Proposed Directors of Tirupati Graphite explain why they have requisitioned an GM. Watch the video here.

Less Ads, More Data, More Tools Register for FREE

Pin to quick picksLAD.L Share News (LAD)

  • There is currently no data for LAD

Watchlists are a member only feature

Login to your account

Alerts are a premium feature

Login to your account

UPDATE 2-Betfair, Paddy Power reach agreement on 6 bln stg tie-up

Tue, 08th Sep 2015 08:18

* New firm to be called Paddy Power Betfair

* Betfair shareholders to get 0.4254 new shares in combinedgroup

* Paddy Power s'holders to get special dividend of 80 mlneuros

* Will be UK online betting market leader

* Both firms recommend shareholders to back deal (Updates value in headline and first paragraph, adds shares,advisers, detail on deal)

By Conor Humphries

DUBLIN, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Betfair and Irish rivalPaddy Power have reached agreement on a 6 billion pound($9.2 billion)combination, first set out last month and designedto secure leadership of Britain's competitive online gamblingmarket.

As in a provisional deal announced in August, Paddy Powershareholders will own 52 percent of the group with Betfairinvestors owning the rest, if the deal is approved byshareholders, Betfair said on Tuesday.

The betting sector has seen a string of deals this year, ascompanies respond to tighter regulation and higher tax bills inBritain and across Europe by looking to bulk up and bettercompete in an online market buoyed by the increasing use ofmobiles and tablets.

Ladbrokes and Gala Coral struck an all-share deal inJuly, while GVC Holdings last week agreed to buyBwin.party Digital Entertainment.

Under the latest deal, shareholders of Betfair - anexclusively online business best known for technology whichallows gamblers to bet against each other as opposed to takingodds offered by a bookmaker - will receive 0.4254 new shares inthe combined group in exchange for each Betfair share.

Paddy Power shareholders will receive a special dividend of80 million euros.

The new group, which will be called Paddy Power Betfair andwhose stock market value would be some 6 billion pounds on thebasis of the combined valuations of the two partners, will bemarket leader online in the UK with a share of 16 percent,according to industry data.

That would surpass a merged Ladbrokes Coral group on 14percent, as well as William Hill and privately ownedBet365.

Betfair chief Breon Corcoran, formerly chief operatingofficer at Paddy Power, will be CEO of the new group, which willhave a premium listing on the London Stock Exchange and asecondary listing on the Irish Stock Exchange.

The combined group will target a dividend payout ratio ofapproximately 50 per cent of profit after tax, the statementsaid. Betfair said the deal was expected to secure recurringannual pretax cost synergies of approximately 50 million pounds.

Shares in the two groups, which had shot higher onannouncement of the deal, were little changed on itsconfirmation on Tuesday.

Both brands will operate side by side in Europe and willoperate Paddy Power's portfolio of almost 600 betting shops,more than half in Britain.

Paddy Power was advised by Morgan Stanley and IBICorporate Finance on the deal. Betfair was advised by GoldmanSachs.

($1 = 0.6502 pounds) (Editing by Jason Neely and David Holmes)

More News
17 Mar 2016 16:17

Dividends Calendar - Week Ahead

Read more
16 Mar 2016 14:20

Ladbrokes, William Hill Up On Changes To Remote Gaming Duty Rules

Read more
16 Mar 2016 14:04

Shares in UK gambling groups rise as no new taxes unveiled in budget

LONDON, March 16 (Reuters) - Shares in British gambling companies such as Ladbrokes and William Hill rose on Wednesday, with traders citing relief that the British budget did not unveil any strict, new taxes on the sector. "No tax hikes, so positive for the sector," said Securequity sales

Read more
13 Mar 2016 15:18

Sunday newspaper round-up: Budget, Sainsbury's, Virgin Media, Reuters

(ShareCast News) - George Osborne look to grab as much as £20bn to fill shortfalls in his Budget this Wednesday, making deep cuts in public spending, an increased insurance premium tax and other new or increased duties and taxes, while also looking to cut taxes for North Sea oil producers. The Sunda

