(Adds Fnac Darty, Rolls-Royce, ABB, Vivendi )
July 24 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers,
acquisitions and disposals were reported by 2000 GMT on
Wednesday:
** French electronic goods retailer Fnac Darty FNAC.PA
said it entered exclusive talks to buy the French unit of
Germany's CTS Eventim EVDG.DE in a bid to strengthen its
ticketing business. Rolls-Royce RR.L said that its discussions with Indra
Sistemas SA IDR.MC , which had expressed interest in acquiring
a majority stake in the British group's Spanish business ITP
Aero, have ended without agreement. ABB ABBN.S has begun a review of its Integrated Direct
Current Power business, the latest stage of the Swiss
engineering company's overhaul to tackle years of
underperformance. French media group Vivendi VIV.PA is set to appoint
several investment banks for the sale of up to 50% of Universal
Music Group, its most-prized asset, said a source close to the
matter. The official receiver to British Steel has been
"encouraged" by interest shown in buying the company, which was
put into compulsory liquidation in May, Business Minister Greg
Clark told parliament. Listed Brazilian meat producer Marfrig Global Foods SA
MRFG3.SA is a potential bidder for Paraguay's Frigorífico
Concepción SA, according to a report in newspaper Valor
Econômico. Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) has sold a 16.1% stake
in Gulf Bank GBKK.KW to Alghanim Trading Co for 152.93 million
dinars ($503 million), making the business conglomerate the
biggest shareholder of the country's fourth-biggest bank,
according to a bourse filing. Brazilian state-run oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA
PETR4.SA relinquished control of the country's biggest fuel
distributor in a share offering, which may raise up to 9.6
billion reais ($2.5 billion). Jollibee Foods Corp JFC.PS , Philippines' largest food
service network operator, is buying U.S. brand Coffee Bean & Tea
Leaf (CBTL) for $100 million as part of an expansion outside its
home market. Metro B4B.DE recommended its shareholders turn down a
takeover offer by EP Global Commerce, which is owned by Czech
and Slovak investors, arguing that the 5.8 billion euro ($6.5
billion) bid undervalues the German retail group. Daimler DAIGn.DE has no plans to spin off its trucks
division or to pursue a merger with BMW BMWG.DE as a way to
raise the company's share price, Chief Executive Ola Kaellenius
said. Deutsche Telekom DTEG.n.DE has called a leadership
meeting in expectation of U.S. regulatory approval of the
proposed merger of its U.S. T-Mobile TMUS.O unit with rival
Sprint S.N , according to business daily Handelsblatt.
China's ByteDance is venturing into
artificial-intelligence (AI) generated music, hiring the staff
of a London-based start-up after buying some of its intellectual
property assets, according to LinkedIn posts and a person with
knowledge of the matter. French supermarket retailer Casino CASP.PA has signed
pledges to sell three of its Geant Casino hypermarkets for 42
million euros ($46.8 million) as it seeks to reduce debt.
KKR & Co KKR.N said it is buying Campbell Soup Co's
CPB.N Australian snacks unit Arnott's that will give it
ownership of top-selling biscuit brands such as Tim Tam, in a
deal local media reported was worth $2.2 billion. Garda World Security on Tuesday said private equity firm
BC Partners would buy a majority stake in the Canada-based
security services company. Australian electricity generator Pacific Energy PEA.AX
recommended a A$419.3 million ($293.3 million) takeover offer
from fund manager QIC Private Capital. Deutsche Bank AG's DBKGn.DE turnaround strategy rests
in large part on shedding 288 billion euros of unwanted assets.
Three bank insiders said it will take years, tying up capital
that could have generated income of 500 million euros ($557
million) a year. Starwood Capital Group and Apollo Global Management
APO.N have submitted offers to buy an aircraft-financing
business owned by General Electric Co GE.N that could be
valued at about $4 billion, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday,
citing people familiar with the matter. Shareholders of WestJet Airlines WJA.TO on Tuesday
voted in favor of its deal to be acquired by billionaire Gerry
Schwartz's private equity firm Onex Corp ONEX.TO for C$3.5
billion. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission said on Tuesday it had
given approval for Quaker Chemical Corp's KWR.N proposed $1.4
billion acquisition of Hinduja Group's Houghton International
HGINL.UL provided they sell certain products and assets to a
subsidiary of Total SA TOTF.PA .