FT : VW makes €6.7bn bid for full control of Scania

VW makes €6.7bn bid for full control of Scania
Volkswagen has offered €6.7bn to buy the rest of Swedish truckmaker Scania that it does not already own, as Europe’s largest vehicle manufacturer aims to deeper integrate its commercial vehicle businesses.
The owner of 62.6 per cent of Scania, Volkswagen has long wanted to better integrate the company with MAN, its other truckmaking business, and the offer represents a premium of 57 per cent and 53.3 per cent for Scania’s two classes of shares.

The offer came as Volkswagen announced that full-year profits had halved to €9.1bn, as currency swings hampered earnings, despite a 4.9 per cent increase in sales to 9.73m vehicles.
The German company said greater integration between MAN and Scania would result in synergies of at least €650m in annual operating profit, realised 10 to 15 years after a full buyout.
“With its premium products, its strong market position and its technological expertise, Scania is a core element of the integrated commercial vehicles group that we intend to accomplish under the umbrella of the Volkswagen Group,” Martin Winterkorn, chairman, said.
“This is a key step towards being able to fully exploit the advantages offered by the integrated commercial vehicles group for everyone involved,” Mr Winterkorn added. “We are convinced that it is very attractive for Scania’s shareholders and will create long-term value for Volkswagen.”
Scania’s shares rose this month on reports that Volkswagen, which controls 89 per cent of its voting rights, was considering buying out the company’s minority shareholders.
Volkswagen patriarch Ferdinand Piëch has spent billions of euros building a trucking empire over the past decade in order to challenge Volvo and Daimler for the crown of the world’s largest truckmaker by sales.
But in contrast to VW’s hyper-successful car unit, so far there is precious little to show for its outlay in trucks, with promised synergies of €200m by the end of 2014 – mainly in purchasing – well short of a total of €1bn in truck synergies once touted by Mr Piech.
The deal suggests a new push to achieve those goals, and was announced alongside the appointment of former Daimler executive Andreas Renschler to lead its combined commercial vehicles business from February 2015.
Mr Renschler, who drew plaudits for his management of Daimler’s truck business, was widely expected to make the switch between the great German automotive rivals.
In a year when Volkswagen narrowed the gap in global car sales behind world leader Toyota and second-placed General Motors to just a few thousand vehicles, the company said revenue rose 2.2 per cent to €197bn.
Profit after tax fell by more than half, however, partly due to 2012’s inflated figure on account of its integration of Porsche into the business, the company said.
Volkswagen expects to see a “still challenging market environment” in 2014, and forecast an annual rise or fall in sales by 3 per cent.

>>> Henkel has EUR 4.5bn M&A war chest; targets too expensive

Henkel has EUR 4.5bn M&A war chest; targets too expensive

Henkel, the listed German consumer goods group, could spend EUR 4.5bn on acquisitions without endangering its rating, Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported. The German newspaper quoted Carsten Knobel, chief financial officer of Henkel. However, Knobel stated that suitable acquisition targets are currently too expensive, the report added. He was not willing to reveal whether Henkel is hoping to acquire for its adhesives, detergents, or cosmetics divisions, it concluded.


Source Sueddeutsche Zeitung

WSJ : G Asset Management Offers to Buy 51% of Barnes & Noble

G Asset Management Offers to Buy 51% of Barnes & Noble

Investment Firm Says Company Should Reconsider Splitting Retail, E-Reader Businesses

Private investment management firm G Asset Management LLC offered to acquire a majority interest in Barnes & Noble Inc. BKS +6.32% and said the company should split its retail and e-reader businesses.

A representative for Barnes & Noble said the company had no comment beyond confirming that they have received the offer, which values the company at $1.31 billion, based on its shares outstanding.

The offer is for 51% of Barnes & Noble at $22 a share, a 31% premium to Thursday's closing price. G Asset Management said Friday that the offer is an increase from the firm's November proposal to the board, which valued the company at $20 a share.

