French power equipment maker says it is in talks to buy UK engineering group
Shares in the UK engineering group Invensys have surged 16% on news of a £3.3bn takeover approach from France's Schneider Electric.
The French power equipment maker said it was in early talks to buy Invensys to boost its industry automation business. Invensys said it was likely to recommend Schneider's offer of 505p a share, which would represent a 15% premium to the stock's Thursday close on the London Stock Exchange. The shares reached 511p in early trading on Friday.
Schneider has indicated it would pay 319p in cash and 186p in new Schneider shares, Invensys said.
Schneider said it had until 8 August to say whether it intended to make a firm offer or walk away under UK rules. This could be extended with UK takeover panel consent. The group, whose products help utilities distribute electricity and which makes automation systems for the car and water treatment industries, said last summer that it planned to step up acquisitions to boost sales and tap new markets.
Schneider had €2.8bn (£2.4bn) of operating cash flow at the end of 2012.
Invensys emerged as a potential takeover target earlier this year on speculation that the sale of its rail business could lead to substantial net cash and raise interest from suitors.
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| Schneider's offer of 505p a share would represent a 15% premium to Invensys's Thursday close on the London Stock ExchangeSociété Générale analysts said in late April that Invensys could be valued at 460p a share following the disposal. |
Invensys said in May it planned to return £625m to shareholders after selling Invensys Rail for £1.74bn to Siemens.
Schneider said on Thursday that a takeover of Invensys would lead to "significant cost savings" and "revenue synergies".
Invensys provides software, systems and controls to clients ranging from oil refineries and power stations to mining companies and appliance manufacturers, to help monitor, control and automate products and processes.
Its Industrial Automation unit supplies control systems, safety systems and instrumentation to customers operating oil refineries, nuclear power stations and petrochemical plants.
Invensys said its advisers were Barclays and JP Morgan Cazenove.
Article Source : http://www.guardian.co.uk
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