Ion-Marc Valahu repond a Bloomberg – 04.04.2014
“It’s good for the market. Things are boiling up on the M&A front,” said Ion-Marc Valahu, a Clairinvest fund manager. “There’s overcapacity and they need to consolidate their balance sheets.”
April 4 (Telegraph) — Lafarge and Holcim could form a company with a stock market value of more than $50bn (£30bn)
Lafarge and Holcim, the world’s two largest cement makers, are in merger talks to form a company with a stock market value of more than $50bn (£30bn). The discussions are “based on principles consistent with a merger of equals”, Paris-listed Lafarge said in a statement. The company said no agreement had yet been reached with Switzerland’s Holcim and there was no guarantee of a deal, but added that there was a “strong complementarity” and “cultural proximity” between the two.
“Holcim and Lafarge believe that there is rationale in considering a potential merger that could deliver significant benefits to customers, employees and shareholders,” Holcim said. Shares in Lafarge hit a four-year high after news of the talks emerged, rising 8.3pc. Holcim’s shares climbed 8.5pc.
“It’s good for the market. Things are boiling up on the M&A front,” said Ion-Marc Valahu, a Clairinvest fund manager. “There’s overcapacity and they need to consolidate their balance sheets.” A merger would allow Lafarge and Holcim to slash costs and reduce worldwide overcapacity that has weighed on the market in recent years. Both companies are also striving to trim debt resulting from major acquisitions.
Apr/04/2014 17:33 GMT