Mergers and acquisitions can be stressful. This is especially the case when attempting a cross-border transaction (e.g., UK-Japan deals) where you fear that the business/transaction common sense that you have obtained over the years may not be applicable. In this article, Saburo Nakao and Manmohan Singh Panesar of the Squire Sanders Hammonds Euro-Japan Group discuss a few highlights of M&A transactions that will hopefully increase your comfort level with deals in the UK.
Noble Group, a Hong Kong-based commodities trader, has struggled financially in recent years. It has reported negative operating cash flow in four of the last five quarters and has relied on lenders to fill funding gaps. A large loss in the first quarter of this year and a trading error on thermal coal exacerbated its financial difficulties. While coal markets have been challenging, Noble's strategy of relying heavily on debt rather than producing assets has failed. Banks have reduced their exposure to Noble and its bonds and shares now trade at deep discounts, indicating little confidence in the company or its strategy going forward.
Next Wave Ventures You can\'t sell your business twiceModwenna
Next Wave Partners LLP is a growth capital investor looking to invest £10 million in 2010 across 2-3 new investments. They have a strong market position investing £2-5 million in UK and European businesses. They seek quality investments where they can add value, primarily in business and consumer service sectors. Their network of family office and high-net-worth investors provides stability. They prefer investments where they have been specifically chosen and can work closely with management to drive earnings growth.
Futures and options contracts allow parties to agree on delivery and pricing of an asset in the future. Futures contracts create obligations to buy or sell, while options create rights but not obligations. These markets exist to allow for risk transfer between parties and help discover asset prices. Trading involves gains or losses from price changes, uses leverage, and requires considering one's account and trading style through a broker.
Futures and options contracts allow parties to agree on delivery and pricing of an asset in the future. Futures contracts create obligations to buy or sell, while options create rights but not obligations. These markets exist to transfer risk between parties and discover asset prices. Trading involves gains or losses from price changes, using leverage, and various execution factors through a registered broker.
Find out everything you need to know about Ireland's economy, including the latest mortgage arrears figures, AIB returning to profit for the first time since the crash and which company has revealed it is to sell almost 3% of Bank of Ireland shares.
Listing agreement and Listing RequirementsGurpreet Singh
Presentation on Listing agreement and Listing Requirements of NSE and BSE. a comparative analysis of requirements. NSE and BSE both share these guidelines for investors.
This document provides an overview and summary of the Viewpoint magazine from Chelsea Investors. It includes market commentary from Darius McDermott on the resilience of equity markets despite global turmoil. It also summarizes new funds, products, and research available through Chelsea including fund ratings services, SIPPs, and protecting ISAs from inheritance tax. The document contains application forms and guides for investing through Chelsea's FundStore and outlines its research on thousands of funds.
Noble Group, a Hong Kong-based commodities trader, has struggled financially in recent years. It has reported negative operating cash flow in four of the last five quarters and has relied on lenders to fill funding gaps. A large loss in the first quarter of this year and a trading error on thermal coal exacerbated its financial difficulties. While coal markets have been challenging, Noble's strategy of relying heavily on debt rather than producing assets has failed. Banks have reduced their exposure to Noble and its bonds and shares now trade at deep discounts, indicating little confidence in the company or its strategy going forward.
Next Wave Ventures You can\'t sell your business twiceModwenna
Next Wave Partners LLP is a growth capital investor looking to invest £10 million in 2010 across 2-3 new investments. They have a strong market position investing £2-5 million in UK and European businesses. They seek quality investments where they can add value, primarily in business and consumer service sectors. Their network of family office and high-net-worth investors provides stability. They prefer investments where they have been specifically chosen and can work closely with management to drive earnings growth.
Futures and options contracts allow parties to agree on delivery and pricing of an asset in the future. Futures contracts create obligations to buy or sell, while options create rights but not obligations. These markets exist to allow for risk transfer between parties and help discover asset prices. Trading involves gains or losses from price changes, uses leverage, and requires considering one's account and trading style through a broker.
Futures and options contracts allow parties to agree on delivery and pricing of an asset in the future. Futures contracts create obligations to buy or sell, while options create rights but not obligations. These markets exist to transfer risk between parties and discover asset prices. Trading involves gains or losses from price changes, using leverage, and various execution factors through a registered broker.
Find out everything you need to know about Ireland's economy, including the latest mortgage arrears figures, AIB returning to profit for the first time since the crash and which company has revealed it is to sell almost 3% of Bank of Ireland shares.
