Sprint Sues Dish Network Seeking to Block Clearwire Buyout
Sprint says it is suing Dish Network to block its offer for Clearwire, on the eve of a key deadline in a takeover battle that also includes Japanese mobile carrier SoftBank.
mergers and acquisitions
Shareholder Urges Smithfield Breakup Over Buyout
A big shareholder pushes Smithfield Foods to split itself up and offer itself to other bidders, rather than proceed with a takeover by a Chinese firm.
Upbeat U.S. Economic Data Stops Global Selloff
Before the open, it looked like this week's market losses would continue, following another big selloff in Japan. But some positive economic data managed to stop the bleeding.
Uncertainty Leads Stocks to First 3-Day Losing Streak of 2013
The equity market got off to a hot start but quickly lost its footing. All three indexes closed lower, with trading more volatile than it's been in months.
India's Apollo Bids $2.5B for No. 2 U.S. Tire Maker, Cooper
India's Apollo Tyres agrees to buy U.S.-based Cooper Tire for about $2.5 billion in a deal that would make Apollo the world's seventh-largest tire maker.
Global Fears Lead to Second Straight Day of Losses
U.S. equities opened with steep declines, following a decision by the Bank of Japan not to adjust its monetary policy. Ongoing EU economic worries also weighed on the market.
SoftBank Sweetens Offer for Sprint
Japan-based SoftBank has increased its offer for wireless carrier Sprint, offering $21.6 billion to help counter an unsolicited bid from Dish Network.
IHS Plans $1.4 Billion Acquisition of Carfax Operator RL Polk
Business information and analytics firm IHS says it will spend $1.4 billion to buy the privately held R.L. Polk, which operates vehicle history report provider Carfax.
Google Close to Buying Israeli Mapping Start-Up Waze: Report
Google is close to buying the crowd-sourced mobile navigation app Waze for $1.3 billion, potentially trumping rival offers, an Israeli newspaper reported on Sunday.
Chinese Firm Bids $4.7 Billion for Virginia's Smithfield Foods
Chinese meat processor Shuanghui International has agreed to buy Smithfield Foods for about $4.72 billion in a deal that will take the world's biggest pork producer private.
FTC Clears Bayer's Purchase of Conceptus
The German drug company Bayer AG has received antitrust clearance from the Federal Trade Commission for its approximately $1.1 billion acquisition of Conceptus.
Valeant Pharmaceuticals to Buy Bausch & Lomb for $8.7B
The maker of Welbutrin will pay nearly $9 billion for Bausch & Lomb, which makes eye-care products.
Yahoo Approves $1.1B Deal for Tumblr
Yahoo's rumored $1.1 billion cash acquisition deal for social blogging site Tumblr has been approved by the company's board of directors, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Michael Dell's Takeover Plan Challenged Yet Again
Dell's largest independent shareholder has teamed with activist investor Carl Icahn in another challenge to founder Michael Dell's $24.4 billion bid to take company private.
Some Verizon Investors Happy to Pay More for Vodafone Stake
Some shareholders of Verizon say they could be happy for the company to pay up to $130 billion for Vodafone's stake in their U.S. wireless venture.
Bayer to Buy Calif. Birth-Control Device Maker for $1B
Bayer has agreed to buy U.S. contraceptive devices maker Conceptus for $1.1 billion, aiming to underpin its position as the world's largest women's healthcare provider.
Maker of Bushmaster Rifle Eyed for Acquisition
Gun makers Smith & Wesson and Sturm Ruger have reportedly expressed interest in acquiring Freedom Group, which makes the Remington and Bushmaster brands.
Few Steps Remain in American Airlines, US Airways Merger
Following bankruptcy court approval, the merger of American Airlines and US Airways faces just a few more hurdles, including approval from the U.S. Justice Department.
Dow Has Worst Day This Year as Commodities Plunge
The stock market had its worst drop this year as prices for oil and other commodities fell sharply on concerns about slowing growth in China.
Dish Network Bids $25.5 Billion for Sprint Nextel
This could be a big merger Monday: Dish Network is bidding to acquire Sprint Nextel, and Thermo Fisher Scientific has agreed to buy Life Technologies.
LinkedIn to Buy E-Reader Company Pulse for $90M
Professional networking website LinkedIn is paying about $90 million to acquire Pulse, which makes an e-reader platform used on mobile devices
Burger King CEO Hees to Take Heinz Reins After Buyout
Burger King CEO Bernardo Hees will take the top job at Heinz following its acquisition by investment firm 3G Capital and Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
GE Seeks to Grow Energy Business with $3.1B Bid for Lufkin
GE plans to further expand its holdings in the energy industry by buying oilfield-services provider Lufkin Industries for about $2.98 billion.
ConAgra Reports Lower Profit on Acquisition Charges
ConAgra says its third-quarter profit fell shy of expectations on charges related to its acquisition of Ralcorp and lackluster growth in sales of its existing brands.
Germany's Merz Pharma Offers to Buy Obagi for $383.5M
German drugmaker Merz Pharma said Tuesday that it wants to buy dermatology products maker Obagi for about $383.5 million, topping a previous offer from Valeant.
Airlines' Merger in Holding Pattern as Judge Weighs Severance
A federal bankruptcy judge defers giving his blessing to the merger of US Airways and American Airlines, as he weighs outgoing American CEO Tom Horton's severance package.
Office Depot Agrees to Buy OfficeMax in Stock Deal
Office Depot said Wednesday it will buy OfficeMax in an all-stock deal that would transform office-supply retail sector. The companies said holders of OfficeMax shares will receive 2.69 shares of Office Depot for every OfficeMax share they own. That's equal to about $13.50 per share.
Talk of More Corporate Deals Sends Stocks Higher, Dow Above 14,000
Reports that retailers Office Depot and OfficeMax are discussing a merger came after big corporate deals for Heinz and Dell were announced in recent weeks. Some investors are betting that more deals could be on the way as buyers pay premium prices for publicly traded companies.
Dell Buyout Deal Worth Up to $24 Billion Is Close, Say Sources
Shares of Dell climbed in premarket trading Tuesday on reports the personal computer maker is nearing a deal to go private worth up to $24 billion. The transaction is said to involve a group including Microsoft, private equity firm Silver Lake and CEO Michael Dell.
Current Sale to Al Jazeera May Earn Al Gore $100 Million
Al Gore already has won a Nobel Peace Prize, an Oscar and a presidential popular vote. Now, he's won the mergers-and-acquisitions lottery, too. When Al Jazeera cuts its check to buy failed progressive media outlet Current TV, Gore's 20 percent stake looks like it'll be worth $100 million.