Allianz Technology Share Discussion Threads

[ariane] 06/1/2007 05:27

Thales Asset Purchases to Add EU1.9 Billion to Sales (Update1)

By Andrea Rothman

Jan. 5 (Bloomberg) -- Thales SA, Europe's largest military- electronics maker, expects satellite and transport assets it's buying from Alcatel-Lucent to boost sales by 1.9 billion euros ($2.5 billion), Chief Executive Officer Denis Ranque said.

The acquisitions ``will provide a major contribution to sales and be a major accelerator of growth,'' Ranque said at a shareholders meeting in Paris that approved paying for the part of the 1.7 billion euros in purchases with shares. Thales may beat a forecast of increasing revenue to 14 billion euros by 2008 from 10.3 billion euros in 2005, he said.

Thales will take over Alcatel-Lucent's stakes in two satellite joint ventures with Finmeccanica SpA as well as full control of two divisions that make railway equipment and security systems. Alcatel-Lucent, the world's biggest maker of telecommunications gear, will more than double its stake in Thales to 21.6 percent from 9.5 percent.

The assets disposal was prompted by the $13.4 billion merger of Paris-based Alcatel SA, the world's biggest maker of broadband equipment, with Murray Hill, New Jersey-based Lucent Technologies Inc., the largest U.S. phone-equipment maker. The Alcatel-Lucent combination was completed Nov. 30.

Shares, Cash

In exchange for buying the Alcatel Transport Solutions railway and subway-equipment business and Paralec security- equipment unit, Thales will provide 25 million new shares to Alcatel-Lucent, amounting to a capital increase of 1 billion euros. Thales expects to complete those takeovers by the end of today.

Thales will also pay about 700 million euros in cash for the stakes in the Alcatel Alenia Space satellite-making joint venture, which will be re-named Thales Alenia Space, and Telespazio, a satellite-services provider. Ranque said the transaction will become effective as soon as once it wins regulatory approval.

France's government backed Thales's purchase of the satellite holdings to keep critical military assets in France. Officials also want to create larger European companies that can take on U.S. defense giants such as Lockheed Martin Corp., Boeing Co. and Northrop Grumman Corp. Shareholder approval for the satellites assets wasn't required as the purchase is in cash.

French, Dassault Stakes

The French state, which now owns 31.3 percent of Neuilly Sur Seine, France-based Thales, will remain the electronics company's largest investor with 27.1 percent after the transaction closes. A stake held by Groupe Dassault will drop to 5 percent from 5.7 percent. Dassault's key shareholder, Serge Dassault, has said he intends to sell the Thales holding.

Ranque said in April that entering the satellite ventures was planned ``well before'' the Alcatel-Lucent transaction came up. The satellite holdings became ``even more desirable'' in light of the Alcatel-Lucent merger.

``Thales now has activities that are nicely distributed across three areas, including security with 25 percent, aerospace with 25 percent and defense with 50 percent,'' Ranque said today.

Regulatory Approval

Thales still requires regulatory approval before completing the purchase of the Alenia Space and Telespazio stakes.

The European Commission, the executive arm of the 27-nation European Union, extended an antitrust investigation in November after an initial probe found potential competition concerns with the combination of Thales's production traveling wave tubes, a satellite part, with Alcatel Alenia Space's component business. A ruling is due by April 17. Ranque said the transaction will become effective as soon as regulatory approval is awarded.

The purchases from Alcatel-Lucent are Thales's biggest acquisition since the 1.3 billion-pound ($2.5 billion) takeover in June 2000 of Racal Electronics Plc, Ranque said. That gave Thales a foothold in the U.K., where competitor BAE Systems Plc dominates.

To contact the reporter on this story: Andrea Rothman in Paris aerothmanbloomberg.net.

Last Updated: January 5, 2007 08:11 EST

[grupo guitarlumber] 05/1/2007 11:53

Thales shareholders approve tie-up with Alcatel-Lucent


PARIS (AFX) - Thales shareholders voted overwhelmingly to approve a planned
tie-up with Alcatel-Lucent that will raise Alcatel-Lucent's stake in Thales to
20.95 pct of the capital from 9.46 pct, and to 20.66 pct of the voting rights
from 12.83 pct.
The French government's stake in Thales will fall to 27.29 pct of the
capital from 31.26 pct.
Alcatel-Lucent will issue 25 mln new shares as part of the tie-up, and its
transport and security activities will be transferred to Thales.
[e-mail]
afp/mjs/lam

[ariane] 16/12/2006 16:25

not sure as yet so sold my holding.

might buy again in the new year.