Listing agreement and Listing RequirementsGurpreet Singh
Presentation on Listing agreement and Listing Requirements of NSE and BSE. a comparative analysis of requirements. NSE and BSE both share these guidelines for investors.
This document provides an overview and summary of the Viewpoint magazine from Chelsea Investors. It includes market commentary from Darius McDermott on the resilience of equity markets despite global turmoil. It also summarizes new funds, products, and research available through Chelsea including fund ratings services, SIPPs, and protecting ISAs from inheritance tax. The document contains application forms and guides for investing through Chelsea's FundStore and outlines its research on thousands of funds.
- An initial public offering (IPO) involves a company issuing stock to the public for the first time. Companies pursue IPOs to raise additional capital, provide liquidity to existing shareholders, and enhance their corporate profile.
- The IPO process involves hiring an investment bank to underwrite the offering and file required documents like a preliminary prospectus known as a red herring with regulatory agencies. The company and bank then market the stock through a roadshow to institutional investors before public trading begins.
- Investors should carefully review key IPO documents and consider factors like the company's financials, industry prospects, management experience, and intended use of offering proceeds to determine if an issue is a suitable investment. Recent I
Baker & McKenzie's Doing Business in Poland - Chapter 4 (Securties & Finance)Baker & McKenzie Poland
This document summarizes securities and finance regulations in Poland. It discusses that Poland has a well-developed capital market regulated by EU directives. Companies can issue shares, bonds, and other securities recognized by Polish law. Public offerings and securities trading are regulated by acts related to public offerings, organized trading systems, and public companies. The Financial Supervision Authority regulates and oversees the capital markets. There is a stock exchange in Warsaw that securities can be listed on.
1) HMRC has issued new guidance on employers recovering VAT on pension fund management costs. The guidance recognizes that due to the unique structure of UK pension schemes, employers can reclaim VAT if they meet certain conditions, such as directly paying the fund manager.
2) An advocate general opinion found that holding companies can fully recover VAT on costs related to acquiring subsidiaries and raising capital as long as the activities are directly linked to the company's overall economic activities.
3) A tribunal case confirmed that for VAT purposes, the value of a part exchange vehicle in a new car sale is the amount agreed between the dealer and customer, not any estimated market value.
The document discusses key aspects of a listing agreement that a company must sign when getting listed on a stock exchange. It outlines important clauses like disclosure requirements, record keeping, shareholder approval processes, and compliance with stock exchange regulations. Real estate listing agreements similarly outline the terms of an agreement between a broker and property seller, including commission structure, exclusivity periods, and authorization to market the property.
This document provides a summary and update of the BlackSwanTradingTM portfolio as of June 30, 2014. It discusses the performance of equities in the portfolio that have risen above the designated risk price, which the document refers to as "likeables". It provides the current prices and performance updates of various equities in the portfolio since purchases beginning in late 2012. The portfolio had increased in value by 70.72% over 19 months. The document also discusses another portfolio called Solo50K and provides similar price and performance updates for equities in that portfolio.
Burgis & Bullock - Guide to Mergers and Acquisitions in the UKTIAG_Alliance
The UK is a highly attractive place to do business as evidenced by the large levels of inward investment into the country seen over the last few years. For overseas companies wishing to set up operations and trade there are a number of highly useful guides to doing business in the UK produced by the accounting and law firm members of the TAG Alliances (www.tiagnet.com and www.taglaw.com).
However, one of the most common methods for international companies to seek a presence in the UK is through acquisition. Having advised and supported overseas businesses to acquire UK companies we have observed there are many subtle, and not so subtle, variations in how different countries conduct M&A activity. This includes not just the obvious legal differences, but also variances in style, custom, market practice, the role of advisers, and the process undertaken.
This guide does not cover the strategic and commercial aspects of an effective acquisition strategy that would be common across the globe, such as defining your acquisition criteria, target analysis, valuations, negotiations, and post-acquisition integration. The document is designed to provide non-UK acquirers with an overview of the legal and regulatory regime governing M&A activity in the UK together with an understanding of the processes and transaction issues that are most commonly encountered in this country. It is no substitute for good quality professional advice, but should help buyers to plan their M&A strategy for maximum effectiveness.
