Transactions UK

  • July 31, 2025

    Asset Manager Denies Breaching NDA For €118M Deals

    A London-based investment manager has sued two companies of the Italian asset manager giant Azimut for millions over deals related to an investment in a machinery manufacturer, but Azimut has denied breaching the deal saying it had been released from its obligations.

  • July 31, 2025

    Hammerson Raises Equity To Fund £319M Bullring Purchase

    Urban real estate developer Hammerson said Thursday it is selling its shares, guided by Slaughter and May, Cravath Swaine & Moore LLP and others, to acquire from CPP Investments the remaining 50% interest in a "super prime" retail destination in Birmingham for £319 million ($421.4 million).

  • July 31, 2025

    Ashurst-Led Rockhopper In $140M Falkland Oil Project Raise

    U.K.-based oil and gas producer Rockhopper Exploration PLC said Thursday that investors have pledged to acquire new shares as part of a $140 million equity-raising drive to develop a new project in the Falklands.

  • July 31, 2025

    Lion Finance Eyes Purchase Of HSBC Unit's Malta Operation

    Lion Finance Group PLC, the owner of banks in Caucasia, expressed an interest on Thursday in buying the Malta operations of an HSBC subsidiary. 

  • July 31, 2025

    Baker McKenzie Helps JD.com Buy Ceconomy For €2.2B

    Chinese e-commerce heavyweight JD.com has said it will take Ceconomy AG private in a cash deal for approximately €2.2 billion ($2.5 billion), which is being backed by the German retail group's board, anchor shareholders and founding family.

  • July 31, 2025

    Euronext Offers To Buy Athens Stock Exchange For €413M

    Euronext NV said Thursday that it has offered to buy the Athens Stock Exchange SA for €412.8 million ($472.1 million) in an all-share transaction, as the bourse looks to expand its presence in southeast Europe.

  • July 31, 2025

    Squire Patton-Led JTC To Buy Swiss Bank Unit For £20M

    JTC PLC said Thursday it plans to acquire a finance services company that caters to ultra-rich clients from Swiss private bank Union Bancaire Privée SA for £20 million ($26.5 million), as the Jersey-based fund administrator seeks to increase its global presence.

  • July 31, 2025

    Freshfields Steers LSE Operator On £1B Buyback Plan

    London Stock Exchange Group PLC said on Thursday said it will launch further share buybacks worth up to £1 billion ($1.3 billion), as the financial markets operator reported strong growth and profits.

  • July 31, 2025

    A&O Shearman Guides Brookfield On £2.4B Just Group Buy

    Investment giant Brookfield said Thursday that it plans to buy Just Group, a British life insurer, for £2.4 billion ($3.2 billion) in a deal steered by A&O Shearman and Slaughter and May.

  • July 31, 2025

    Shell Launches $3.5B Buyback To Cut Share Capital

    Shell began a program on Thursday to buy back shares worth up to $3.5 billion as the British multinational reported a drop in earnings.

  • July 30, 2025

    Sainsbury's Bank Partners With Allianz For Insurance Policies

    Insurance giant Allianz UK said Wednesday that it has penned a deal to offer replacement home and motor insurance policies to Sainsbury's Bank customers as their current cover expires.

  • July 30, 2025

    Sandoz Signs Deal To Acquire Evotec Plant For $300M

    Swiss pharma company Sandoz Group AG said Wednesday that it has reached a nonbinding deal with its German peer Evotec SE to acquire Just-Evotec Biologics for $300 million.

  • July 30, 2025

    Schneider Electric To Buy 35% Stake In India JV For €5.5B

    Schneider Electric SE said Wednesday that it will acquire full control of Schneider Electric India Private Ltd. by agreeing to purchase the remaining 35% stake for €5.5 billion ($6.35 billion) from its joint venture partner Temasek.

  • July 30, 2025

    Sullivan & Cromwell-Led Evercore Pays £146M For UK Adviser

    Sullivan & Cromwell LLP-led Evercore Inc. said Wednesday it has agreed to acquire the U.K.-based boutique corporate adviser Robey Warshaw LLP, advised by Freshfields LLP, for £146 million ($195 million) as the U.S. global investment banking giant moves to expand into the London mergers and acquisitions market.

