Transactions UK

  • August 06, 2025

    CMA Clears $13B Omnicom-Interpublic Merger

    Britain's competition watchdog said Wednesday it has cleared the approximately $13 billion merger of U.S.-based marketing communications heavyweights Omnicom Group Inc. and Interpublic Group of Companies Inc., following a similar decision in the U.S. in June.

  • August 06, 2025

    Freshfields-Led Sanofi Wraps Up $470M Vigil Buy

    Sanofi said Wednesday that it has completed the approximately $470 million acquisition of U.S. biotechnology company Vigil Neuroscience, which specializes in neurodegenerative diseases, strengthening the French pharma titan's early-stage medicine pipeline in neurology.

  • August 06, 2025

    Commerzbank Plans €1B Share Buyback After Record Results

    Commerzbank AG said Wednesday it is seeking approval to kick-start a share buyback of up to €1 billion ($1.15 billion), as the European lender disclosed record financial results for the first half of 2025.

  • August 06, 2025

    Financial Services Biz TP ICAP To Launch 5th Share Buyback

    TP ICAP unveiled plans on Wednesday to reward investors with another share repurchase program worth up to £30 million ($40 million), a move the financial markets intermediary said reflects its strong position.

  • August 06, 2025

    E-Commerce Group THG To Sell Food Flavoring Biz For £103M

    THG PLC said Wednesday that it has agreed to sell its food ingredients business to Italian food-flavoring business Nactarome Group for £103 million ($137 million), which the global retailer and brand owner will use to reduce its debt.

  • August 06, 2025

    Insurer L&G Expects £42B Of Pensions Deals In 12 Months

    Insurer Legal & General said Wednesday that it expects at least £42 billion ($56 billion) in transactions designed to reduce risk in U.K. pension plans over the next 12 months, amid surging demand from businesses.

  • August 06, 2025

    HSF Kramer Guides Marsh On £1.9B Pensions Mega-Deal

    British insurer Standard Life said Wednesday that it has acquired £1.9 billion ($2.5 billion) in pension liabilities from broking giant Marsh McLennan, in a deal guided by Linklaters, HSF Kramer and Eversheds Sutherland.

  • August 06, 2025

    Hiscox Hikes Buyback To $275M To Reward Investors

    Insurer Hiscox Ltd. said Wednesday that it plans to boost its current share buyback program worth up to $175 million by $100 million, saying it now has the flexibility to reward investors.

  • August 06, 2025

    Finnish Insurer To Launch €200M Buyback After Profits Jump

    Sampo PLC said Wednesday that it will reward investors with a share buyback worth up to €200 million (£234 million) of surplus cash the Finnish insurer generated in 2024 it as reported higher underwriting profits.

  • August 06, 2025

    Glencore Shelves US Listing Plans In Favor Of London

    Mining giant Glencore PLC said Wednesday that it will maintain its primary listing on the London Stock Exchange as it ditches plans for a move to New York for now.

  • August 05, 2025

    CMA Launches In-Depth Probe Of Catering Services Merger

    United Kingdom antitrust enforcers are officially launching an in-depth review of Aramark Group's acquisition of Scottish catering company Entier Ltd., saying Tuesday that Aramark declined to volunteer any remedies that would assuage competition concerns during the government's initial review phase.

  • August 05, 2025

    Franchise Brands Delays Main Market Listing To Late 2027

    Franchise Brands PLC said Tuesday that it has decided to push back its plans to move its listing to the main market of the London Stock Exchange by more than two years "following a number of questions from shareholders."

  • August 05, 2025

    Latham-Led Nordic Driller Signs $380M Deal With Saudi Rival

    Norwegian oil rig group Shelf Drilling said Tuesday that its Saudi competitor ADES has agreed to acquire all of its shares for approximately 3.9 billion Norwegian krone ($380 million) in a deal guided by Latham, Schjødt and others.

  • August 05, 2025

    UK Insurance Co.'s 5th Deal Is With Essex Broker Buy

    The Broker Investment Group has announced it bought a commercial insurance broker based in Essex, marking the fifth deal penned by the company this year.