Key & Common Negotiated Provisions - Part 1 (Series: PRIVATE COMPANY M&A BOOT...Financial Poise
Although every deal is different, understanding any purchase/sale agreement will help you understand other purchase sale agreements. Stated another way, most M&A documents include a similar set of sections and use a similar vocabulary. Episodes 3 and 4 of this series explain specific, common provisions and discuss how buyers and sellers approach these provisions differently, particularly in light of situational differences (e.g. whether the assets being bought and sold are equity of a company or the assets of a company; whether the seller is going to cease to exists or not). Between Episodes 3 and 4, topics covered will include tax issues; corporate governance; closing conditions; representations and warranties; indemnification provisions; earn-outs; restrictive covenants; antitrust; intellectual property; and employment issues.
To view the accompanying webinar, go to: https://www.financialpoise.com/financialpoisewebinars/on_demand_webinars/common-negotiated-provisions-part-1/
Residential property can be a lucrative business, but profits or gains will be subject to tax. In this post we discuss some of the property tax planning options, including using limited companies or LLPs, trading vs investment property, capital gains tax and entrepreneurs relief.
Key & Common Negotiated Provisions - Part 2 (Series: PRIVATE COMPANY M&A BOOT...Financial Poise
Although every deal is different, understanding any purchase/sale agreement will help you understand other purchase sale agreements. Stated another way, most M&A documents include a similar set of sections and use a similar vocabulary. Episodes 3 and 4 of this series explain specific, common provisions and discuss how buyers and sellers approach these provisions differently, particularly in light of situational differences (e.g. whether the assets being bought and sold are equity of a company or the assets of a company; whether the seller is going to cease to exists or not). Between Episodes 3 and 4, topics covered will include tax issues; corporate governance; closing conditions; representations and warranties; indemnification provisions; earn-outs; restrictive covenants; antitrust; intellectual property; and employment issues.
To view the accompanying webinar, go to: https://www.financialpoise.com/financialpoisewebinars/on_demand_webinars/common-negotiated-provisions-part-2/
Listing equity in London A quick guide : by Berwin Leighton Paisner LLPDavid Solomon
Very good quick guide for Listing equity in London.
I promise my friends at BLP to introduce it to my network.
David Solomon
CEO, SOLOMON CAPITAL
www.solomon-capital.com
The document discusses key elements that require scrutiny in M&A transactions, including transaction structure, earnouts, purchase price adjustments, representations and warranties, disclosure schedules, knowledge qualifiers, sandbagging, materiality, escrow accounts, working capital, baskets and caps, survival periods, and indemnity insurance. It provides details on common structures for private transactions, issues around devising earnouts, definitions and negotiations around working capital adjustments, and risk allocation considerations for representations and warranties.
London AIM Advisory Services provides advisory services for Israeli companies seeking to list on the AIM market in London. The document discusses:
1) Who London AIM Advisory Services are and their experience in corporate finance and IPO processes.
2) The benefits they provide over other introducers, including fully assessing company suitability and viability for listing before introducing them to brokers.
3) An overview of the roadmap and key steps involved in pursuing an IPO on AIM.
London AIM Advisory Services provides advisory services for Israeli companies seeking to list on the AIM market in London. The document discusses Mark Reichenberg's background and experience in corporate finance and IPOs. It outlines the services London AIM Advisory provides, including introducing suitable client companies to brokers, assisting through the entire listing process, and ensuring clients understand requirements and can present a quality investment case. The goal is to help clients successfully list with no unexpected issues, while maintaining integrity and suitability of client companies.
This webinar discusses inbound solutions for US fund managers looking to operate in Europe, specifically through the UK. It provides an overview of the UK regulatory environment and authorization process, which can take 6-9 months to complete. Regulatory hosting offers an alternative approach, allowing firms to start operations immediately while an experienced firm like Mirabella handles ongoing compliance and reporting requirements. Attendees learn about the various activities that require Financial Conduct Authority regulation and support services available from UK Trade & Investment and Cordium to navigate setup and ongoing operations in the UK.
Buckworth Solicitors - Introduction to start up lawMichael Buckworth
This document provides an introduction to various legal structures that can be used to establish a startup business or social enterprise in the UK. It discusses the key characteristics and considerations for different structures including private limited companies, limited liability partnerships (LLPs), community interest companies (CICs), industrial and provident societies (IPSs), and charities. The document emphasizes that choosing the correct legal structure is important depending on factors like seeking investment, tax implications, and protecting a social purpose. A CIC structure, for example, requires an asset lock to safeguard a community interest throughout the organization's lifespan.