  • July 30, 2025

    Renewables Fund Greencoat To Sell £188M Wind Farm Stakes

    Greencoat UK Wind PLC said Wednesday it has agreed to sell some of its holdings in three wind farms for £188 million ($251 million) as it seeks to reduce borrowing and support its share buyback program.

  • July 30, 2025

    EQT Bids $2.7B To Pull Fujitec From Japan's Stock Exchange

    Swedish private equity shop EQT said Wednesday that it will make a $2.7 billion offer to take private Japanese elevator maker Fujitec Co. Ltd.

  • July 30, 2025

    Addleshaw Guides Rathbones' Maiden £50M Buyback

    Rathbones Group PLC said Wednesday that it will launch its first share buyback program worth up to £50 million ($67 million) after it reported a strong cash position. 

  • July 30, 2025

    HSBC Unveils $3B Share Buyback Scheme

    HSBC said Wednesday that it will reward investors with a share repurchase program of up to $3 billion, despite posting a drop in its pre-tax profits.

  • July 30, 2025

    Santander To Reward Shareholders With €1.7B Buyback

    Banco Santander SA said on Wednesday that it will soon kick off a share buyback worth up to €1.7 billion ($1.97 billion), which is expected to lower the Spanish lending giant's share capital.   

  • July 30, 2025

    Finance Biz Eyes £490M Acquisition Of UK Lender IPF

    British credit provider International Personal Finance said Wednesday that it is in talks to be bought by U.S. specialist finance group BasePoint Capital in a proposed £490 million ($656 million) cash deal.

  • July 29, 2025

    DOJ Drops Challenge Of Amex GBT's $570M Deal For CWT

    The U.S. Department of Justice said Tuesday that enforcers have agreed to drop their case challenging American Express Global Business Travel Inc.'s planned $570 million purchase of corporate travel management rival CWT Holdings LLC.

  • July 29, 2025

    Latham Steers PE-Backed Eco Material On $2.1B Cement Deal

    Building materials supplier CRH announced Tuesday it will acquire Eco Material Technologies for $2.1 billion in cash, deepening its presence in North America's fast-growing market for lower-carbon cement alternatives.

  • July 29, 2025

    Trump Says Britain's Tax On North Sea Oil 'Makes No Sense'

    President Donald Trump criticized Tuesday the British government's 78% taxes on North Sea oil as a policy that "makes no sense," a day after speaking with Prime Minister Keir Starmer about trade and other issues.

  • July 29, 2025

    Bridgehaven Buys Irish Insurer To Enter EU Market

    British insurance company Bridgehaven said it is poised to enter the European market after penning an agreement to buy the Irish insurer SureStone Insurance DAC.

  • July 29, 2025

    Shareholders Of Just Eat Get More Time To Accept €4.1B Offer

    Dutch investment group Prosus said Tuesday that it has given the shareholders of Just Eat Takeaway more time to accept its €4.1 billion ($4.7 billion) take-private deal as it waits for the European Commission to clear its antitrust concerns.

Expert Analysis

  • Businesses Should Expect A Role In Tackling Fraud Next Year

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    If one word sums up a key trend in financial crime enforcement in 2024, it would be fraud, as enforcement agencies clamped down on consumer-focused crime — and businesses will need to be prepared to play a part in 2025 with the coming of the "failure to prevent fraud" offense, says Jessica Parker at Corker Binning.

  • Decoding Arbitral Disputes: Cross-Border Contract Lessons

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    A U.K. court's decision this month in Banco De Sabadell v. Cerberus provides critical lessons for practitioners involved in drafting and litigating cross-border investment agreements, and offers crucial insight into how English courts apply foreign law in complex cross-border disputes, says Josep Galvez at 4-5 Gray's Inn. 

