASX OSH, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, SCEPTER PARTNERS, BROADSPECTRUM LIMITED – ASX BRS, TRANSGRID, VEDA GROUP LIMITED – ASX VED, EQUIFAX INCORPORATED, ASCIANO LIMITED – ASX AIO, CALTEX AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX CTX, CHEVRON CORPORATION, HEALTHSCOPE LIMITED – ASX HSO, TPG CAPITAL LP, THE CARLYLE GROUP

Fairfax invests in neighbourhood company

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 14 : 8-Dec-15

Australian-listed Fairfax Media has paid an undisclosed price for a 25 per cent stake in Nabo, a neighbourhood-based social media network that was founded in November 2014. Seven West Media and venture capital group Reinventure were both among the initial investors in Nabo, and each have a 25 per cent stake in the venture. Fairfax has previously invested in a similar New Zealand social media network called Neighbourly.

CORPORATES
FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NABO COMMUNITY, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, REINVENTURE GROUP PTY LTD, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, NEIGHBOURLY, NEXTDOOR.COM INCORPORATED, LIVINGSOCIAL

TransGrid’s $10.3b sale boosts grid

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Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith, Anthony Macdonald, Sarah Thompson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 8 : 26-Nov-15

Spark Infrastructure and Hastings Funds Management are members of the international consortium that will acquire New South Wales-based TransGrid. Canada’s Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec and two Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds hold the largest stakes in the winning consortium, which will pay $A10.3bn for the electricity transmission grid. Simon Mawhinney of Allan Gray says the consortium is paying a "full price" for TransGrid, although the sale price has been criticised by unions.

CORPORATES
TRANSGRID, SPARK INFRASTRUCTURE GROUP – ASX SKI, HASTINGS FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED, CAISSE DE DEPOT ET PLACEMENT DU QUEBEC, ALLAN GRAY AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEW SOUTH WALES. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET, NEW SOUTH WALES. THE TREASURY, ELECTRICAL TRADES UNION, UNITED SERVICES UNION, PORT OF NEWCASTLE, SYDNEY AIRPORT – ASX SYD, ELECTRANET SA, AUSTRALIANSUPER PTY LTD, QIC LIMITED, IFM INVESTORS PTY LTD, CHINA INVESTMENT CORPORATION, INFRASTRUCTURE PARTNERSHIPS AUSTRALIA, ENDEAVOUR ENERGY LIMITED, AUSGRID PTY LTD, ENERGY SUPPLY ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC

Bauer targets Southern Cross

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Original article by Jake Mitchell, Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 23 : 23-Nov-15

Bauer Media is believed to be considering a takeover bid for Southern Cross Media Group in order to diversify its Australian business. Bauer approached rival radio group Nova Entertainment in 2014, but Nova has ruled out a sale. Southern Cross Media’s network of metropolitan and regional radio stations accounts for the bulk of its revenue, and Bauer is said to be keen to reduce its reliance on revenue from magazines. Bauer is the leading player in Europe’s radio sector.

CORPORATES
BAUER MEDIA KG, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, SOUTHERN CROSS AUSTEREO PTY LTD, NOVA ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, MACQUARIE MEDIA LIMITED – ASX MRN, ACP MAGAZINES LIMITED, HIT NETWORK, TRIPLE M CORPORATION PTY LTD, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, ILLYRIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN RADIO NETWORK PTY LTD, APN NEWS AND MEDIA LIMITED – ASX APN, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, KIIS1065, SMOOTHFM, ALLAN GRAY AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD

OzForex co-founders big winners from Western Union bid

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Original article by Shaun Drummond, Sarah Thompson, Michael Bailey, Anthony Macdonald, Joyce Moullakis
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 18 : 20-Nov-15

Shares in online foreign exchange group OzForex closed 30 per cent higher at $A3.38 on 19 November 2015, in response to Western Union’s $A888m takeover approach The indicative offer is non-binding and may not result in a formal takeover bid, but OzForex’s co-founder Matthew Gilmour expects the company to attract other bids. He notes that a number of overseas groups were interested in buying OzForex prior to its IPO in 2013.

CORPORATES
OZFOREX GROUP LIMITED – ASX OFX, WESTERN UNION FINANCIAL SERVICES INCORPORATED, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, CLAYTON UTZ, GRESHAM PARTNERS LIMITED, EURONET WORLDWIDE INCORPORATED, DEUTSCHE BOERSE, TRAVELWISE, WORLD FIRST, NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE, VEDA GROUP LIMITED – ASX VED, EQUIFAX INCORPORATED, ISELECT LIMITED – ASX ISU, PROVIDENCE EQUITY PARTNERS INCORPORATED

Gordon has new tune for talks with Nine

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Original article by Jake Mitchell
The Australian – Page: 22 : 20-Nov-15

Nine Entertainment Company is seeking to conclude negotiations for a new affiliate agreement with regional broadcaster WIN Corporation. However, Nine is also holding merger talks with Southern Cross Media Group. WIN owner Bruce Gordon also has 14.9 per cent stakes in both Nine and Ten Network, positioning him to play a key role in TV industry consolidation if cross-media ownership rules are relaxed.

CORPORATES
NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS

Tatts Group urged to seek premium

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Original article by James Thomson, Jessica Gardner
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 18 : 16-Nov-15

Tabcorp Holdings and Tatts Group have both declined to comment on reports that they have held merger discussions. Shares in Tatts Group closed at $A3.92 on 13 November 2015, although Sandon Capital estimates that the stock could be worth around $A5.50 if Tatts were broken up. Tabcorp is seen as a potential buyer of Tatts’ wagering division, but some fund managers favour a merger between the two groups.

CORPORATES
TABCORP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TAH, TATTS GROUP LIMITED – ASX TTS, SANDON CAPITAL INVESTMENTS LIMITED – ASX SNC, PERPETUAL LIMITED – ASX PPT, UNITAB LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, ONTARIO TEACHERS’ PENSION PLAN, NSW LOTTERIES, WILLIAM HILL AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, LADBROKES GROUP PLC