This document summarizes key findings from a research paper by Accuracy on cross-border M&A disputes. Some of the main points include:
- 57% of disputes analyzed were heard through private arbitration rather than traditional litigation.
- Almost a third of claims were for €10 million or less, while 15% were over €1 billion. Dispute amounts do not necessarily correlate with complexity.
- The majority of disputes arise due to surprises for the buyer after deal closing, such as unexpected costs or warranty breaches.
- Deals using a "locked box" purchase price mechanism, where the price does not change after signing, see far fewer disputes than deals using purchase price adjustments.
- Volatility in
- The document discusses trends in UK management buy-outs and private equity from the 1980s to recent years based on research from the Centre for Management Buy-out Research.
- It notes that the number and value of private equity-backed deals declined significantly in 2009 due to economic difficulties, with most deals having higher equity contributions.
- Management buy-outs have generally led to improved productivity and profitability compared to non-buyouts, though performance also depends on factors like management experience and industry specialization.
This document discusses a trade brokerage that specializes in domestic and foreign trade, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and investments. The brokerage aims to fuel large-scale industrial growth in India. It offers trade brokering and bringing investments, joint ventures, and mergers and acquisitions. Commission rates vary from 2-10% depending on the deal, with lower rates for larger deals over $1 billion. Legal agreements like non-disclosure are used and commission is charged when orders or agreements are signed. The time to complete a deal can range from a week to over a year depending on the nature of the transaction.
This document provides information on debt collection procedures in the United Kingdom, including England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. It discusses the amicable collection phase where collectors try to obtain payment through letters and phone calls. If unsuccessful, legal procedures can include a Letter Before Claim, county court judgments, or insolvency proceedings. The costs, timeframes, and options for enforcement of judgments are also outlined for each jurisdiction. Legal interests and statutory rates are applied at each stage of the process.
Store First is a UK self-storage company that has acquired and developed 15 storage facilities. It aims to acquire and develop 50 facilities in the next 5 years. Store First offers storage units at significantly lower prices than competitors, around 32% cheaper on average, appealing to both individual and business customers. Investors can purchase long leases on storage pods and receive an 8% annual rental return guaranteed for the first two years through Store First's management of the facilities. The document provides analysis of the strong growth prospects of the UK self-storage market and Store First's competitive advantages in the industry.
Helen Kelly, Head of the EU, Competition and Regulatory Group and Liam Heylin, Associate Solicitor in the EU, Competition and Regulatory Group co-authored the Ireland chapter for Getting the Deal Through: Dominance 2018.
Reproduced with permission from Law Business Research Ltd. This article was first published in Getting the Deal Through – Dominance 2018 (Published: April 2018). For further information please visit www.gettingthedealthrough.com.
- An initial public offering (IPO) involves a company issuing stock to the public for the first time. Companies pursue IPOs to raise additional capital, provide liquidity to existing shareholders, and enhance their corporate profile.
- The IPO process involves hiring an investment bank to underwrite the offering and file required documents like a preliminary prospectus known as a red herring with regulatory agencies. The company and bank then market the stock through a roadshow to institutional investors before public trading begins.
- Investors should carefully review key IPO documents and consider factors like the company's financials, industry prospects, management experience, and intended use of offering proceeds to determine if an issue is a suitable investment. Recent I
Baker & McKenzie's Doing Business in Poland - Chapter 4 (Securties & Finance)Baker & McKenzie Poland
This document summarizes securities and finance regulations in Poland. It discusses that Poland has a well-developed capital market regulated by EU directives. Companies can issue shares, bonds, and other securities recognized by Polish law. Public offerings and securities trading are regulated by acts related to public offerings, organized trading systems, and public companies. The Financial Supervision Authority regulates and oversees the capital markets. There is a stock exchange in Warsaw that securities can be listed on.
1) HMRC has issued new guidance on employers recovering VAT on pension fund management costs. The guidance recognizes that due to the unique structure of UK pension schemes, employers can reclaim VAT if they meet certain conditions, such as directly paying the fund manager.
2) An advocate general opinion found that holding companies can fully recover VAT on costs related to acquiring subsidiaries and raising capital as long as the activities are directly linked to the company's overall economic activities.
3) A tribunal case confirmed that for VAT purposes, the value of a part exchange vehicle in a new car sale is the amount agreed between the dealer and customer, not any estimated market value.