The firm also proposed to acquire 51% of the bookseller's Nook e-reader and e-books segment, valuing Nook at $5 per share. G Asset Management said it was confident that if the Nook segment was separated from the profitable retail and college business, substantial shareholder value would be created.

The announcement sent Barnes and Noble shares higher Friday, with the stock rising as much as 14% before surrendering some of those gains.

Representatives from G Asset Management were unavailable for further comment Friday.

Barnes & Noble in August abandoned any plans to split up the company. After considering the idea for 18 months, it said it had decided not to divide its retail stores from its Nook operations. Instead, it will focus on managing its current businesses. Additionally, Leonard Riggio, its chairman and largest shareholder, had decided against going forward with a personal offer to buy the company's roughly 675 consumer bookstores.

The decisions came soon after Barnes & Noble abruptly scaled back its costly pursuit of becoming a big player in the tablet computer market, saying it would stop manufacturing the devices. That announcement was followed by the resignation of Chief Executive William Lynch, who was instrumental in Barnes & Noble's push to compete in tablets against Apple Inc. AAPL -0.85% and Amazon.com Inc. AMZN -0.66%

Barnes & Noble in November reported its fiscal second-quarter profit jumped as the company cut costs, masking a bigger-than-expected decline in revenue.

>>> Hedge Fund Wisdom : Q4 2013 - Full report attached

Consensus New Positions

* eBay (EBAY): Stakes in this e-commerce company’s shares were acquired by the likes of Carl Icahn, Soros Fund, Perry Capital, Omega Advisors, and Farallon Capital. Lee Ainslie’s Maverick Capital also started a brand new position and made it their top holding. Icahn is pushing for the company to sell or spin-off its fast growing payments arm (PayPal) but management has resisted thus far.

* American Airlines (AAL): American Airlines completed its merger with US Airways (former ticker LCC) to create the new AAL. The domestic airline industry has undergone consolidation and many funds are bullish on the prospects for higher ticket prices and planes with less empty seats. Some funds (like Appaloosa Management) owned LCC prior to the merger so those shares became AAL shares. Other funds that disclosed new positions this quarter include Tiger Management, Soros Fund, and Paulson & Co.

* Actavis (ACT): This company just made a bid for Forest Laboratories (FRX) a few days ago. This is similar to some of the popular pharmaceutical roll-up stories that hedge funds like (i.e. Valeant Pharmaceuticals and Endo Health Solutions). ACT is domiciled in Ireland, giving them advantageous tax treatment. Hedge funds that established new stakes in Q4 include Soros Fund, JANA Partners, Farallon Capital, and Blue Ridge Capital.

* Time Warner Cable (TWC): This cable company was seen as ‘in play’ as rumors circulated that they would be bought out by Charter Communications (CHTR). However, it was recently announced that Comcast (CMCSA) had made a superior bid and will be paying 2.875 CMCSA shares for each TWC share. This deal could face regulatory scrutiny, as it would combine the #1 and #2 cable operators in America. Hedge funds that bought new positions in the quarter include Soros Fund, Bridger Management, Perry Capital and Maverick Capital.

* Caesars Acquisition (CACQ): Most of these hedge funds weren’t out buying shares in the open market. Instead, they received shares via a spin-off from Caesars Entertainment (CZR), which they also owned. CACQ houses the company’s online gaming ventures and is seen as a growth company. Hedge funds that reported stakes in this new ticker include Omega Advisors, Soros Fund, and Paulson & Co.

Consensus Sold Positions

* J.C. Penney (JCP): After trying to catch the falling knife, many hedge funds capitulated and tossed in the towel on this troubled retailer. Funds like Perry Capital were buying at higher prices and then selling at lower ones. Appaloosa Management actually bought the dip successfully and got out with a quick gain for a trade though. * Equinix (EQIX): This consensus sell was dumped by Coatue Management, Farallon Capital, Lone Pine Capital and Viking Global. Of these, Coatue’s exit is the most notable as this was an $800+ million position for them and was a stock they’d owned for almost two years. Shares of numerous data center companies have been under siege.