[mikey_b] 16/12/2006 16:05

Ariane,

Success? You believe in the newco?

[waldron] 16/12/2006 05:45

Alcatel-Lucent Commences Consent Solicitation for Convertible Senior Debentures


* Lucent's 2.75% Series A Convertible Senior Debentures due 2023

PARIS, Dec. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) today commenced a solicitation of consents from holders of record as of December 14, 2006, of Lucent's 2.75% Series A Convertible Senior Debentures due 2023 and 2.75% Series B Convertible Senior Debentures due 2025 (collectively, the "Debentures") to amend the Indenture for the Debentures. The amendment would allow Alcatel-Lucent to provide the holders of the Debentures such information, documents and other reports that are required to be filed by the company pursuant to sections 13 and 15(d) of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, instead of having to produce separate information, documents and reports for Lucent.

Under the terms of the consent solicitation, if Alcatel-Lucent receives the required consents, the company will: 1) issue a full and unconditional subordinated guaranty of the Debentures; 2) increase the interest payable on the principal amount of the Debentures by 12.5 basis points per year; 3) provide a one-time upward adjustment to the conversion rate to 59.7015 ADSs for each $1,000 in principal amount of Series A Debentures and to 65.1465 ADSs for each $1,000 principal amount of Series B Debentures; and 4) add a provision to the Indenture that will cause an upward adjustment to the conversion rate upon cash dividends or distributions on the Alcatel-Lucent ordinary shares in excess of Euro 0.08 per share per year.

The details regarding the terms of the consent solicitation can be found in the consent solicitation statement/prospectus, dated December 15, 2006, which supercedes the joint solicitation statement/prospectus and supplement dated, November 14, 2006, and November 27, 2006, respectively. All holders of the Debentures who have previously delivered consents must redeliver such consents.

The consent solicitation will expire at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time (EST) on December 29, 2006, (the "Expiration Date") unless extended. The adoption of the proposed amendments to the Indenture requires the consent of the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of each series of Debentures.

Holders of the Debentures can obtain copies of the consent solicitation statement/prospectus, the related letter of consent and other related materials from D.F. King & Co., the Information Agent, at [phone] (US toll-free) or, for banks and brokers, [phone].

Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. is acting as the Solicitation Agent for the consent solicitation and can be contacted at +1 (877) 696-BEAR (toll-free).

In addition, Alcatel-Lucent has filed today with the SEC a Form F-3, which is available on

This press release does not constitute a solicitation of consents with respect to the Debentures. The offer to guarantee and consent solicitation are made solely by means of an Offer to Guarantee and Consent Solicitation Statement, dated December 15, 2006, and related materials.

About Alcatel-Lucent

Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) provides solutions that enable service providers, enterprises and governments worldwide, to deliver voice, data and video communication services to end-users. As a leader in fixed, mobile and converged broadband networking, IP technologies, applications, and services, Alcatel-Lucent offers the end-to-end solutions that enable compelling communications services for people at home, at work and on the move. With 79,000 employees and operations in more than 130 countries, Alcatel-Lucent is a local partner with global reach. The company has the most experienced global services team in the industry, and one of the largest research, technology and innovation organizations in the telecommunications industry. Alcatel-Lucent achieved proforma combined revenues of Euro 18.6 billion in 2005, and is incorporated in France, with executive offices located in Paris.

SAFE HARBOR FOR FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

Except for historical information, all other information in this press release consists of forward-looking statements within the meaning of the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. These forward looking statements include statements regarding the future financial and operating results of Alcatel-Lucent as well as the benefits and synergies of the completed merger transaction and other statements about Alcatel-Lucent managements' future expectations, beliefs, goals, plans or prospects that are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about Alcatel-Lucent, as well as Alcatel-Lucent's future performance and the industries in which Alcatel-Lucent operates, in addition to managements' assumptions. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "targets," "goals," "projects," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward- looking statements which are not statements of historical facts. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to assess. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties are based upon a number of important factors including, among others: difficulties and delays in achieving synergies and cost savings; fluctuations in the telecommunications market; the pricing, cost and other risks inherent in long-term sales agreements; exposure to the credit risk of customers; reliance on a limited number of contract manufacturers to supply products we sell; the social, political and economic risks of our global operations; the costs and risks associated with pension and postretirement benefit obligations; the complexity of products sold; changes to existing regulations or technical standards; existing and future litigation; difficulties and costs in protecting intellectual property rights and exposure to infringement claims by others; and compliance with environmental, health and safety laws. For a more complete list and description of such risks and uncertainties, refer to Alcatel-Lucent's Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2005, as amended, as well as other filings by Alcatel-Lucent and Lucent Technologies Inc. with the US Securities and Exchange Commission including Lucent's Proxy Statement dated August 7, 2006. Except as required under the US federal securities laws and the rules and regulations of the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Alcatel-Lucent disclaims any intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

