S&P Global Market Intelligence provides a wrap-up of European media and communications deal announcements, completions and updates from Sept. 28 to Oct. 4.
TOP NEWS
* Apple Inc. acquired IKinema Ltd., a U.K.-based developer of animation technology solutions for the gaming and related industries. IKinema changed its address to the same one used by the iPhone maker's unit Apple (UK) Ltd., according to a recent regulatory filing with Companies House, the U.K.'s registrar of companies. Apple confirmed the news to CNBC.com.
* Abertis Infraestructuras SA, through its subsidiary Abertis Telecom Satélites SA, closed the sale of its 89.7% stake in Spanish satellite operator Hispasat SA to Red Eléctrica Corporación SA for €933 million, after securing the necessary legal authorizations. The sale will allow Abertis to focus on operating toll roads. The company will use the deal's net proceeds to pay down its debt as well as to invest in growth initiatives, according to an Oct. 3 news release.
Media
* Tencent Holdings Ltd. will acquire a 29% stake in game developer and publisher Funcom SE. Under the deal, the Chinese internet giant will buy all the shares held by Funcom's biggest shareholder, Norway-based KGJ Capital AS.
Communications
* Blackstone Group Inc., through Blackstone Tactical Opportunities Advisors LLC, agreed to buy a stake in Sipartech SA, which provides telecommunications infrastructure solutions in France with a focus on dark fiber. Growth equity investor Summit Partners LP is selling the stake in Sipartech, which operates more than 3,000 kilometers of fiber across France. Summit, alongside Sipartech founder, CEO and majority shareholder Julien Santina, invested in the business in 2016.
* Some of Sunrise Communications Group AG's investors intend to oppose the Swiss operator's planned acquisition of UPC Schweiz from Liberty Global PLC, Reuters reported. Sunrise Communications needs a simple majority vote to support a CHF2.8 billion equity issuance for the deal to push through. However, those holding at least 30% of the voting rights are expected to vote against it, according to Reuters. Freenet AG, which owns a 24.5% stake in Sunrise Communications and previously rejected a heftier capital issuance in April, is anticipated to continue opposing the transaction. Activist investor Active Ownership Capital Sàrl, together with two other top 10 investors, also expressed plans to oppose the transaction. The vote will take place Oct. 23 at an extraordinary meeting.
* Accenture PLC will acquire Nytec Inc., a product innovation and engineering company headquartered in Kirkland, Wash., with 250 employees. Upon closing, Nytec will become part of Accenture Industry X.0, Accenture's digital industry services division. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions.
* Synopsys Inc. completed its acquisition of German automotive software developer QTronic GmbH. The deal is expected to boost Synopsys' portfolio of automotive virtual prototyping solutions.
* Swedish communication technology provider Ericsson completed the acquisition of Kathrein Mobile Communication, the antenna and filter division of Germany-based Kathrein SE. Ericsson expects the acquisition to support its push to develop 5G-capable technologies.
* Keensight Capital made an investment in Geodesial, replacing fellow private equity firm CAPZA as majority shareholder. Geodesial, through its Geomedia SAS and Geomensura subsidiaries, develops computer-aided design and computer-aided engineering software for infrastructure. Keensight will support the company's organic growth and develop a build-up strategy, primarily in new markets.
* Global private equity firm Warburg Pincus LLC agreed to sell its stake in inexio Informationstechnologie und Telekommunikation GmbH, which provides fiber-optic broadband networks in Germany, to EQT Infrastructure. Co-shareholders Deutsche Beteiligungs AG and other minority investors are also selling their stakes in the company, according to a Sept. 28 news release. The transaction was worth about €1 billion, Reuters reported, citing sources. Completion of the transaction is subject to approval by antitrust authorities.
Links are current as of publication time, and we are not responsible if those links are unavailable later.