* Penn National Gaming (PENN): Many hedge funds owned this company for the spin-off of Gaming & Leisure Properties (GLPI), the first gaming real estate investment trust (REIT). With that catalyst behind them, hedge funds such as Omega Advisors, Passport Capital, Pennant Capital and Perry Capital dumped PENN shares.

* Visa (V): This looks to be mainly a case of locking in profits. The vast majority of funds that sold their Visa positions have owned shares for quite some time. V shares are up over 43% in the past year and up over 304% over the past five years. Many of these hedge funds also own the other half of the pure-play payment processing duopoly: Mastercard (MA). What’s interesting is that some of these funds dumped their V shares, but retained their MA stakes even though MA shares have performed just as well. MA (the smaller company) is seen as the growth play with more exposure to credit cards while V has more debit card exposure and is the larger player.

* Hertz (HTZ): Hertz was sold by Appaloosa, Soros Fund and Tiger Management. Over the past two quarters, Blue Ridge Capital swapped out their HTZ position for rival Avis Budget (CAR). Realistically, this is probably more of a ‘mixed activity’ name when you consider that Third Point and a few other funds scooped up HTZ shares at the same time.

Consensus Decreased Positions

* Priceline.com (PCLN): This stock is at the top of this list for the second consecutive quarter. Hedgies are most likely locking in profits and reducing position sizes, as this stock has been a high-flyer for quite some time. Funds that trimmed their stakes include Soros Fund, Farallon, Maverick, Pennant, and Coatue. Lone Pine and Blue Ridge also trimmed their positions, but PCLN is still a top seven holding at both funds.

* Charter Communications (CHTR): This is another stock that has graced this list for the second straight issue. CHTR has been pushing to consolidate the domestic cable industry by trying to buy Time Warner Cable (TWC). Unfortunately, Comcast (CMCSA) beat them out with a higher bid. Funds such as Bridger, Farallon, Lone Pine, Maverick, Coatue, and Soros were reducing their positions in Q4.

* Facebook (FB): Shares of this social media giant have been ripping higher for the past two quarters. After their botched initial public offering where shares tumbled, hedge funds stepped in and bought. The company has shown that mobile monetization wasn’t going to be a problem like many investors originally thought and shares soared from $25 in June up to $55 by year-end. Since then, FB shares have headed even higher to $67. Soros, Maverick, Bridger, Lone Pine, and Coatue trimmed their stakes.

* American International Group (AIG): This is another stock that has been on this list for multiple quarters in a row. As the discount to book value has continued to narrow, hedge funds have taken some of their gains from this position and allocated the capital to other ideas. But even after many of these hedge funds took profits, they still retain sizable AIG stakes.

* MetLife (MET): Hedge funds that trimmed their MetLife exposure include Omega Advisors, Maverick, Appaloosa, and Viking.

>>> US Gapping down

Gapping down

In reaction to disappointing earnings/guidance: FLTX -18.6%, GRPN -12%, ANAD -10.2%, ACTG -9.4%, VCRA -7.1%, (light volume), FNGN -6.7%, EXEL -6.3%, CENX -5.3%, ABTL -5% (also announces intent to file an omnibus shelf registration statement on Form S-3 with the SEC for the offer and sale of securities by the company), IPXL -4.7%, VMI -3.4%, (light volume), TS -2.9%,MXWL -2.8%, DTLK -2.8%, MRVL -2.2% (names Michael Rashkin Chief Financial Officer), NCMI -2.2% (downgraded to Neutral from Buy at B. Riley & Co), MHK -2%, ERF -1.2%, JWN -1% (also downgraded to Hold at Stifel following Q4), BCOR -0.8%, NEM -0.8%, LOPE -0.8% (light volume).

Select metals/mining stocks trading lower: EGO -3.3%, AU -1.2%, GOLD -0.9% (reports a Director sold 40K ordinary shares (UK listed) at GBP47.16) .

