By Angus Robertson
DISH Network (DISH) and DirecTV (DTV) may have a better chance to merge today than when regulators struck down a deal almost a decade ago, according to newly appointed DISH Chief Executive Officer Joseph Clayton.
“I don’t discount any possibility,” Clayton said in an interview on Bloomberg Television. “It’s probably easier from a regulatory environment today than it was 5 to 10 years ago, when it was originally proposed. We’re looking at anything that will help enhance shareholder value.”
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AboveNet Inc. (ABVT), a provider of fiber-optic lines for businesses, is exploring a possible sale. The company has retained JPMorgan Chase (JPM) to find a buyer, DealReporter said. Telecommunications companies including AT&T (T), Verizon Communications (VZ) and CenturyLink (CTL) could be potential acquirers, according to Mark Kelleher, an analyst at Dougherty & Co. in Boston. Telecom Ramblings offers a rundown of several potential buyers.
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Diageo (DEO), the world’s biggest spirits maker, is in talks with the owners of Jose Cuervo tequila over extending a distribution deal or buying it outright for over $2 billion, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
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Shares of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSO) surged on Wednesday after the company announced that it had retained Blackstone Advisory Partners to explore strategic partnerships. (DealBook)
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Deal Update: California Pizza Kitchen Inc (CPKI) agreed to be acquired by private equity firm Golden Gate Capital for $470 million, more than a year after its hunt for a buyer began. (Reuters)
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Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (WPI) agreed to acquire Greece’s Specifar Pharmaceuticals S.A. for 400 million euros, or about $562 million. As a result of the acquisition, Watson gains a leading generic product development company that develops and out-licenses products throughout the world. In addition, this acquisition enhances Watson’s commercial presence in key European markets by providing a portfolio of approved products. (Street Insider)
