Mergers & Acquisitions in April 2016
One of the most notable deals involved Asahi Group Holdings acquisition of Grolsch for £2bn, which was previously part of SAB Miller Plc. The deal has been announced following the previously reported, acquisition of SAB Miller by AB InBev. In order for the AB InBev deal to gain approval, both parties committed to selling all of SAB Miller’s central and eastern European businesses, preventing a monopoly and lack of competition.
The deal for Grolsch will see the Asahi Group gain one of the most significant footholds in the European market, with the deal becoming one of the largest Asian acquisitions in the beverage and liquor industry.
Other deals include the £180 million deal for KBC Advanced Technologies, a software services and consulting provider to the energy industry, acquired by Yokogawa Electric Corporation, a Japanese electrical engineering and Software Company. Non Standard Finance plc, a provider of financial services throughout the UK, also completed the acquisition of Everyday Loans Holdings Ltd for £235 million.