Other news: ESI -8.7% (light volume, still checking for catalyst), PGNX -3.1% ( announces proposed public offering of common stock; size not disclosed), PRAN -2.7% (continues to pull back), GM -1.4% (will aim for 10% increase in China sales in 2014, according to reports), HLF -1% ( execs plan to leave for DC to explain business model, according to reports; also Pershing Square Feb investor update released yesterday).

Analyst comments: IHG -3% (downgraded to Underperform from Neutral at Credit Suisse), PHG -1.9% (downgraded to Underperform from Neutral at Exane BNP Paribas ), RPTP -0.8% (downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Ladenburg), WMT -0.2% (downgraded to Hold from Buy at Stifel)

>>> US Gapping up

Gapping up

In reaction to strong earnings/guidance: COMM +14.2% (also upgraded to Buy from Hold at Jefferies), TRMR +8.1%, SSTK +6.8%, ARUN +6.7% (also announces additional $200 mln share repurchase authorization), FUEL +6.1%, JOBS +5.1% (light volume), DISH +5.1%, PCYC +5%, BBG +4.1% (light volume), TTS +3.5%, (ticking higher), WBMD +3.4%, UEIC +3.1%, (thinly traded),PGI +2.7%, (light volume), DXCM +2.5%, WBAI +2.1%, INTU +1.9%, CVT +1.8%, HPQ +1.7%, PCLN +1.5%, QLIK +1%, COG +0.7%, ( announces new agreements for long-term sales and pipeline takeaway capacity).

M&A news: ESC +34% and BKD +1.5% (Emeritus Corp and Brookdale Senior Living sign definitive merger agreement; Emeritus shareholders will receive 0.95 shares of Brookdale common stock in exchange for each share of their Emeritus common stock; exchange ratio implies a 32% premium on Emeritus' shares), IOC +6.1% (InterOil seeing uptick in after hours trading, up nearly 3%; potentially related to DailyMail story that co is a strong takeover target), AXE +1.5% (following late spike on PE speculation).

Other news: ISIS +5.7% (reports interim results from ISIS-SMN Rx; average increase of 3.7 points observed in muscle function score in SMA children treated with 9 mg of ISIS-SMN Rx; on track to initiate Phase 3 study in children with SMA later this year), MVIS +4.9% (continued strength), CTIC +4.1% (still checking), AMRC +3.3% (among companies awarded $7 bln govt contract), ARIA +2.4% (expands Its Board of Directors with appointment of Alexander J. Denner of Sarissa Capital Management), CONN +2.2% (modestly rebounding), FANG +1.8% (prices public offering of 3 mln shares of common stock at $62.67 per share), DDD +1.5% (still checking), JNPR +1.4% (announces integrated operating plan; says enhanced operational efficiency expected to result in a 25% operating margin for 2015; aggressive capital return plan returning a minimum of $3 bln of capital to shareholders over the next three years, including more than $2 bln in share repurchases through Q1 2015; co to initiate $0.10 per share quarterly dividend to commence in Q3 2014), NOK +1.2% (still checking), AMZN +1.1% (is offering retailers to post links back to retailers websites on AMZN, according to reports ), RBS +1.1% (to eliminate 30K investment banking jobs, according to reports ), NVS +0.9% (announced Lucentis approval in fourth Japanese indication, diabetic macular edema; Pivotal clinical data in Asian patients show a significant increase in mean visual acuity following treatment with Lucentis compared with laser therapy), VOD +0.7% (still checking), KO +0.6% (announces letters of intent with two new bottling partners).

Analyst comments: AEG +3.1% (upgraded to Strong Buy from Outperform at Raymond James), STX +2.3% (upgraded to Outperform at RBC Capital Mkts; tgt raised to $60), BCRX +1.5% (initiated with a Overweight at Piper Jaffray; tgt $17) SDRL +1.3% (upgraded to Overweight from Neutral at HSBC ), TOT +0.8% (upgraded to Neutral from Sell at Goldman).

