Company news in brief
PPC rejects Fairfax offer, AfriSam merger
South African cement producer PPC's board on Wednesday turned its back on a takeover attempt by AfriSam, backed by Canadian firm Fairfax Africa Investments. But PPC said it was still talking to Ireland's CRH and Swiss group LafargeHolcim.
Fairfax offered to buy 22% of PPC in September for R5.75 per share, or R2 billion, on condition that it was approved by shareholders in order to allow AfriSam's merger plan.
PPC, which has operations in six countries across Africa, said the board took into account the cement producer's own valuation work, forecasts and recent financial and business performance as well as feedback from shareholders.
– Nampa/Reuters
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Group Five to sell steel pipe business
South African construction firm Group Five will sell a 50% stake in its steel pipe business for R80 million to LB Pipes Proprietary Ltd, as part of plans to exit non-core assets.
Group Five recently said it will sell its manufacturing arm and exit some construction businesses as part of a further restructuring to address a slump in its home market.
South Africa's construction industry has slowed sharply since the 2010 FIFA World Cup, with few major infrastructure projects awarded and those that have been approved risk being curtailed by fiscal strains.
– Nampa/Reuters
Facebook to open Nigerian hub next year
Facebook will open a “community hub space” in Nigeria next year to encourage software developers and technology entrepreneurs and become the latest technology giant to pursue a training programme in fast-growing Africa.
The US social media company said the centre would host an “incubator programme” to help develop technology start-ups, while it will also train 50 000 Nigerians in digital skills.
Google's chief executive in a July visit to Lagos said the company aimed to train 10 million people across the continent in online skills over the next five years. He also said it hoped to train 100 000 software developers in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa.
– Nampa/Reuters
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Sasol pulls plug on US project
South African petrol-chemicals group Sasol has pulled the plug on all of its gas-to-liquids (GTL) greenfields projects including a US one in Louisiana that carried a US$13 billion to US$15 billion price tag.
Sasol will also divest from its Canadian shale gas assets which hit its 2016 earnings with a R9.9 billion impairment.
Sasol said it had completed reviews on more that half of its global assets and they “have confirmed that the majority of the company's assets will be retained”.
– Nampa/Reuters
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Brazil delays Bayer-Monsanto tie-up
Brazilian antitrust agency Cade extended its deadline to review the takeover of Monsanto Co by Bayer AG by 90 days to late March, potentially spoiling plans to wrap up the US$66 billion tie-up by the end of the year.
The proposed takeover, announced in September 2016, would create the world's largest pesticides and seeds company.
The European Commission has also pushed back the deadline for its antitrust review of the deal and now expects to make a decision by March 5.– Nampa/Reuters
South African cement producer PPC's board on Wednesday turned its back on a takeover attempt by AfriSam, backed by Canadian firm Fairfax Africa Investments. But PPC said it was still talking to Ireland's CRH and Swiss group LafargeHolcim.
Fairfax offered to buy 22% of PPC in September for R5.75 per share, or R2 billion, on condition that it was approved by shareholders in order to allow AfriSam's merger plan.
PPC, which has operations in six countries across Africa, said the board took into account the cement producer's own valuation work, forecasts and recent financial and business performance as well as feedback from shareholders.
– Nampa/Reuters
?
Group Five to sell steel pipe business
South African construction firm Group Five will sell a 50% stake in its steel pipe business for R80 million to LB Pipes Proprietary Ltd, as part of plans to exit non-core assets.
Group Five recently said it will sell its manufacturing arm and exit some construction businesses as part of a further restructuring to address a slump in its home market.
South Africa's construction industry has slowed sharply since the 2010 FIFA World Cup, with few major infrastructure projects awarded and those that have been approved risk being curtailed by fiscal strains.
– Nampa/Reuters
Facebook to open Nigerian hub next year
Facebook will open a “community hub space” in Nigeria next year to encourage software developers and technology entrepreneurs and become the latest technology giant to pursue a training programme in fast-growing Africa.
The US social media company said the centre would host an “incubator programme” to help develop technology start-ups, while it will also train 50 000 Nigerians in digital skills.
Google's chief executive in a July visit to Lagos said the company aimed to train 10 million people across the continent in online skills over the next five years. He also said it hoped to train 100 000 software developers in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa.
– Nampa/Reuters
?
Sasol pulls plug on US project
South African petrol-chemicals group Sasol has pulled the plug on all of its gas-to-liquids (GTL) greenfields projects including a US one in Louisiana that carried a US$13 billion to US$15 billion price tag.
Sasol will also divest from its Canadian shale gas assets which hit its 2016 earnings with a R9.9 billion impairment.
Sasol said it had completed reviews on more that half of its global assets and they “have confirmed that the majority of the company's assets will be retained”.
– Nampa/Reuters
?
Brazil delays Bayer-Monsanto tie-up
Brazilian antitrust agency Cade extended its deadline to review the takeover of Monsanto Co by Bayer AG by 90 days to late March, potentially spoiling plans to wrap up the US$66 billion tie-up by the end of the year.
The proposed takeover, announced in September 2016, would create the world's largest pesticides and seeds company.
The European Commission has also pushed back the deadline for its antitrust review of the deal and now expects to make a decision by March 5.– Nampa/Reuters
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