In June 2025, there were twelve Rule 2.7 announcements made across the UK public M&A market and five further possible offers announced. Recommended cash offer by HGGC LLC for Inspired plc – £183.6 million – public to private....more
In its latest annual Market Cleanliness report published yesterday, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has found that 38% of UK takeover targets in 2024 experienced an abnormal increase in their share price in the two days...more
In May 2025, there were eleven Rule 2.7 announcements made across the UK public M&A market and ten further possible offers announced. Firm Offers announced this month: Recommended cash offer by Tristan Capital Partners for...more
In 2024, in line with our predictions from last year, the UK public takeover market saw a sharp increase in the number of megadeals, i.e., those valued in excess of £1 billion. Seventeen such transactions were announced in...more
A peaceful election and slowing inflation have put M&A markets in South Africa in a more advantageous position. However, taking advantage of South African deal opportunities requires a clear understanding of a rapidly...more
On 24 April 2024, the UK Takeover Panel published PCP 2024/1 ("PCP 2024/1"), in which it is consulting on a significant narrowing of the types of companies that will be subject to the Takeover Code (the “Code”) - i.e., as...more
Global M&A Activity Endures Headwinds in 2023 and Displays Resilience Going Into 2024 - Despite market headwinds, dealmakers have looked to carveouts, spin-offs, joint ventures and other creative deal structures to engage...more
In this update, we provide four predictions for the UK public M&A landscape in 2024, considering key statistics, trends, developments and highlights regarding UK public takeovers announced during 2023....more
On 15 May 2023, the UK Takeover Panel published a public consultation on proposed changes to the Takeover Code's Rule 21.1 (which prevents a target under offer (or where an offer is imminent) from taking action that may lead...more
In this update, we consider key statistics, trends, developments and highlights regarding UK public M&A transactions governed by the UK Takeover Code that were announced during the first half (H1) of 2022....more
Private equity’s growing appetite for UK-listed targets comes with the need for Takeover Code-savvy dealmakers. Amid stiff competition for attractive private targets, PE firms are competing more regularly against...more
Favorable valuations are fueling opportunistic purchases by overseas bidders- Spiraling COVID rates, supply chain issues and food and fuel shortages have all hit the headlines in the months since the end of the Brexit...more
In this update, we consider key statistics, trends, developments and highlights regarding U.K. public M&A transactions governed by the U.K. City Code on Takeovers and Mergers (the Takeover Code) that were announced during the...more
In our first UK Public Markets Snapshot, we cover the key market trends in the first half of 2021, and share our predictions for H2. The UK and international M&A markets are booming, with a wave of takeover offers, including...more
In this update, we consider certain key statistics, trends, developments and highlights regarding U.K. public M&A transactions governed by the U.K. City Code on Takeovers and Mergers (the Takeover Code) that were announced...more
The challenges raised by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis initially led to a dramatic fall in share prices and market uncertainty. Although the capital markets have largely recovered their value since the initial COVID-19...more
Trends in Material Adverse Change Clauses – Implications of Coronavirus on M&A Transactions - On M&A transactions deal certainty may be a key negotiation issue. Whilst a seller may be reluctant to concede a material...more
We set out in the attached Newsletter a number of interesting English court decisions and market developments which have taken place in the second half of 2019 and their impact on M&A transactions. This review looks at these...more
The United Kingdom's Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA") published a policy statement on 26 October 2017 setting out certain amendments to the Listing Rules ("LRs") and related technical notes ("Policy Statement"). The FCA...more
Recent statements by Theresa May and her staff uncover the first potential significant change to UK competition law as a result of Brexit. A Downing Street spokesperson has indicated that all “foreign takeovers” of UK...more