>>> US Early premarket gappers

Early premarket gappers

Gapping up: COMM +14.4%, AMRC +13.1%, TRMR +8.1%, SSTK +6.8%, ARUN +6.7%, IOC +6.1%, FUEL +6.1%, JOBS +5.1%, PCYC +5%, MVIS +4.9%, CTIC +4.1%, BBG +4.1%, JCP +3.9%, TTS +3.5%, UEIC +3.1%, PGI +2.7%, DXCM +2.5%, AXE +1.9%, INTU +1.9%, FANG +1.8%, CVT +1.8%, HPQ +1.7%, PCLN +1.5%, JNPR +1.4%, NOK +1.2%, AMZN +1.1%, RBS+1.1%, QLIK +1%

Gapping down: FLTX -23.3%, ACTG -15.7%, GRPN -13.8%, ANAD -10.2%, ESI -8.7%, MXWL -7.2%, VCRA -7.1%, FNGN -6.7%, EXEL -6.3%, BCOR -5.9%, ABTL -5%, IPXL -4.7%, CENX -4.1%, VMI -3.4%, PGNX -3.1%, TS -2.7%, ESRX -2.5%, NCMI -2.2%, MHK -2%, ESC -1.6%, BKD -1.6%, ERF -1.2%, HLF -1%, GOLD -0.9%, NEM -0.9%, LOPE -0.8%, JWN -0.7%

>>> (BoA-ML) The Flow Show - Cash Down, Risk On

Talking Points
* Cash is cut: High Yield & US/EU/Japan see equity inflows (Chart 1)
* Risk-on: largest equity inflows in 12 weeks; largest HY inflows in 17 weeks
* EM-dump: more EM debt & equity redemptions but no “buy” signal from EM Flow Trading Rule

Asset Class Flows
* Money-markets: $45bn redemptions = largest since Oct’13
* Equities: $13.4bn inflows
* Bonds: modest $2.6bn inflows (Table 1)
* Commodities: 15 straight weeks of redemptions

Fixed Income Flows
* 21 straight weeks of outflows from EM debt funds (tied for longest outflow streak on record)
* 7 straight weeks of outflows from TIPS funds
* First govt/tsy fund outflows in 5 weeks
* Largest inflows to HY bond funds in 17 weeks ($2.4bn)
* 9 straight weeks of inflows to IG bond funds
* 87 straight weeks of inflows to floating-rate debt (Table 2)

Equity Flows
* $1.5bn outflows from EM equity funds (17 straight weeks of outflows = longest outflow streak on record – Table 3)
* 4-week outflows from EM equities are 2.2% of AUM = missing out on a contrarian “buy” signal from our EM Flow Trading Rule (3.0% is threshold) (Chart 2)
* Europe: $4.5bn inflows (34 straight weeks of inflows)
* US: $8.3bn inflows (majority via ETF’s)
* Japan: 9 straight weeks of inflows

>>> Tullow : Operational Update - Norway

Trondheim, 21 February 2014

Discovery on Langlitinden

Det norske is about to complete drilling operations on well 7222/11-2 on the Langlitinden prospect in production licence 659, where Det norske oljeselskap is operator with a 20* percent ownership interest. The well (7222/11-2) encountered an oil-bearing channel sand of Triassic age.

The primary objective of well 7222/11-2 was to prove hydrocarbons in the Kobbe Formation reservoir (Triassic) and notably to prove good flow properties in the same reservoir. The well encountered oil in a channel sand, which also was the main target for the well. Extensive data sampling, including cores, wireline logs and fluid samples have been performed. Movable hydrocarbons were proved in the main target for the well, but mini-DST proved poor reservoir properties. The partnership in production licence 659 will evaluate the results carefully with respect to the remaining prospectivity of the licence. Based on preliminary analysis, Det norske is of the opinion that the volumes proven in this well, as of today, are insufficient to justify a field development.

The well was drilled to a total depth of 2,878 metres below sea level. The water depth is 338 metres. The well will now be permanently plugged and abandoned. Partners in production licence 659 are Lundin (20 percent), Tullow (15 percent), Rocksource (5 percent), Petoro (30 percent) and Atlantic (10 percent)*.