DATASOURCE: Alcatel-Lucent


CONTACT: Press, Regine Coqueran, + 33 (0)1 40 76 49 24,

, or Joan Campion, [phone],

, or Investor Relations, Pascal Bantegnie,

[phone], , or Maria Alcon,

[phone], , or John DeBono,

[phone], , all of Alcatel-Lucent


Web site:

[waldron] 14/12/2006 19:23

ABB, Alcatel-Lucent, EMI: Credit-Default Swap Market Movers

By John Glover

Dec. 14 (Bloomberg) -- The following is a list of companies whose credit-default swap prices are changing today. All credit- default swap prices are as of 10 a.m. in London.

The perception of European credit quality as measured by the iTraxx Crossover Index improved today. The cost of a credit- default swap based on a 10 million-euro ($13 million) contract on the index, which includes 45 companies with investment-grade and non-investment grade ratings, fell to 228,000 euros, or 0.22 percent, from 228,500 euros, according to data compiled by JPMorgan Chase & Co. The index moves an average of about 1.5 percent a day.

Companies in the Crossover Index have more than $80 billion of bonds outstanding. All prices below are based on a contract size of 10 million euros.

ABB Ltd. The cost of a credit-default swap contract based on the bonds of the world's largest builder of electricity networks, rose 760 euros to 29,700 euros, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The Zurich-based company may spend ``several'' billion dollars on acquisitions in the next 12 months, ending five years of disposals, Chief Executive Officer Fred Kindle said in an interview.

EMI Group Plc. The cost of a credit-default swap contract based on the bonds of the world's third-largest music company climbed for a third day in a row, gaining 2,580 euros to 177,900 euros, according to Bloomberg data. The company today agreed to buy the remaining stake it doesn't own in a Japanese music venture with Toshiba Corp. for 21 billion yen ($179 million). The Wall Street Journal reported Dec. 8 that the London-based company may be close to a deal with buyout firm Permira Advisers LLP. The company said Nov. 28 it had received its second takeover approach in six months.

Alcatel-Lucent. The cost of a credit-default swap contract based on the debt of the company created by Alcatel SA's purchase of Lucent Technologies Inc., fell to 91,500 euros from 98,500, according to Credit Market Analysis. Moody's Investors Service on Dec. 11 ended its review of the Paris-based company's credit rating, cutting the corporate family and senior debt ratings to Ba2 from Ba1 and raising some of Lucent's senior debt to Ba3 from B1.

To contact the reporter on this story: John Glover in London at [e-mail]

Last Updated: December 14, 2006 05:33 EST

[ariane] 14/12/2006 06:46

mb

apology accepted

i take it you are making your contribution
to the success of the AL Union of Equal valued Partners

enjoy your day

[mikey_b] 13/12/2006 20:54

It would be insider info. Apologies Ariane.

[ariane] 13/12/2006 17:46

mb

make a contribution

irobot

[ariane] 13/12/2006 17:45

Alcatel-Lucent "sell"

Wednesday, December 13, 2006 8:32:34 AM ET
Dresdner Kleinwort Wasser.

LONDON, December 13 (newratings.com) - Analysts at Dresdner Kleinwort maintain their "sell" rating on Alcatel-Lucent (CGE.ETR). The target price is set to €8.

In a research note published this morning, the analysts mention that in order for the company to match its peers, it would have to achieve three times the planned staff reductions, which implies additional costs of €3 billion. In case Alcatel-Lucent sticks to its official restructuring plan of 9,000 job cuts, it is likely to significantly miss operating profit and cash flow expectations going ahead, the analysts say

[mikey_b] 12/12/2006 09:33

acquisition? They mean merger surely.