The document discusses key aspects of a listing agreement that a company must sign when getting listed on a stock exchange. It outlines important clauses like disclosure requirements, record keeping, shareholder approval processes, and compliance with stock exchange regulations. Real estate listing agreements similarly outline the terms of an agreement between a broker and property seller, including commission structure, exclusivity periods, and authorization to market the property.
This document provides a summary and update of the BlackSwanTradingTM portfolio as of June 30, 2014. It discusses the performance of equities in the portfolio that have risen above the designated risk price, which the document refers to as "likeables". It provides the current prices and performance updates of various equities in the portfolio since purchases beginning in late 2012. The portfolio had increased in value by 70.72% over 19 months. The document also discusses another portfolio called Solo50K and provides similar price and performance updates for equities in that portfolio.
Burgis & Bullock - Guide to Mergers and Acquisitions in the UKTIAG_Alliance
The UK is a highly attractive place to do business as evidenced by the large levels of inward investment into the country seen over the last few years. For overseas companies wishing to set up operations and trade there are a number of highly useful guides to doing business in the UK produced by the accounting and law firm members of the TAG Alliances (www.tiagnet.com and www.taglaw.com).
However, one of the most common methods for international companies to seek a presence in the UK is through acquisition. Having advised and supported overseas businesses to acquire UK companies we have observed there are many subtle, and not so subtle, variations in how different countries conduct M&A activity. This includes not just the obvious legal differences, but also variances in style, custom, market practice, the role of advisers, and the process undertaken.
This guide does not cover the strategic and commercial aspects of an effective acquisition strategy that would be common across the globe, such as defining your acquisition criteria, target analysis, valuations, negotiations, and post-acquisition integration. The document is designed to provide non-UK acquirers with an overview of the legal and regulatory regime governing M&A activity in the UK together with an understanding of the processes and transaction issues that are most commonly encountered in this country. It is no substitute for good quality professional advice, but should help buyers to plan their M&A strategy for maximum effectiveness.
Key & Common Negotiated Provisions - Part 1 (Series: PRIVATE COMPANY M&A BOOT...Financial Poise
Although every deal is different, understanding any purchase/sale agreement will help you understand other purchase sale agreements. Stated another way, most M&A documents include a similar set of sections and use a similar vocabulary. Episodes 3 and 4 of this series explain specific, common provisions and discuss how buyers and sellers approach these provisions differently, particularly in light of situational differences (e.g. whether the assets being bought and sold are equity of a company or the assets of a company; whether the seller is going to cease to exists or not). Between Episodes 3 and 4, topics covered will include tax issues; corporate governance; closing conditions; representations and warranties; indemnification provisions; earn-outs; restrictive covenants; antitrust; intellectual property; and employment issues.
To view the accompanying webinar, go to: https://www.financialpoise.com/financialpoisewebinars/on_demand_webinars/common-negotiated-provisions-part-1/
Residential property can be a lucrative business, but profits or gains will be subject to tax. In this post we discuss some of the property tax planning options, including using limited companies or LLPs, trading vs investment property, capital gains tax and entrepreneurs relief.
Key & Common Negotiated Provisions - Part 2 (Series: PRIVATE COMPANY M&A BOOT...Financial Poise
Although every deal is different, understanding any purchase/sale agreement will help you understand other purchase sale agreements. Stated another way, most M&A documents include a similar set of sections and use a similar vocabulary. Episodes 3 and 4 of this series explain specific, common provisions and discuss how buyers and sellers approach these provisions differently, particularly in light of situational differences (e.g. whether the assets being bought and sold are equity of a company or the assets of a company; whether the seller is going to cease to exists or not). Between Episodes 3 and 4, topics covered will include tax issues; corporate governance; closing conditions; representations and warranties; indemnification provisions; earn-outs; restrictive covenants; antitrust; intellectual property; and employment issues.
To view the accompanying webinar, go to: https://www.financialpoise.com/financialpoisewebinars/on_demand_webinars/common-negotiated-provisions-part-2/
Listing equity in London A quick guide : by Berwin Leighton Paisner LLPDavid Solomon
Very good quick guide for Listing equity in London.
I promise my friends at BLP to introduce it to my network.
David Solomon
CEO, SOLOMON CAPITAL
www.solomon-capital.com
The document discusses key elements that require scrutiny in M&A transactions, including transaction structure, earnouts, purchase price adjustments, representations and warranties, disclosure schedules, knowledge qualifiers, sandbagging, materiality, escrow accounts, working capital, baskets and caps, survival periods, and indemnity insurance. It provides details on common structures for private transactions, issues around devising earnouts, definitions and negotiations around working capital adjustments, and risk allocation considerations for representations and warranties.