(*A prerequisite for these equities is approval by the authorities of the transaction whereby Atlantic receives 10 percent equity from Det norske).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tullow Oil plc (London) (+44 20 3249 9000) Chris Perry (Investor Relations) James Arnold (Investor Relations) George Cazenove (Media Relations)

Citigate Dewe Rogerson (London) (+44 207 638 9571) Martin Jackson Shabnam Bashir

Murray Consultants (Dublin) (+353 1 498 0300) Ed Micheau Joe Heron

Notes to Editors Tullow Oil plc Tullow is a leading independent oil & gas, exploration and production group, quoted on the London, Irish and Ghanaian stock exchanges (symbol: TLW) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. The Group has interests in over 150 exploration and production licences across 24 countries which are managed as three regional business units: West & North Africa, South & East Africa and Europe, South America and Asia.

>>> What to look at today - 21/02/2014

US MArket Closed Higher, with again Small Caps leading the move, macro numbers inAsia &euorpe didn't succeed to depress buyers and US Man PMI, pushed them to buy again Volume were still below avergae @ 610mil shares... VIX @ 14,79 -4,58%...SKEW @ 134,37 REbounds from lows, +3,99%...HP was 1% higher after hours...Nikkei leads the rebound in Asia on Softer Yen...BOJ Minutes from Jan meeting show concern CPI may slow once JPY stops
weakening...Nikkei +2,88%...Shanghai -1,58%...

Eur$ 1,3717 S&P Fut +0,31% European Futures indicated : Eurostox +0,45% Ftse +0,5%

>>> Macro
- Yanukovych Agreed to Elections This Year, AFP Says on Twitter
- Ukraine Likely to Default in Absence of Significant Change: S&P

>>> Keep an eye on :
- ABG/P SM : Abengoa to Propose EU0.111/Share Scrip Dividend to Shareholders
- ABN NA : ABN Amro 4Q Net Loss EU47 Mln on Bank Tax, Loan Impairments, Dutch Hire Rothschild to Prepare ABN Amro IPO, Telegraaf Says
- AGU US : Agrium 4Q Adj. EPS Beats Ests. After Jan. Guide to Low Range End
- AIR FP : Airbus May Demand Damages as German Cancels Order: Handelsblatt
- CS FP : Axa 2013 Net Income Misses Estimate; Planned Dividend In Line
- BEFB BB: Befimmo Adj. EPS of EU4.22 Misses, Profit Forecast Meets Ests.
- CU FP : Club Med Says Winter Bookings Down 4.6% Over Past 8 Weeks
- DAI GY : Daimler’s Supervisory Board Head Doesn’t Plan to Stay Until 2020
- DBK GY : Deutsche Bank Tokyo Salesman Charged With Bribery Leaves Firm
- EKTAB SS : Elekta Cuts FY Sales, Ebita Forecast
- ERA FP : Groupe Eramet Posts 2013 Net Loss of EU370m
- GFC FP : Gecina 2013 Gross Rentals, Ebitda Fall 1.2%; Sees 2014 Growth
- KER FP : Kering 4Q Luxury Comparable Sales Beat Estimates, Gucci Misses
- NOVN VX : Novartis Says Lucentis Approved in Japan for DME Treatment
- UG FP : Peugeot Family Members Backed Dongfeng Deal, Le Figaro Says
- RWE GY : RWE/RWE3 At Widest Since 2010; Stoxx Div. Index Reshuffle Due
- SESG FP : SES 2013 Rev., Ebitda, Div Match Ests; Sees 6%-7% Growth in 2014
- SCVB SS : Scania's fate could be decided by Volkswagen today
- SGL GY : SGL Carbon Sees FY Group Net Loss of Almost EU400m
- SON PL : Sonaecom Bought 15% of Own Stock in Offer That Ended on Feb. 19
- SU FP : Schneider Electric could make small acquisitions in China, India and Brazil
- TEL2B SS : Kinnevik could be open to sell Tele2
- FR FP : Valeo 2013 Net EU439m vs Est. EU413m