Read more
7 Mar 2016 20:40

Soccer-Leicester fan accepts 72,000 pounds offer on 5,000-1 bet

LONDON, March 7 (Reuters) - An anonymous gambler has pocketed 72,000 pounds ($102,715) after cashing in on a 50-pounds bet he wagered at the start of the season on Leicester City winning the Premier League at odds of 5,000-1. The Leicester fan decided to take the offer from a British bookma

Read more
4 Mar 2016 08:26

UBS downgrades William Hill amid increasing competition

(ShareCast News) - William Hill was under the cosh on Friday after UBS downgraded the stock to 'sell' from 'buy' and slashed the price target to 365p from 410p as it pointed to an increasingly competitive backdrop. "We believe that, with consolidation in the industry, and with a re-vamped Ladbrokes

Read more
3 Mar 2016 08:10

Ladbrokes Says Gala Coral Posts Net Revenue And Earnings Growth

Read more
3 Mar 2016 07:37

Thursday newspaper round-up: National Grid, Rolls-Royce, bookmakers

(ShareCast News) - The energy regulator Ofgem is to be handed sweeping new powers to manage the country's electricity supplies, switch off factories and request emergency back-up generation, under energy market reforms being considered by Whitehall. Documents seen by The Times show ministers are con

Read more
2 Mar 2016 16:46

UPDATE 1-Cruz gains in online betting, Trump still Republican favorite

(Adds Ladbrokes odds) March 2 (Reuters) - Ted Cruz's Super Tuesday victories in his home state of Texas and neighboring Oklahoma strengthened his odds for the Republican presidential nomination on online betting sites but he still trails far behind Donald Trump. On PredictIt.com, oper

Read more
2 Mar 2016 09:35

BROKER RATINGS SUMMARY: Goldman Cuts Pearson To Sell From Neutral

Read more
24 Feb 2016 17:33

UPDATE 1-Online bettors see Donald Trump as odds-on Republican nominee

(Adds data, recasts first paragraph, adds NEW YORK to dateline) NEW YORK/LONDON, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Donald Trump's chances of winning the Republican nomination for the White House shot to a record high at online betting sites around the world on Wednesday after his latest victory in voting

Read more
24 Feb 2016 17:20

CORRECTED-British bookmakers slash odds on Trump taking Republican nomination

(Corrects Rubio's first name in fourth paragraph to Marco from Mark) LONDON, Feb 24 (Reuters) - British bookmakers on Wednesday slashed the odds on businessman Donald Trump winning the Republican nomination to run for the U.S. presidency after his latest victory in the Nevada caucuses. <

Read more
23 Feb 2016 15:01

FTSE 250 movers: Meggitt keeps index flying in the black

(ShareCast News) - In contrast to its older sibling, the FTSE 250 was in the black on Tuesday afternoon, up 16.35 points (0.10%) to 16,305.15. Meggitt led the pack after it posted a small rise in 2015 pre-tax profit and lifted its dividend despite what it referred to as a challenging year. For the

Read more
23 Feb 2016 13:51

Tuesday broker round-up

(ShareCast News) - HSBC: JP Morgan reiterates underweight with a target price of 410p and UBS stays at buy, 490p target. Just Eat: Investec reiterates buy with a target price of 435p. Glencore: Exane BNP Paribas keeps at outperform with a target of 145p. Ashmore Group: UBS starts coverage at neutr

Read more
23 Feb 2016 13:51

Tuesday broker round-up

(ShareCast News) - HSBC: JP Morgan reiterates underweight with a target price of 410p and UBS stays at buy, 490p target. Just Eat: Investec reiterates buy with a target price of 435p. Glencore: Exane BNP Paribas keeps at outperform with a target of 145p. Ashmore Group: UBS starts coverage at neutr

Read more

Login to your account

Don't have an account? Click here to register.

Quickpicks are a member only feature

Login to your account

Don't have an account? Click here to register.