Since the Advertising Mergers & Acquisitions: August 18th – August 24th, 2018 account, more completed, updated, and rumored mergers and acquisitions in the advertiser and brand space were announced. Here’s the latest news.
Completed Deals
These deals have gone through all the necessary steps and have been completed.
- Flight Plan LLC Acquired by Garmin Ltd.
Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN) has acquired Flight Plan LLC, one of the largest flight planning companies in the world. Flight Plan’s comprehensive electronic flight planning, scheduling, and trip support services will join Garmin’s already sizable lineup of GPS navigation, communication, and information devices and services. Garmin’s long standing industry leadership experience will help to further expand Flight Plan’s aviation services and geographical reach.
Announcements and Updates
These deals have been announced, but are still subject to varying levels of approval. While it is likely they will eventually close, there is a chance they may be called off or altered. There are also updates to previously announced deals.
- Coca-Cola to Buy Costa Coffee
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) announced that it is buying London-based Costa Coffee Limited, Starbucks’ UK rival, from Whitbread for $5.1 billion. Costa Coffee has about 4,000 locations in different markets around the world with the majority in the UK. The deal will give Coca-Cola a strong retail presence in the UK coffee market and the opportunity to further diversify its soft drink businesses.
- Thom Browne Being Acquired by Ermenegildo Zegna Holditalia S.p.A.
Ermenegildo Zegna, the Italian luxury fashion house, has reached an agreement with private equity firm, Sandbridge Capital, to acquire an 85% majority stake in Thom Browne Inc., a New York City-based menswear and womenswear brand, for $500 million. The purchase — the biggest in the history of Ermenegildo Zegna — is a bid to reach new markets, particularly younger customers, as the global luxury industry experiences shake-ups. Following the completion of the acquisition, Thom Browne will remain independently run.
- Reis, Inc. Being Acquired by Moody’s Corporation
Moody’s Corporation (NYSE: MCO), a financial services company that is best known for providing credit ratings and economic-related research, has entered into an agreement to acquire all outstanding shares of commercial real estate data company, Reis, Inc. (NASDAQ: REIS), for $278 million. The deal will further bolster Moody’s network of data and analytics providers in the commercial real estate market, and is a reflection of their mission to give customers the tools to make financial decisions.
- K2M, Inc. Being Acquired by Stryker Corporation
Stryker Corporation (NYSE: SYK) announced on Thursday that it is buying its rival, K2M Group Holdings Inc., a medical device maker that specializes in spinal implant technology, for $1.4 billion. The acquisition comes at a time when Stryker’s spine unit is struggling, generating only 6% of the company’s total profit. K2M is a small player in the medical device market, dominated by big names such as Johnson & Johnson and Zimmer Biomet. But, the company has been gaining market share rapidly.
Rumor Mill
This section contains potential deals that are rumored to be in the works, although nothing has been confirmed yet.
- Campbell Soup to Sell International Business and Refrigerated-Foods Unit
Campbell Soup Co. (NYSE: CPB) announced that it is planning to divest its international and fresh refrigerated-foods units, and has also left open the possibility of selling the remainder of the company, following pressure from hedge fund investors to sell the company outright. Selling these two units, which include the Bolthouse Farms, Garden Fresh, Arnott’s and Kelsen brands, will make Campbell a more attractive acquisition target, as it focuses on its core soup and snack businesses.
