Join +750K new investors every month who copy stock picks from billionaire's portfoliosSign Up Free

UPDATE 3-UK's G4S rejects 2.95 bln pound offer from Canadian security firm GardaWorld

Published 2020-09-14, 07:07 a/m
© Reuters.
GFSl
-

* GardaWorld makes all-cash offer of 190p/G4S share

* G4S (CSE:G4S) rejects offer, shares up 25% to 182 pence

* GW encourages G4S shareholders to press for board's engagement

(Releads with G4S statement, details on talks, updates shares)

By Yadarisa Shabong

Sept 14 (Reuters) - Britain's G4S GFS.L said on Monday it had rejected a 2.95 billion pound ($3.8 billion) offer from Canadian security firm GardaWorld, saying it was "highly opportunistic".

GardaWorld said when it announced the offer earlier on Monday that it had encouraged G4S shareholders to "mandate their board's engagement" after its attempts to engage directly were "summarily dismissed or ignored on three occasions".

Shares in G4S had jumped 25% to 182.3 pence by 1341 GMT, just shy of the 190 pence per share offer, which represents a premium of about 30% to its last close.

G4S, whose shares had lost around 33% of their value this year to Friday's close, rejected the sweetened proposal made on Sept. 1, revealing that it had also declined two previous offers in June for 145 pence per share and 153 pence per share each. Board believes that the timing of the proposal is highly opportunistic, coming as it does at a time of severe turbulence in global financial markets," it said, urging its shareholders to not take any action.

GardaWorld last year considered a cash offer for some or all of G4S, but by May had opted not pursue a deal. Two months later private equity BC Partners bought a majority stake in the Canadian firm.

In the past year G4S has had to allay investor concerns after setbacks including charges that some executives had defrauded the Ministry of Justice, the loss of a contract to run a Birmingham prison, and Norway's wealth fund shunning investments in the firm. sold off most of its cash-handling business in February to U.S. peer Brinks Co BCO.N , and in July announced plans to lay off some employees at its retained UK cash operations, which have attached pension obligations. needs an owner, not a manager," GardaWorld's founder and chief executive Stephan Cretier said on Monday. He said he understood G4S's importance as a UK employer and steps would be taken to address its "underfunding" of UK pension obligations.

"Since the pandemic G4S's valuation has made it more appealing, whilst revenues of about 7 billion pounds annually remain far ahead of GW," said Markets.com analyst Neil Wilson. "This will be the tiddler swallowing the whale." ($1 = 0.7772 pounds)

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.