London AIM Advisory Services provides advisory services for Israeli companies seeking to list on the AIM market in London. The document discusses:
1) Who London AIM Advisory Services are and their experience in corporate finance and IPO processes.
2) The benefits they provide over other introducers, including fully assessing company suitability and viability for listing before introducing them to brokers.
3) An overview of the roadmap and key steps involved in pursuing an IPO on AIM.
London AIM Advisory Services provides advisory services for Israeli companies seeking to list on the AIM market in London. The document discusses Mark Reichenberg's background and experience in corporate finance and IPOs. It outlines the services London AIM Advisory provides, including introducing suitable client companies to brokers, assisting through the entire listing process, and ensuring clients understand requirements and can present a quality investment case. The goal is to help clients successfully list with no unexpected issues, while maintaining integrity and suitability of client companies.
This webinar discusses inbound solutions for US fund managers looking to operate in Europe, specifically through the UK. It provides an overview of the UK regulatory environment and authorization process, which can take 6-9 months to complete. Regulatory hosting offers an alternative approach, allowing firms to start operations immediately while an experienced firm like Mirabella handles ongoing compliance and reporting requirements. Attendees learn about the various activities that require Financial Conduct Authority regulation and support services available from UK Trade & Investment and Cordium to navigate setup and ongoing operations in the UK.
Buckworth Solicitors - Introduction to start up lawMichael Buckworth
This document provides an introduction to various legal structures that can be used to establish a startup business or social enterprise in the UK. It discusses the key characteristics and considerations for different structures including private limited companies, limited liability partnerships (LLPs), community interest companies (CICs), industrial and provident societies (IPSs), and charities. The document emphasizes that choosing the correct legal structure is important depending on factors like seeking investment, tax implications, and protecting a social purpose. A CIC structure, for example, requires an asset lock to safeguard a community interest throughout the organization's lifespan.
This document summarizes key findings from a research paper by Accuracy on cross-border M&A disputes. Some of the main points include:
- 57% of disputes analyzed were heard through private arbitration rather than traditional litigation.
- Almost a third of claims were for €10 million or less, while 15% were over €1 billion. Dispute amounts do not necessarily correlate with complexity.
- The majority of disputes arise due to surprises for the buyer after deal closing, such as unexpected costs or warranty breaches.
- Deals using a "locked box" purchase price mechanism, where the price does not change after signing, see far fewer disputes than deals using purchase price adjustments.
- Volatility in
- The document discusses trends in UK management buy-outs and private equity from the 1980s to recent years based on research from the Centre for Management Buy-out Research.
- It notes that the number and value of private equity-backed deals declined significantly in 2009 due to economic difficulties, with most deals having higher equity contributions.
- Management buy-outs have generally led to improved productivity and profitability compared to non-buyouts, though performance also depends on factors like management experience and industry specialization.
This document discusses a trade brokerage that specializes in domestic and foreign trade, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and investments. The brokerage aims to fuel large-scale industrial growth in India. It offers trade brokering and bringing investments, joint ventures, and mergers and acquisitions. Commission rates vary from 2-10% depending on the deal, with lower rates for larger deals over $1 billion. Legal agreements like non-disclosure are used and commission is charged when orders or agreements are signed. The time to complete a deal can range from a week to over a year depending on the nature of the transaction.
This document provides information on debt collection procedures in the United Kingdom, including England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. It discusses the amicable collection phase where collectors try to obtain payment through letters and phone calls. If unsuccessful, legal procedures can include a Letter Before Claim, county court judgments, or insolvency proceedings. The costs, timeframes, and options for enforcement of judgments are also outlined for each jurisdiction. Legal interests and statutory rates are applied at each stage of the process.
Store First is a UK self-storage company that has acquired and developed 15 storage facilities. It aims to acquire and develop 50 facilities in the next 5 years. Store First offers storage units at significantly lower prices than competitors, around 32% cheaper on average, appealing to both individual and business customers. Investors can purchase long leases on storage pods and receive an 8% annual rental return guaranteed for the first two years through Store First's management of the facilities. The document provides analysis of the strong growth prospects of the UK self-storage market and Store First's competitive advantages in the industry.
Helen Kelly, Head of the EU, Competition and Regulatory Group and Liam Heylin, Associate Solicitor in the EU, Competition and Regulatory Group co-authored the Ireland chapter for Getting the Deal Through: Dominance 2018.