  • August 05, 2025

    Football Club Owner Accused Of Dodging $93M Share Deal

    An investment vehicle has sued John Textor, the former owner of Crystal Palace FC, for allegedly refusing to buy its stake in his company that owns a portfolio of football clubs for $93.6 million, which it claimed is required under an investment deal.

  • August 05, 2025

    Beauchamps LLP Advises Software Circle On €9M Buy

    Software Circle PLC said Tuesday it has bought around 95% of the issued share capital of software supplier Artificial Intelligence Finance Ltd. in a deal worth up to €9 million ($10.4 million).

  • August 05, 2025

    Lifts Co. Dewhurst Plots AIM Exit, £25M Return To Investors

    Elevator parts supplier Dewhurst Group PLC said Tuesday it plans to delist from the junior index of the London Stock Exchange and has launched a tender offer to repurchase shares in the company worth up to £25 million ($33 million).

  • August 05, 2025

    Smith & Nephew Unveils $500M Buyback As Profits Rise

    Smith & Nephew said Tuesday that it will reward investors with a share buyback plan worth up to $500 million as the maker of hip and knee implants unveiled higher operating profits.

  • August 05, 2025

    Reed Smith Advises Data Tech Biz On £60M Tender Offer

    GlobalData PLC confirmed on Tuesday that it plans to launch a share buyback worth up to £60 million ($80 million), as the data and technology business seeks to reward investors after withdrawing its previous £50 million scheme.

  • August 05, 2025

    Insurance M&A Market Rattled After PIB-Gallagher Deal Folds

    The collapse of talks between insurance giant Gallagher and broker-investor PIB Group has unnerved investors amid a wider slowdown in the mergers and acquisitions market for the sector, a consultancy said Tuesday. 

  • August 05, 2025

    BP Plans $750M Share Buyback Amid Oil And Gas Projects

    BP said on Tuesday that it will reward investors with a share repurchase program worth as much as $750 million as it forges ahead with oil and gas projects.

  • August 05, 2025

    CMS, Sackers Guide National Grid On £900M Pension Deal

    The pension plan of National Grid has agreed to a £900 million ($1.2 billion) buy-in with Rothesay Life PLC, the insurer said Tuesday.

  • August 05, 2025

    KKR Takes Lead Again In £4.2B Bidding War For Spectris

    Spectris backed an improved £4.2 billion ($5.6 billion) offer on Tuesday from KKR, a change of heart only days after the high-tech instruments maker chose a rival bid of the same value from private equity firm Advent.

  • August 04, 2025

    Sellers To Pay £5M For Hiding Breaches In Education Biz Sale

    The sellers of a military education business must pay more than £5.2 million ($6.9 million) in damages to the buyer after a court held Monday they had breached the terms of the deal by not disclosing violating funding regulations.

  • August 04, 2025

    Oakley Investor Earmarks £22M For French Software Firm

    Oakley Capital Investments said Monday that private equity firm Oakley Capital Ltd. has secured an exclusive option to acquire a controlling stake in France-based customer relationship management software company Brevo together with private equity firm General Atlantic.

Expert Analysis

  • Tools For Effective Asset Tracking In Offshore Jurisdictions

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    In light of a technology company's recent allegations that its former CEO maintained an undisclosed interest in offshore companies, practitioners may want to refresh their knowledge of the tool kit available for tracing and recovering allegedly misappropriated assets from both onshore and offshore jurisdictions, say lawyers at Walkers Global.

  • FCA Update Eases Private Stock Market Disclosure Rules

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    The Financial Conduct Authority’s recently updated proposals for the Private Intermittent Securities and Capital Exchange System would result in less onerous disclosure obligations for businesses, reflecting ongoing efforts to balance an attractive trading venue for private companies while maintaining sufficient investor protections, say lawyers at Debevoise.

