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Top 20 Stories of 2017: #6 Emerson Makes Multiple Offers for Rockwell Automation

Top 20 Stories of 2017: #6 Emerson Makes Multiple Offers for Rockwell Automation

EVERY WEEKDAY IN DECEMBER, TED MAGAZINE IS COUNTING DOWN THE TOP 20 STORIES OF 2016. BELOW, THE #6 MOST-VIEWED STORY OF THE YEAR, ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON OCTOBER 31, 2017.


 

(REUTERS) — Automation equipment maker Rockwell Automation, Inc. said on Tuesday it had rejected another unsolicited acquisition bid from bigger rival Emerson Electric Co. for more than $27 billion as the offer undervalued the company.

Rockwell’s shares rose as much as 12.7 percent while Emerson’s shares fell as much as 4.1 percent.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based Rockwell said it had previously rejected Emerson’s first buyout offer made on Aug.2 worth $200 per share, with about half of the consideration in cash and the rest in Emerson stock.

On Oct.10, St. Louis, Missouri-based Emerson raised its cash and stock offer to $215 per share. But Rockwell’s board, after a careful review, rejected it, Rockwell said.

Up to Monday’s close Rockwell’s shares had risen 13.2 percent, helped by improving sales in the United States and emerging markets.

“A combination would provide increased scale and help expand industrial product and service offerings,” CFRA Research analyst Joe Agnese said.

Emerson said it made a private offer to Rockwell, proposing a combination of the companies, adding that currently no discussions were ongoing between the two entities.

Emerson is looking to expand in areas such as industrial automation amid increasing competition from European rivals such as Siemens, ABB Automation Group and Schneider Electric.

Shares of Rockwell were up 5.3 percent at $197 while Emerson’s shares were down 3 percent at $65.35 in early trading on Tuesday.

(Reuters reporting by Ankit Ajmera in Bengaluru; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)

 

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