18.03.2010

Teva to Buy Ratiopharm for Over $4.8 Billion

Israel's Teva has won the battle for German generic drugmaker Ratiopharm, three sources said, fixing the industry leader's weakness in the world's second-largest generics market. Teva, already the world's biggest maker of generic drugs, beat U.S. drugs powerhouse Pfizer and Iceland's Actavis in the race for Ratiopharm, agreeing to pay more than €3.5 billion including debt, two of the sources close to the situation said. more18.03.2010

Three-way Ratiopharm Auction Comes To Head

The tussle over German generic drugs maker Ratiopharm is drawing to a close as the three remaining contenders square off in the final round of bidding, sources close to the deal told Reuters on Wednesday. Pfizer was submit its bid on Wednesday, a person briefed on the matter said. With an expected price tag of above €3 billion, Ratiopharm would be selling at roughly two times sales, below historical generic drugs M&A multiples of three to four, reflecting the tough market conditions in Germany, JP Morgan analyst Chris Schott said in a recent research note. more17.03.2010

Pfizer to Make Bid For Ratiopharm

Pfizer will on Wednesday place an offer in the final round of bids for German generic drug maker Ratiopharm, a person briefed on the matter told Reuters on Wednesday. Ratiopharm's remaining suitors, which also include Israel's Teva and smaller Icelandic peer Actavis, had been requested to make final bids on Thursday at the latest, several sources had previously said. Officials at Pfizer were not immediately available for comment. more11.03.2010

Heir Merckle in Tussle with Banks Over Phoenix

Ratiopharm owner Ludwig Merckle has turned down offers for drugs distributor Phoenix, as he struggles to retain control over his late father's diminished business empire, sources close to the matter said Wednesday. Creditor banks have urged Merckle to consider informal approaches for Phoenix, even before the sale of another prize asset in the Merckle empire that is on the block, its Ratiopharm generic drugs business. more09.03.2010

Actavis Plays IPO Card In Ratiopharm Battle

Actavis, the indebted Icelandic generic drugs maker looking to buy German peer Ratiopharm, has raised the prospect of taking the enlarged company public should it win the auction, two people familiar with the sale process said on Monday. Executives at Actavis, which is vying with with Pfizer and Teva, said in a presentation to Ratiopharm's top management that an initial public offering could be carried out in 5-8 years, the sources told Reuters. more08.03.2010

Pfizer Woos Ratiopharm with Ramp-up Pledge

Pfizer wheeled out its chief executive and pledged to invest in growth as it sought to win the bidding to buy German generic drugmaker Ratiopharm, sources familiar with the situation said. more04.03.2010

Up In The Air

A bold plan to combine Germany's Ratiopharm and Iceland's Actavis, two of the world's biggest generic drugmakers, could cure a multi billion-euro debt headache for Deutsche Bank, Actavis's main creditor. more03.03.2010

Pfizer to Outline Ratiopharm Offer this Week

Pfizer is set to present a nearly $4 billion offer for German generic-drug maker Ratiopharm this week, competing against rival bids from Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and Actavis, sources familiar with the situation said on Tuesday. Pfizer had previously cooled on Ratiopharm, but was asked to rejoin the auction and make a presentation to Ratiopharm's board and management, one source said. more18.02.2010

Actavis to Vie With Teva for Ratiopharm

Actavis will forgo backing from Swedish buyout firm EQT as it prepares to square off against larger peer Teva in the bidding for generic drug maker Ratiopharm, several people familiar with the auction said. Actavis has called off its plan to collaborate with EQT and will now rely entirely on its biggest creditor, Deutsche Bank , for funding the planned takeover of the world's fifth-largest generics maker, the sources told Reuters. more17.02.2010

What Would Ratiopharm Offer to a New Owner?

The field of bidders for Germany's second-largest generic-drug maker, Ratiopharm, will be narrowed to one or two contestants this week, people familiar with the auction have told Reuters. Here is how buying Ratiopharm could transform each of the contestants that sources say remain in an auction which may produce a €3 billion bid including debt: more