Anyone here or just robots posting quotes from other sites?

[ariane] 12/12/2006 06:51

Alcatel-Lucent rating cut to Ba2 vs Ba1, outlook stable - Moody's


LONDON (AFX) - Moody's Investors Service said it cut its corporate family
rating on Alcatel-Lucent to Ba2 from Ba1, citing the completion of Alcatel's
recent acquisition of Lucent Technologies Inc.
"The rating downgrade reflects execution challenges related to the
integration of two large companies while keeping major customers, market share
and key personnel in an increasingly competitive telecommunication equipment
market," Moody's analyst Wolfgang Draack said.
It also reflects the broad market position of Alcatel-Lucent and the
potential for realizing and retaining substantial cost-savings that could drive
earnings before interest, tax and amortization (EBITA)-margins into the high
single digits in the medium term, he said.
Moody's said the outlook on the company is stable.
"We would see potential for a rating upgrade if the company were to keep
sales growth above 5 percent and to reach EBITA-margins during 2007 close to
double-digit levels, all while maintaining a strong and liquid capital
structure," Moody's said.


[e-mail]
jlw/jlw

[ariane] 08/12/2006 12:28

alcatel

i wouldn't try to out guess the market.there are no guarantees,this is a speculative share buy.



there appears to be a chance that the share price will rise over the next 12 months

during this time i might then well sell.


downside seems to be 8 euros with upside 14 euros plus.


enjoy your weekend
maywillow de la Grupo guitarLumber

[ariane] 08/12/2006 12:21

Alcatel-Lucent EU launches consultations on Galileo satellite project


BRUSSELS (AFX) - The European Commission said it has launched consultations
on satellite radio navigation system Galileo.
In a document, the commission said the adoption of its green paper on the
project will lead a "discussion on what the public sector can do" to create a
policy and legal framework for the development of satellite-based technology.
Results from the consultations, analysed by the commission in September next
year, will be used as a basis for proposals presented to the European Parliament
and EU member state governments in 2008.
EU vice-president and transport commissioner Jacques Barrot said: "The real
value linked to the costs and efforts undertaken to bring Galileo into orbit is
that it presents a unique opportunity for new applications, economic growth and
job creation in the European Union. These economic returns are many times higher
than the costs of the system itself."
Galileo, a joint project by the EU and the European Space Agency, is seen to
increase the EU's strategic independence, with the technology positioned as a
rival to the US GPS system.
It is scheduled to be operational by 2009 and 2010, with services starting
in 2011.
Unlike GPS, which is controlled by the US military, Galileo will stay under
civilian control.
A second test satellite is to be launched at the end of next year and four
permanent satellites will be sent into orbit in 2008.
Eight contractors are involved in its development, including EADS, Alcatel,
Thales and Finmeccanica SpA.
The EU executive said the concession contract should be signed during 2007.
The commission said that Galileo's development and deployment costs, which
includes the construction and launching of thirty satellites, is estimated at
3.2 bln eur.
During the operation phase, the company appointed to manage the whole system
will receive both royalties on the software used to equip the receivers and
income from businesses harnessing protected signals for services.
In addition to the EU's agreement concluded with the US in 2004 to ensure
the interoperability of the European and American systems, cooperation
agreements have been concluded between the EU and China, Israel, Ukraine and
South Korea.
Similar agreements have been initialed with India and Morocco.
Other agreements are being prepared with Norway and Argentina, and
discussions are under way with Switzerland, Canada, Australia, Saudi Arabia and
Brazil.
The commission said the satellite navigation market is forecast to be valued
at 400 bln eur by 2025.



[e-mail]
sz/cml

[mikey_b] 08/12/2006 12:11

ah...you mean the merger of equals, not take over surely.

But the chart shows which company? I am still confused there, 6 months of Alcatel?

Anyway, do you see great things for this stock?

[grupo guitarlumber] 07/12/2006 20:54

December 7, 2006, 2:25 pm
Alcatel-Lucent: Goldman Sees 27% Upside, Reinstates Buy Rating
Posted by Eric Savitz
Alcatel-Lucent (ALU) shares have gotten a boost today after Goldman Sachs' Tim Boddy re-instated a Buy rating on the stock and said the shares have 27% potential upside.