Reproduced with permission from Law Business Research Ltd. This article was first published in Getting the Deal Through – Dominance 2018 (Published: April 2018). For further information please visit www.gettingthedealthrough.com.
Although every deal is different, understanding any purchase/sale agreement will help you understand other purchase sale agreements. Stated another way, most M&A documents include a similar set of sections and use a similar vocabulary. This episode explains specific, common provisions and discusses how buyers and sellers approach these provisions differently, particularly in light of situational differences (e.g. whether the assets being bought and sold are equity of a company or the assets of a company; whether the seller is going to cease to exists or not). Topics covered will include tax issues; corporate governance; closing conditions; representations and warranties; indemnification provisions; earn-outs; restrictive covenants; antitrust; intellectual property; and employment issues.
Part of the webinar series:
M&A BOOT CAMP - 2022
See more at https://www.financialpoise.com/webinars/
The document discusses the differences between GATT and WTO. GATT was an international agreement signed in 1947 to promote trade by reducing tariffs and trade barriers. It was replaced by WTO in 1995. WTO is a permanent global organization that facilitates international trade through agreed upon rules. Key differences include that GATT was a simple agreement while WTO is a permanent institution, GATT commitments were provisional while WTO commitments are permanent, and WTO has a broader scope and more effective dispute settlement system. The document also provides short notes on international franchising, contract manufacturing, and stages for screening international markets.
This document introduces a diverse portfolio of investment opportunities including funds, futures and options, overseas property, telecommunications, carbon credits, fine wine, gold, arts and entertainment, and club and bar awards. Experienced investors can gain access to assets that may otherwise be unavailable. Appointments can be made with independent financial advisors to discuss the various funds and their terms and conditions in full. Capital-Investments serves as an introducer but does not provide advice directly.
Getting The Deal Through: Complex Commercial Litigation 2019Matheson Law Firm
Partners Michael Byrne, Maria Kennedy, Karen Reynolds and Claire McLoughlin co-author the Ireland chapter for the 2019 edition of Getting The Deal Through: Complex Commercial Litigation.
Similar to Getting Started with M&A in the UK (20)
Getting The Deal Through: Complex Commercial Litigation 2019
Getting Started with M&A in the UK
1. September 2011
Euro-Japan Group
Getting Started With M&A in the UK
Mergers and acquisitions can be stressful. This is especially the case when attempting a
The UK provides
cross-border transaction where you fear that the business/transaction common sense that you an amicable
have obtained over the years may not be applicable. Below are a few basic highlights of M&A
transactions that will hopefully increase your comfort level with deals in the UK.
business
environment
AUCTION PROCESS
for Japanese
In many cases a buyer will have the opportunity to negotiate an acquisition of a UK company
directly with its shareholders and/or the target, but in certain cases where a financial advisor
companies
is retained by the seller, an auction process will be commenced to find the best buyer for the
target. The steps of a typical auction process are as follows:
TEASER
A teaser is a document that does not identify the name of the target but provides information
concerning the target’s performance and industry/products.
NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT
If a buyer is interested in the company described in the teaser, the buyer will be asked to enter
into a non-disclosure agreement in order to receive further detailed information concerning the
target.
INFORMATION MEMORANDUM AND PROCESS LETTER
Upon submitting a non-disclosure agreement, the buyer will be provided with an information
memorandum and process letter. The information memorandum will disclose the target’s
name and further detailed information concerning its management, performance, industry and
products. The process letter will indicate the process and general timeframe of the auction.
INDICATIVE OFFER
The usual first step described in a process letter is a request to submit an indicative offer. This
indicative offer is presumed to be non-binding, but will establish the basis upon which future
discussions will take place. Among other things, a seller usually asks the buyer to indicate in the
offer the potential purchase price, the logic behind determining such price, the source of funding,
the reason for interest in the target and details of the approval process the buyer will require
to complete the deal. The seller will consider all the indicative offers it receives from potential
buyers and choose a few that may proceed to conduct due diligence of the target.
DUE DILIGENCE
If the buyer is chosen by the seller to conduct due diligence, it will be given a certain amount
of time (usually two to four weeks) to do so. This typically includes management meetings and
review of a virtual data room where documents about the target are stored.
2. COMMENTS TO DEFINITIVE AGREEMENTS
In conjunction with, and for the most part parallel to, the due diligence process, the seller will
deliver to the potential buyers draft agreements. The buyer is expected to consider the draft
documents in light of its due diligence exercise.
