Unilever, which makes products such as Dove soap, Hellmanns mayonnaise, or Omo cleaning products, may join healthcare brands ranging from Sensodyne and Aquafresh pastes to the Centrum and Voltaren food supplement, a responsibility of GSK Consumer Healthcare.
This is, at least, the intention of the British consumer goods giant Unilever, located in Portugal. The company wants to grow into new branches of its business, and healthcare goods from the partnership of multinational pharmaceutical companies Glaxosmithkline (GSK) and Pfizer are a potential new bet. This approach has now been officially confirmed.
Someone says Published statement This Saturday, January 15th, by Unilever itself, on its website.
However, there is, at present, no guarantee of success. GSK has confirmed that it has received three offers, but is not satisfied.
One of the largest London operations, which GSK rejects
The latest news was on Saturday from Britain’s Sunday Times, which reported that there had already been a proposal in the region of 50 billion pounds. Today’s exchange rate is close to 60 billion euros. For reference, this amount is equivalent to joining more than four companies the size of the Portuguese Jerónimo Martins (which, incidentally, is the partner of Unilever in Portugal).
According to the British newspaper, there was already a rough estimate at the end of the year, but GSK and Pfizer deemed the junk offer too cheap, without any control premium or a reversal of the savings gained through the process. The £50bn is slightly higher than what analysts estimate for this division of GSK, according to the Financial Times and Reuters.
The company confirmed Saturday noon, In a statement on your website. “GSK management emphasized that the offers were not in the best interests of shareholders because they significantly reduced the value of the healthcare unit and its future prospects.”
Anyway, at these prices, summarizes the financial publication, the operation will indeed be one of the most expensive operations on the London Stock Exchange ever.
These are data that have not been confirmed by Unilever, which has said only that “there is no certainty that any agreement will be reached”.
Unilever Seeks a New Focus
GSK, which owns two-thirds of GSK Consumer Healthcare, is evaluating alternatives to the healthcare division, which include an independent listing on the exchange, which is expected to take place in 2022.
“GSK Consumer Healthcare is a leader in an attractive healthcare space and will be a powerful strategic rebalancing as Unilever continues to reorganize its business lines.”
Unilever
This statement was also included in the Unilever Statement. Unilever – which has sold off its tea business for some time now – is looking for a new focus to overcome criticism, as well as to gain momentum (and market value) that the giant has recently lost.
In the international press, activist investor Terry Smith has criticized the company’s management for spreading its social responsibility and sustainability and neglecting the company itself. An example he gave was Ben & Jerry’s ice cream decision not to market its products in Israel occupied Palestine.
It was exactly at the end of the week that criticism was drawn for announcing the intent of this purchase, to try to reverse the company’s current cycle.
(Updated at 18.10 with an announcement from GSK)
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