UPDATED on Monday: It appears that both FT stories are now back to reciting the single $4 billion figure. Interesting. This item is entirely credited to the keen eyes of an anonymous commenter of mine, below.
In a new story -- identical to the old, in every respect, save one -- the Financial Times is now asserting that the Animal Health businesses may fetch upwards of $10 billion (up from $4 billion in the original rumor piece, of Friday night).
One increasingly obvious possibility -- to reach that number -- is a sale of everything (Both Merck's Merial share, and Schering-Plough's Intervet businesses):
. . . .Merck. . . is close to restructuring its lucrative animal medicines assets in a wide-ranging deal likely to be finalised in the next few weeks with its partner Sanofi-Aventis that could earn it more than$4$10 billion. . . .
To be fair, Merck CEO Dick Clark has made very specific statements to the contrary, and in very-recent SEC-filed documents, no less. So, until those are revised, updated or withdrawn, I'm not sure this is anything beyond a simple rumor.
But a rumor with a very high price tag.
7 comments:
Not to taint dear Mr. Clark but, didn't Fred also serve adamant words that 'S/P can go it alone.' And then he turned the company around~~by selling it?!
Indeed, he did. And feel free to taint Mr. Clark -- 'twon't bother me in the least!
In truth, he hath tainted himself -- by bailing CEO Hassan out -- with this bust-up, while claiming it is a straight merger.
Namaste
The posted story is now back down to $4B! What the Heck?
I just noted this latest goofiness -- above.
Thanks!
Namaste
Dear God, it never stops. It's back to $10B. I won't be offended if you decide to stop updating!
Maybe Fred's doing the tinkering~~
Heh!
Probably.
So, I'll stop looking at FT.
Namaste, and seriously -- Thanks!
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