SECOND BID
Upon completion of due diligence, the buyer will be asked to submit a second offer. Although the
second bid may be conditional on a few events, the seller usually requests that the second bid
be a binding offer accompanied by a mark-up of the draft agreements reflecting the terms under
which the potential buyer will be willing to acquire the target.
NEGOTIATION (NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE)
The seller will make a determination of the final potential bidders it wishes to negotiate with
based upon the second bid. The time available to negotiate a deal is limited, and a private
equity seller typically will not accept any warranties or indemnity provisions (and expect selling
management to accept such provisions).
SIGNING/SIGN AND CLOSE
Unless there are governmental filing requirements (such as antitrust filings) or other conditions
to the transaction, sellers tend to prefer signing definitive agreements and closing the deal at the
same time.
PRE-DUE DILIGENCE (WHAT INFORMATION IS READILY AVAILABLE)
Even before deciding whether you have a real interest in a UK target company, there are a
few basic searches that you can do to obtain information about your potential target company.
(Please note that companies trading on a public exchange must file detailed information about
their business, which can be obtained from the London Stock Exchange website [http://www.
londonstockexchange.com/home/homepage.htm].)
REGISTRAR OF COMPANIES (COMPANIES HOUSE)
Companies in the UK must file their accounts with the Companies House. Such accounts include
the profit-loss statements, balance sheet and directors’ report (including the names of directors
and share interests). You can pay a small amount to receive the most recently filed documents
of a company through the Companies House website (http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/).
UK PATENT OFFICE (OPERATING AS THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE)
You can search for patent and trademark registrations made with the UK Intellectual Property
Office through its website (http://www.ipo.gov.uk/).
HM LAND REGISTRY
The HM Land Registry maintains a title register that includes ownership details and, for most
properties that have changed hands since April 2000, property price information. This should
allow you to find out who owns a certain property, the extent of such property and, potentially,
the purchase price when it was last purchased. Such information can be obtained for a small fee
through the Land Registry’s website (http://www.landregistry.gov.uk/).
3. POTENTIALLY ANNOYING NUTS AND BOLTS
CRIMINAL RECORDS NOT NEEDED
Unlike France and some other European countries, in the UK directors do not need to submit
criminal records in order to be registered as a director of a company.
MINIMUM AGE LIMIT
Under the Companies Act 2006 a director must be at least 16 years old at the time of
appointment.
DIFFERENCE IN TERMINOLOGY
Unlike transaction documents common to the United States, UK share purchase agreements do
not refer to “Representations and Warranties”, but simply provide for “Warranties” against which
the seller discloses certain facts. Also, UK share purchase agreements will provide for a “tax
covenant”, which appears as either a schedule to the agreement or a separate document usually
referred to as a “tax deed”. A tax deed sets out indemnities/warranties relating to tax liabilities.
ISSUANCE OF NEW SHARES TO THIRD PARTIES
Though not an “acquisition” issue, UK companies must offer new shares to their current
shareholders. Therefore, in order to issue new shares to a third party, shareholders must waive
their preemption rights and grant the board of directors the authority to issue new shares in
favour of a third party. This may become relevant if the management of a target sells its shares
in the target at closing, with the understanding that management will subscribe to new shares of
said target at that time.
UK-JAPAN TAX TREATY AND CORPORATE INCOME TAX
The corporation tax in the UK for year 2011 is 26 percent. The UK
government indicated that the corporation tax rate will be decreased
Corporation Tax
by 1 percent every year until April 2014, when the corporation tax
rate will be 24 percent.
No withholding tax on dividends when the receiving shareholder has
Dividends held more than 50 percent of the paying company’s stock for more
than six months.
10 percent withholding tax on payment of interest on loans (subject
Loan Interest
to certain exemptions).
Royalties No withholding tax imposed on payment of royalties.
No UK tax liability on revenue from sale of shares of a UK company
by a Japanese company, but potential Japanese tax liability on
Share Sale Revenue
revenue from sale of shares of a Japanese company by a UK
company.
SUMMARY AND OUTLOOK
There has been a trend towards Japanese companies relocating their European headquarters
from continental countries such as the Netherlands to the UK, as can be seen with Canon and
Panasonic in recent years. This provides some guidance as to the relatively amicable business
environment of the UK. For Japanese companies, the potential efficiency that can be gained
through operating in a country where English is the official language may add to the benefits of
acquiring a company in the UK.