Barclays formally launched its 65 billion euro ($89 billion) bid for ABN Amro today. The British bank offered 2.13 ordinary shares and 13.15 euros per share for each ordinary share of the Amsterdam-based bank, the soaring eagles said in a statement today, and the acceptance period runs from tomorrow until October 4. The bid, as the ABN Amro aficionados in the audience well know, is part of Barclays’ attempt to beat a takeover by a Royal Bank of Scotland-captained team of RBS, Banco Santander SA, and Fortis (who just this morning won initial shareholder approval for the deal).
Let’s discuss that rival proposition for a second. The consortium is offering 71 billion euros (of which about 93% is in cash) to Barclays’ 65. I’ll say it again, for the Rain Men in the group—71 versus 65. On July 30, ABN withdrew its recommendation for the Barclays bid, rocket-scientifically noting that it’s inferior to the Royal Bank’s offer. But the very next day, its chief executive, Rijkman Groenink, said “We continue to support the Barclays offer because we believe overall it is to the benefit of shareholders and stakeholders,” and noted that the Dutch bank would probably formally recommend it to shareholders later. They like Barclays, they want Barclays, they just want more money from Barclays, or at least something on par with what the Royal Bank is offering. I get that, you get that, why doesn’t Barclays, who just came up with an offer of 65 billion euros (not >71 billion euros) get that? They’ve been told by ABN Amro, “We prefer you, just bring up those numbers and we’ll endorse it,” but for some reason are all “Nah. We’re good.” They’ve been told “71” and they’re saying “No. 65.”
Maybe it’s because it’s Monday, maybe it’s because some of us have a gaping hole in our foot from stepping on the prong of an errant belt buckle Sunday morning, but I’m flat-out asking you to either confirm that this is a matter of Barclays not getting the embarrassingly overt message or me not getting what the hell is going on (“they’re playing hardball” is not an acceptable answer unless you elaborate, btw). You were already planning on trying to correct/humiliate me in the comments section for failing to understand the inner-workings of this deal (other than the SS implications), or for an improperly-placed apostrophe,* anyway, and now you have my blessing.
Earlier: ABN Amro Playing Horrible Game of Hard-To-Get With Barclays
Barclays launches $89 bln ABN takeover offer [Reuters]
Barclays Makes Formal Offer to Investors for ABN Amro [Bloomberg]
Fortis shareholders give initial OK to ABN deal [MarketWatch]
*FIND IT.
- 06 Aug 2007 at 12:13 PM
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Posted in:
ABN Amro
Barclays Categorically Refuses To Bring More To The Table
By Bess Levin10586Comments (27)http%3A%2F%2Fdealbreaker.com%2F2007%2F08%2Fbarclays-categorically-refuses-to-bring-more-to-the-table%2FBarclays+Categorically+Refuses+To+Bring+More+To+The+Table2007-08-06+17%3A13%3A46Bess+Levinhttp%3A%2F%2Fwp.dealbreaker.com%2F2007%2F08%2Fbarclays-categorically-refuses-to-bring-more-to-the-table%2F
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hardball
“for an improperly-placed apostrophe,* anyway,”
Couldnt find the missing apostrophe, but that asterisk is in the wrong spot.
* FIND MINE
pretty sure that asterisk is squarely where it hsould be
Is there a reason that it is outside the comma Rocks?
Couldn’t find the apostrophe, but you have an awesome double negative there in the second graf (“why doesn’t Barclays, who just came up with an offer of 65 billion euros (not >71 billion euros) not get that?”)
i’m gonna say, Barclays’ should be Barclays’s because it is singular, even though it ends with an S
fuck you klw
actually, 1:11, that one’s a matter of preference.
“rocket-scientifically noting that it’s inferior to the Royal Bank’s offer.”
Well since “Royal Bank” is a proper name, and not the Queen’s bank (e.g., the royal bank), one could argue that “the” is unnecessary above (e.g., “to Royal Bank’s offer”). In the alternative, if “Royal Bank” is being used as an adjective, it should read, “to the Royal Bank offer.”
name of the company is “The Royal Bank of Scotland Group” commonly knows as the Royal Bank
She’s messing with you there is not misplaced apostrophe it’s just fun to see you guys go nuts over it
No shit sherlocks
1:13 is it? i didn’t know. if anything i would have thought the S represents a non-apostrophetic possessive (re: James Barclay)
damn we’re easily amused.
to 1:41:
if so, i don’t think the following would make sense “…inferior to the James Barclay’s offer.”
i’m actually very busy, but i’m OCD about this stuff too
well, it’s the name of a bank, so “… inferior to the James Barclay’s Bank’s offer” isn’t pretty and it’s nonstandard but it makes sense.
WAIT what were we talking about again?
Well i’d maintain in that phrasology that “the” should be dropped. once bess gets back from her three-hour lunch break she can arbitrate
The name “Barclays” is neither plural nor possesive and thus, when making singular, non-possesive, word ending in the letter s possesive, an apostrophe is added following the s.
The post is correct as stands – although the asterisk is still in the wrong place.
Nope, because if Citibank, not Barclays, was the bidder one wouldn’t write, “…inferior to the Citibank’s offer.” If the singular possessive is used, the word “the” should not be.
Thus, it should either be “…inferior to Barclays’ [Citibank's] offer” or “…inferior to the Barclays [Citibank] offer.”
Nope, because if Citibank, not Barclays, was the bidder one wouldn’t write, “…inferior to the Citibank’s offer.” If the singular possessive is used, the word “the” should not be.
Thus, it should either be “…inferior to Barclays’ [Citibank's] offer” or “…inferior to the Barclays [Citibank] offer.”
look what levin has reduced you guys to. is there nothing she can’t do?
Wow RunsWithScissors you sure said that with considerable authority. Considering you’re wrong.
s’ is used to signify possessives for plural nouns, not singular nouns like Barclays.
to wit:
James’s hat
Barclays’s offer
vs
James’s hats’ brims
Barclays’s offers’ failures
There are no apostrophes in her posts – you have managed to be wrong 6 times (two mentions of the Barclays bid/offer, One reference to the wrong quote, all in a double post). Most impressive
““We continue to support the Barclays offer because we believe overall it is to the benefit of shareholders and stakeholders,”
and
“ABN withdrew its recommendation for the Barclays bid, rocket-scientifically noting that it’s inferior to the Royal Bank’s offer. But the very next day,”
The consortium is offering 71 billion euros (of which about 93% is in cash) to Barclays’ 65.
She uses Barclays and Barclays’ to show possesion thoughout…one has to be wrong.
She uses Barclays and Barclays’ to show possession thoughout…one has to be wrong.
Psh. Why all the hostility? What makes you think I even let them unbuckle? Must have been someone else’s fault.