Morrison (wm) Supermarkets Share Discussion Threads

[cwa1] 21/7/2021 06:53

From this morning's CFSB update:-

Morrison +2% Clayton Dubilier & Rice is lining up possible new bid

[nerdlinger] 20/7/2021 09:53

Apollo haven't entirely ruled out a bid, they reserve the right to bid if Fortress pull out and Morries exec allow them to bid.

[loganair] 20/7/2021 09:16

Asset manager Apollo Global Management on Tuesday said it has decided against making an offer for Wm Morrison Supermarkets PLC.

The potential for a bidding war over the supermarket chain subsided as New York-based Apollo Global Management, which had been looking at a possible proposal, said it is now in preliminary discussions with Fortress Investment Group regarding its recommended offer for the FTSE 250 grocer. Apollo has ruled out making a standalone offer.

Apollo said its latest talks “may result in funds managed or advised by Apollo forming part of the investment group led by Fortress for the purposes of the Fortress offer”.

[philanderer] 20/7/2021 09:13

Too many political hoops to jump through.

[tygwyg] 20/7/2021 09:00

Has big foot entered the data room?

[chinese investor] 20/7/2021 08:57

They can have my shares for 267p !

[pjleeds] 20/7/2021 08:19

Apollo probably think that going in with fortress is the best way to get a foot in the door to facilitate asset stripping at a later date.

[chinese investor] 20/7/2021 07:31

"Apollo confirms that it does not intend to make an offer for Morrisons other than as part of the Fortress Offer."

[ashleyjv] 20/7/2021 07:19

Some secret handshakes have taken place

[tygwyg] 20/7/2021 07:15

Fortress didn't need Apollo... or... NOW does it.

[tygwyg] 19/7/2021 15:05

Curious that Morrisons just walk out tech trial in the news... sourced from AiFi... i.e. not Amazon.Games galore.

[chinese investor] 18/7/2021 14:39

Bosses at supermarket Morrisons are close to unveiling an unmanned store that allows customers to put items straight from shelves into their bags, and walk out.

The grocery giant – which is currently at the centre of a takeover battle – has been secretly working on the plan for more than a year and is likely to launch a pilot store to the public 'within months'.

It will require customers to download an app on to their smartphone which must be scanned on entry.

Digital cameras then track where shoppers are in the store and record which items they place in their bags.

The initial concept, nicknamed Project Artful Dodger, is a compact version of the store and is designed to be 'transportable' – which means the entire shop unit can be dropped directly into each location.

The transportable design means it could be located in areas not easily accessible for Morrisons stores, such as university campuses or in train stations, as well as on urban high streets.

It is understood that later versions of the shop, currently being tested at the grocery giant's head office in Bradford, West Yorkshire, may be bigger than the initial test model.

The 'just walk out' concept could also be developed as a fixed bricks-and-mortar stop, but it is not clear whether that has yet been decided.

A source said Morrisons' plans for the first public appearance of the store are already being prepared and others would follow before the year end.

Tesco has been working on a similar project in what looks set to become a race between Britain's largest retailers to get the first 'frictionless' store open this autumn.

The developments follow the launch of the first Amazon Fresh store in Ealing, West London, earlier this year, which was first reported in The Mail on Sunday.

[philanderer] 16/7/2021 23:38

Non-executives at Morrisons under fire for selling out after accepting low-ball private-equity bid

[tygwyg] 16/7/2021 13:09

Something small is brewing

[pjleeds] 16/7/2021 11:50

Of course the boards advice to shareholders, to take a low offer has nothing to do with head office remaining largely the same and most if not all board members staying on the payroll.

[tygwyg] 15/7/2021 17:34

nothing to do with A(ngry) G(rown) M(en)... no no no... nothing at allNever ceases to amaze how puerile the behaviour is the further you look up *any* organisation

[waldo2020] 15/7/2021 17:12

the attached article states Canaccord Genuity are giving a value for mrw at 314p. It does seem strange why the board accepted a lower price of only 252p.
Curious to know, are the senior members being kept on?

[tygwyg] 15/7/2021 13:28

Price had to fall to fit in with the narrative of the next chapter... which is long since written.Nothing but repeats on this channel ?

[nerdlinger] 15/7/2021 10:28

Close share price control by bankers on behalf of bidders (see 8.5 disclosures) likely indicates incremental, penny-ante bids forthcoming. I can see this dragging on. 'Why did they accept 252p?' - perhaps they are also comfortable in the knowledge that at least 25% of holders will vote against any bargain-hunting asset-stripping valuation.

[philanderer] 15/7/2021 09:38

Shareprice creeping back down this week. Maybe becoming more unlikely that 254p will be trumped ?

[cwa1] 15/7/2021 06:45

Perhaps, in part, they accepted the current offer in the hope and expectation that it will flush out a higher one?

[philanderer] 14/7/2021 23:54

Morrisons bid is '£1.23bn too low'


Supermarket giant Morrisons is worth £7.6billion and the board should have held out for more cash, according to analysts.

It accepted a 252p a share offer from US buyout giant Fortress this month that valued it at £6.3billion.

But the Canaccord Genuity report puts a 314p-a-share, or £7.6billion, price tag on Morrisons – fuelling concerns that the board caved in too early.

With rival suitors circling - including private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice which had a 230p a share bid rejected last month – a higher offer could materialise.

Shares closed at 263.1p yesterday.

Graham Simpson, at Canaccord Genuity, said: 'The fact that the share price is above the 252p recommended offer tells us the market also expects a higher offer.

The uncomfortable question for Morrison management is 'Why did they accept 252p?'

The proposed takeover has sparked a political backlash and Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng meets Morrisons boss David Potts tomorrow to discuss it.

[nerdlinger] 12/7/2021 16:46

Good info at that link, pasted below. If CD&R's deadline was reset at the Fortress offer and Apollo was identified as an offeror 2 days later then Apollo might have 2 days more to make a counter-bid than CD&R and they could just wait for CD&R to put up or shut up before showing their own hand.

OFFEREE: Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc
Offer period commenced: 15:30 19-Jun-2021
10p ordinary ISIN: GB0006043169 NSI: 2,416,733,399
OFFEROR: Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, LLC as manager of Clayton, Dubilier & Rice Funds XI
Offeror identified: 15:30 19-Jun-2021
Rule 2.6 deadline: to be determined
Disclosure of dealings and positions in this offeror is not required
OFFEROR: Oppidum Bidco Limited (a newly formed company indirectly owned by funds managed or advised by affiliates of Fortress Investment Group, LLC)
Offeror identified: 07:06 03-Jul-2021
Rule 2.6 deadline: N/A
Disclosure of dealings and positions in this offeror is not required
OFFEROR: Apollo Global Management, Inc.
Offeror identified: 07:00 05-Jul-2021
Rule 2.6 deadline: to be determined
Disclosure of dealings and positions in this offeror is not required