"Our overlap analysis suggests Alcatel-Lucent's new management team can deliver greater than targeted cost synergies much more quickly than investors anticipate," Boddy wrote in a research note this morning. "We also believe that execution risks are not necessarily as high as most investors fear - both Alcatel and Lucent management teams have a solid track record of cost reduction."

Boddy does say that the new company, "while stronger than the constituent parts," has a "dull business outlook," with "limited top-line growth," and "fierce pricing pressure eroding underlyingn gross margins by" abotu 140 basis points a year.

Boddy adds that fourth quarter results, when reported in February, "will be confusing," given the November 30 closing date of the deal, and that "revenue weakness will continue" into the first half of 2007, "given the distractions created by the merger process." Nonetheless, he expects "early evidence of strong execution on cost reduction combined with rising hopes for re-acceleration in wireless growth to drive EPS upgrades, propelling the stock towards our price target (of $16.16) over the next 12 months."

Alcatel-Lucent shares today have gained 47 cents, to $13.74.

[mikey_b] 07/12/2006 11:32

waldron??? no comment? ok.

[mikey_b] 05/12/2006 10:48

What is the chart in the header? Down at 658 value but showing data back to June. Alcatraz-Lucent only existed a few days now

[waldron] 05/12/2006 09:57

Alcatel-Lucent wins 263 mln eur contract from BT, says BT to save 75 mln eur

PARIS (AFX) - Alcatel-Lucent said it has signed a 263 mln eur contract with
BT to provide maintenance and support services for the infrastructure equipment
of BT Global Services for eight years.
It said BT will save 75 mln eur over the contract period, but did not
specify the comparable basis for this amount.
[e-mail]
mjs/gp

[waldron] 04/12/2006 14:02

Alcatel Alenia Space's Globalstar satellite order confirmed; totals 661 mln eur

PARIS (AFX) - Alcatel and Finmeccanica SpA unit Alcatel Alenia Space said
Globalstar Inc confirmed its preliminary order for a new network of 48
satellites, and said the deal is worth 661 mln eur.
In October, Globalstar had announced it awarded Alcatel Alenia Space a
preliminary 'Authorization to Proceed' contract worth 7.7 mln eur to study the
construction of a new network of 'Low Earth Orbit' satellites.
Alcatel Alenia Space said delivery will start in 2009, in batches of six to
eight units and that the satellites will have a lifetime of 15 years.

[e-mail]
jc/mrg/cmr

[waldron] 04/12/2006 13:35

CORRECTION Alcatel-Lucent stake in Thales to stay below 21 pct in tie-up terms

(corrects date of expert's reassessment in 5th paragraph to Jan 2009)
PARIS (AFX) - Alcatel-Lucent and Thales, confirming a final agreement on
their planned tie-up, said Alcatel-Lucent's stake in Thales will be smaller than
originally planned at 20.95 pct instead of 21.6 pct, and that revised payment
arrangements between the companies have been agreed.
They confirmed the previous plan in which Alcatel-Thales will transfer its
67 pct stake in Alcatel Alenia Space and its 33 pct stake in Telespazio to
Thales.
The French government's stake in Thales will fall from the current 31.26 pct
to 27.29, higher than the 27.1 pct initially planned.
Alcatel-Lucent and the government will also enter into a new shareholder
agreement on Thales, to replace a 1998 accord between Alcatel, Groupe Industriel
Marcel Dassault and the government.
As part of the deal, Thales will pay 670 mln eur to Alcatel-Lucent, down
slightly from the 673 mln initially agreed, but sees a possible upward
adjustment when the value of the Alcatel Alenia Space shares are reassessed by
an independent expert in January 2009.
Thales will also issue 25 mln new shares to Alcatel-Lucent and pay it 40 mln
eur in connection with transportation and security activities that are part of
the tie-up.
Thales will convene an EGM on Jan 5 to approve the transfer of the
transportation and security activities to Alcatel-Lucent. The companies expect
to close the deal by April.

[e-mail]
mjs/vs/jsa

[waldron] 04/12/2006 08:36

Alcatel-Lucent final deal for Nortel UMTS business confirms 320 mln usd price

PARIS (AFX) - Alcatel-Lucent said a final agreement to acquire Nortel's UMTS
radio access business has confirmed the price of 320 mln usd foreseen in a
preliminary agreement earlier this year, and reaffirmed that it expects the deal
to close before the end of the fourth quarter.
[e-mail]
mjs/joy