Sidara drops plans to buy UK's Wood Group citing geopolitical risks
Sidara walks away after fourth approach
Final proposal values Wood about 1.56 bln pounds
Shares dive to 118 pence per share
Adds background, Wood Group's response
By Shanima A
Aug 5 (Reuters) -Dubai's Sidara said on Monday it was walking away from its plan to buy UK's John Wood Group WG.L, citing rising geopolitical risks and uncertainty in the financial market, prompting the British engineering group's shares to plunge 40%.
Wood had rejected Sidara's previous four buyout attempts, citing valuation concerns. The Dubai-based engineering and consulting firm had until this Friday to make a firm offer or walk away for at least six months.
There are growing concerns that the 10-month war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas could spread in the Middle East, a key growth area for Wood's strategy.
Wood, which provides consultation, management of assets and engineering services for the energy and materials sector, operates in more than 60 countries with the Middle East and Africa contributing about 18% of its total revenue, according to the group's 2023 annual report.
Wood said on Monday it was confident in its strategic directions and affirmed forecasts for 2024 and next year with expectations for core earnings growth to exceed its medium-term target and significant free cash flow in 2025.
Sidara had previously approached Scotland-based Wood Group with proposals ranging from 205 pence to 230 pence per share with the latest offer valuing Wood Group at about 1.56 billion pounds ($1.99 billion) which it had said would be it final offer.
Sidara had received a deadline extension twice over June and July to make a final offer for Wood Group.
Sidara is the second suitor to walk away from Wood in the past 15 months after U.S.- based Apollo Global Management APO.N abandoned its 1.7-billion-pound bid for the UK-listed company following five approaches that Wood rejected.
Activist shareholder Sparta Capital Management has been pushing Wood Group to consider either selling itself or reconsider its UK listing.
Wood Group shares have lost more than 87% since their all-time high of 927 pence hit in August 2013.
($1 = 0.7822 pounds)
Reporting by Prerna Bedi and Shanima A in Bengaluru; Editing by Varun H K and Emelia Sithole-Matarise
Mga Kaugnay na Asset
Pinakabagong Balita
Disclaimer: Ang mga kabilang sa XM Group ay nagbibigay lang ng serbisyo sa pagpapatupad at pag-access sa aming Online Trading Facility, kung saan pinapahintulutan nito ang pagtingin at/o paggamit sa nilalaman na makikita sa website o sa pamamagitan nito, at walang layuning palitan o palawigin ito, at hindi din ito papalitan o papalawigin. Ang naturang pag-access at paggamit ay palaging alinsunod sa: (i) Mga Tuntunin at Kundisyon; (ii) Mga Babala sa Risk; at (iii) Kabuuang Disclaimer. Kaya naman ang naturang nilalaman ay ituturing na pangkalahatang impormasyon lamang. Mangyaring isaalang-alang na ang mga nilalaman ng aming Online Trading Facility ay hindi paglikom, o alok, para magsagawa ng anumang transaksyon sa mga pinansyal na market. Ang pag-trade sa alinmang pinansyal na market ay nagtataglay ng mataas na lebel ng risk sa iyong kapital.
Lahat ng materyales na nakalathala sa aming Online Trading Facility ay nakalaan para sa layuning edukasyonal/pang-impormasyon lamang at hindi naglalaman – at hindi dapat ituring bilang naglalaman – ng payo at rekomendasyon na pangpinansyal, tungkol sa buwis sa pag-i-invest, o pang-trade, o tala ng aming presyo sa pag-trade, o alok para sa, o paglikom ng, transaksyon sa alinmang pinansyal na instrument o hindi ginustong pinansyal na promosyon.
Sa anumang nilalaman na galing sa ikatlong partido, pati na ang mga nilalaman na inihanda ng XM, ang mga naturang opinyon, balita, pananaliksik, pag-analisa, presyo, ibang impormasyon o link sa ibang mga site na makikita sa website na ito ay ibibigay tulad ng nandoon, bilang pangkalahatang komentaryo sa market at hindi ito nagtataglay ng payo sa pag-i-invest. Kung ang alinmang nilalaman nito ay itinuring bilang pananaliksik sa pag-i-invest, kailangan mong isaalang-alang at tanggapin na hindi ito inilaan at inihanda alinsunod sa mga legal na pangangailangan na idinisenyo para maisulong ang pagsasarili ng pananaliksik sa pag-i-invest, at dahil dito ituturing ito na komunikasyon sa marketing sa ilalim ng mga kaugnay na batas at regulasyon. Mangyaring siguruhin na nabasa at naintindihan mo ang aming Notipikasyon sa Hindi Independyenteng Pananaliksik sa Pag-i-invest at Babala sa Risk na may kinalaman sa impormasyong nakalagay sa itaas, na maa-access dito.