Combined NTL/Telewest is an ÃƒÆ’Ã†â€™ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¡ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£8 billion takeover target

**Chris** · 19-12-2005, 10:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Scotsman, 18 December 2005

LONDON (Reuters) - A consortium of private equity companies has approached banks about a loan to buy cable companies NTL and Telewest , which are merging, the Sunday Times reported.

The paper the consortium was unlikely to take further major steps until the NTL/Telewest merger is completed, but a deal could be worth up to 8 billion pounds.

http://business.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=2427102005

Everybody is buying everybody else. Where will it end?!

Wicked_and_Crazy · 19-12-2005, 11:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris T

Everybody is buying everybody else. Where will it end?!

Simple,

The venture capitalists buy the companies,

They outsource all the work

They make the staff redundant

They sell to company has a big profit making company

Then we cant afford the service

The company goes bust (but in the mean time the venture capitalist has made its money)

19-12-2005, 11:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wicked_and_Crazy

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris T

Everybody is buying everybody else. Where will it end?!

Simple,

The venture capitalists buy the companies,

They outsource all the work

They make the staff redundant

They sell to company has a big profit making company

Then we cant afford the service

The company goes bust (but in the mean time the venture capitalist has made its money)

- and takes all those profits overseas for tax purposes, so none is re-invested in the UK...

Wicked_and_Crazy · 19-12-2005, 11:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by homealone

- and takes all those profits overseas for tax purposes, so none is re-invested in the UK...

you cynic

poolking · 19-12-2005, 11:53

in other words asset strippers.

Chrysalis · 19-12-2005, 12:08

yeah agree with above posts it sounds like something we dont want to happen.

19-12-2005, 13:22

Agree with everyone above, reckon it's time for Richard Branson to get his finger out, and foot into the door, and get on with merging NTL with Virgin, this way, the cash remains in the UK businesses, and Branson's well known for looking after his customers (which hopefully, will mean us NTL lot), as long as he's still got the clout and willpower to get the deal done?

Ignition · 19-12-2005, 16:28

Hate to break this to you but....

1) ntl is mostly owned by venture capitalists in the States anyway.
2) So is Telewest.
3) Both of them are incorporated in the US.
4) The VCs are after the combined NTL/Telewest/Virgin Mobile group, not a fat lot Branson can do about it even with his 15% share of the group should he get it.

Unlikely to be stripping assets either, be easier to strip them individually than wait for the group to form in full. Potential is there for profit and they probably want a slice.

slowcoach · 19-12-2005, 17:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by atlantis

and Branson's well known for looking after his customers (which hopefully, will mean us NTL lot), as long as he's still got the clout and willpower to get the deal done?

Virgin Power - sold as soon as it got a good sized customer base.

Virgin NET - sold as soon as it got a good sized customer base.

Virgin Mobile - in transit?