  • FCA Bulletin Highlights Risks Of Leaking Inside M&A Info

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    The Financial Conduct Authority’s recent bulletin on the consequences of leaking sensitive information during transactions, warning that such disclosure may result in market abuse allegations, demonstrates the regulator’s determination to root out and penalize insider dealing, say lawyers at Cadwalader.

  • How CMA Is Responding To UK Gov't Pro-Growth Agenda

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    With the U.K. government’s recent call for the Competition and Markets Authority and other regulators to better support economic growth, the competition policy landscape is shifting materially toward an emphasis on a more proportionate and targeted approach to merger enforcement, say lawyers at Macfarlanes.

  • What Latest VC Model Document Revisions Offer UK Investors

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    Recent updates to the British Private Equity and Venture Capital Association model documents, reflecting prevailing U.K. market practice on early-stage equity financing terms and increasing focus on compliance issues, provide needed protection for investors in relation to the growth in global foreign direct investment regimes, say lawyers at Davis Polk.

  • What Cos. Must Note From FCA Bulletin On Leaking M&A Info

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    The Financial Conduct Authority’s recent bulletin on strategic leaks in merger and acquisition transactions, as the second such publication in four months, acts as a warning for issuers and their advisers to tighten up their current policies for handling inside information, say lawyers at Herbert Smith.

  • Key Takeaways From The 2025 Spring Antitrust Meeting

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    Leadership changes, shifting priorities and evolving enforcement tools dominated the conversation at the recent American Bar Association Spring Antitrust Meeting, as panelists explored competition policy under a second Trump administration, agency discretion under the 2023 merger guidelines and new frontiers in conduct enforcement, say attorneys at Freshfields.

  • What To Know About FCA's UK Listing Rules Proposal

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    A recent consultation paper from the Financial Conduct Authority aims to streamline the securities-listing process for U.K.-regulated markets, including by allowing issuers to submit a single application for all securities of the same class, and aligning the disclosure standards for low-denomination and wholesale bonds, say lawyers at Debevoise.

  • Issues To Watch At ABA's Antitrust Spring Meeting

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    Attorneys at Freshfields consider the future of antitrust law and competition enforcement amid agency leadership changes and other emerging developments likely to dominate discussion at the American Bar Association's Antitrust Spring Meeting this week.

  • What To Note In EU Tech Transfer Agreements Consultation

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    Robert Klotz at Steptoe explains the European Commission’s main contemplated amendments to a regulation that exempts certain technology transfer agreements from European Union restrictions, the current political context around the ongoing reform, and as its potential consequences for businesses.

  • UK Refusal Of US Extradition Request May Set New Standard

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    The recent U.K. Supreme Court ruling in El-Khouri v. U.S., denying a U.S. extradition request, overturns a long-held precedent and narrows how U.K. courts must decide such requests, potentially signaling a broader reevaluation of U.K. extradition law, say lawyers at Dechert and Kingsley Napley.

  • Key Findings From EU Report On Antitrust Remedies

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    Although the European Commission’s recent report assessing the effectiveness of its antitrust policy on behavioral remedies is not binding, it may influence future cases and promote coherence, providing useful insights for national competition authorities and courts when considering remedies in their own jurisdictions, say lawyers at Paul Weiss.

  • New UK Order Offers Welcome Clarity To Crypto Staking Rules

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    The recently effective Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 Amendment Order clarifies that arrangements for qualifying crypto-asset staking do not amount to a collective investment scheme, and by addressing an issue that curtailed staking activities in the U.K., facilitates the use of that practice, says Andrew Henderson at Goodwin.

  • How EU Competition Policy Will Affect State Aid Rules

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    The European Commission’s recent competitiveness compass policy indicates its ambitions for the European Union to become an economic powerhouse, leveraging a new coordination tool that would affect state aid rules and boost public support for green energy investments, say lawyers at Linklaters.

  • Banker Remuneration Proposals Could Affect More Than Pay

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    The Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority’s pending proposals to reduce banker remuneration restrictions bring obvious personal financial advantages for bankers, but may have repercussions that result in increased scrutiny of bonus payments and wider changes to workplace culture and overall accountability, say lawyers at Fox Williams.

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