Shire Offers $33.9 B to Baxalta; AXA, Continental, Just Eat Net Jump

Nigel Thomas
04 Aug, 2015
New York City

Shire made a hostile offer to acquire Baxalta for $33.9 billion. AXA profit jumped 2% to

[R]4:00 PM Frankfurt – Shire made a hostile offer to acquire Baxalta for $33.9 billion. AXA profit jumped 2% to €3.1 billion. BMW net increased 1% to €3.3 billion. Continental profit soared 11% to €1.5 billion and lifted free cash flow forecast. Just Eat net climbed 57%.[/R]

In London trading, FTSE 100 index fell 10.64 or 0.2% to 6,684.32 and in Frankfurt the DAX index edged down 2.55 to 11,441.28.

In Paris, CAC 40 index slid 15.58 or 0.3% to 5,105.23.

AXA SA rose 0.1% to €24.29 after the France-based insurance services provider reported total revenues in the first-half ending in June climbed 10% to €54.52 billion from €49.71 billion in a year ago period.

Net profit in the period rose 2% from a year ago to €3.08 billion compared to €3.01 billion and diluted earnings per share increased to €1.19 from €1.18.

AXA said revenues in the U.S. soared 23% and in France climbed 9%.

Bayerische Motoren Werke AG dropped 2.6% to €89.71 after the Germany-based auto maker reported total revenues in the first-half ending in June surged 17.6% to €44.85 billion or €38.14 billion in a year ago period.

Net profit in the period increased 1.2% from a year ago to €3.27 billion compared to €3.23 billion and diluted earnings per share increased to €4.96 from €4.90.

Total number of passenger cars sold in the first-half jumped 7.8% to 1,099,748 units from 1,020,211 units in a year ago period.

Continental AG jumped 4.2% to €213.90 after the Germany-based tire maker said total sales in the first-half ending in June climbed 15.8% to €19.59 billion or €16.92 billion in a year ago period.

Net profit in the period soared 11.1% from a year ago to €1.45 billion compared to €1.30 billion and diluted earnings per share increased to €7.24 from €6.52.

The company lifted free cash flow forecast before acquisitions from at least €1.5 billion to at least €1.8 billion.

Fresnillo Plc gained 1.9% to 645.50 pence after the Mexico-based silver, gold, lead and zinc producer said total revenues in the first-half ending in June jumped 11.1% to $752.3 million from $677.1 million in a year ago period.

Net profit in the period tumbled 44.3% from a year ago to $76.4 million compared to $137.1 million and diluted earnings per share dropped to 10.4 cents from 17.7 cents.

The mining company remains on track on silver and gold production forecast for the fiscal 2018 of 65 million ounces and 750,000 ounces respectively as its Pyrites project remains on track to commence operations in 2017 and San Julián project is expected to be commissioned in 2016.

Just Eat Plc slumped 2.2% to 428 pence after the U.K.-based online and mobile market place for takeaway food said revenues in the first-half ending in June surged 54% to £107.8 million from £69.8 million

Profit in the period climbed 57% from a year ago to £9.4 million compared to £6 million and diluted earnings per share increased to 1.6 pence from 1.1 pence.

Shire Plc declined 4.6% to 5,465 pence after the Ireland-based rare diseases medicines maker confirmed that it has made a hostile offer to acquire rare-disease treatment maker Baxalta Inc. in a stock deal with a total enterprise value of about $33.9 billion.

The proposal valued the company at $45.23 a share, representing a premium of 36% over closing price of August 3.