  • Preparing For The Next 5 Years Of EU Digital Policy

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    The new European Commission appears poised to build on the artificial intelligence, data management and digital regulation groundwork laid by President Ursula von der Leyen's first mandate, with a strong focus on enforcement and further enhancement of previous initiatives during the next five years, say lawyers at Steptoe.

  • The Rising Tide Of EU Antitrust Enforcement In Pharma

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    The European Commission’s recent record-breaking €463 million fine of Teva for abusing its dominant position confirms that European Union competition law enforcement in the pharmaceutical sector remains a priority, with infringements drawing serious financial exposure, say lawyers at Cooley.

  • Looking Back On 2024's Competition Law Issues For GenAI

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    With inherent uncertainties in generative artificial intelligence raising antitrust issues that attract competition authorities' attention, the 2024 uptick in transaction reviews demonstrates that regulators are vigilant about the possibility that markets may tip in favor of large existing players, say lawyers at McDermott.

  • What The Future Of AI In Financial Services Looks Like

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    Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the global financial services industry, with a hybrid model likely to evolve where AI handles routine tasks and humans focus on strategy and decision-making, so financial institutions should work with regulators to establish ethical standards and meet regulatory expectations without stifling innovation, say lawyers at Womble Bond.

  • What UK Security Act Report Indicates For Future Gov't Policy

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    Following the recent publication of the National Security and Investment Act report on the scrutiny of proposed investments, it will be interesting to see how the act’s powers fit into a government policy that plans to cut regulatory obstacles, while maintaining a hard line on national security, say lawyers at Katten Muchin.

  • What UK Takeover Code's Narrowed Focus Will Mean For Cos.

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    In narrowing its scope of application, the U.K. Takeover Panel's forthcoming amended code will have practical implications for U.K.-registered companies and ultimately provide greater market clarity and certainty, say lawyers at Davis Polk.

  • M&A Takeaways From 1st EU Foreign Subsidies Merger Ruling

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    The European Commission’s recent decision on the merger between e& and PFF Telecom is the first to approve a transaction subject to commitments under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation, serving as a helpful guide by confirming that behavioral measures ring-fencing EU activities from the potential effect of third-country subsidies are acceptable, say lawyers at Cleary.

  • Factors Driving EU Competition Policy For The Next 5 Years

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    Teresa Ribera Rodríguez’s recent nomination as the new European Union commissioner for competition prompts questions about policy and enforcement, with goals to enhance competition in business, implement stronger and faster enforcement, and promote and fund decarbonization likely in her sights during a five-year term, say lawyers at Linklaters.

  • Modernizing UK Trade Settlement Standard: The Road Ahead

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    Andrew Tsang and Tom Bacon at BCLP consider the rationale and challenges of a potential U.K. trade settlement acceleration, part of an initiative to modernize the financial market infrastructure, and suggest that incorporating distributed ledger technology as a synchronized recording system would facilitate the move.

  • What EU Antitrust Guidelines Will Mean For Dominant Cos.

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    The European Commission’s recent draft antitrust guidelines will steer courts' enforcement powers, increasing the risk for dominant firms engaging in exclusive dealing without any apparent basis to shift the burden of proof to those companies, say lawyers at Latham.

  • Draft Merger Control Guidance Allows CMA To Cast Wide Net

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    The Competition and Markets Authority's recent draft merger control guidance, reflecting the regulator's strengthened powers under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Act, introduces extensive change and potential procedural improvements, specifically concerning reviews of private equity firms, say lawyers at Travers Smith.

  • Reflecting On 12 Months Of The EU Foreign Subsidy Regime

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    New European Commission guidance, addressing procedural questions and finally providing clarity on “distortion” in merger control and public procurement, offers an opportunity to reflect on the year since foreign subsidy notification obligations were introduced, say lawyers at Fried Frank.

  • Review Of EU Cross-Border Merger Regs' Impact On Irish Cos.

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    Looking back on the year since the European Union Mobility Directive was transposed into Irish law, enabling Irish and European Economic Area limited liability companies to participate in cross-border deals, it is clear that restructuring options available to Irish companies with EU operations have significantly expanded, say lawyers at Matheson.

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