Merge out

Sep 27, 12:16 PM EDT Newsletter Signup BusinessTechnologyWorldNationalMedia & CultureOpinionSportsLuxury World By Jean LIOU 09/27/19 AT 11:48 AM French rail operator SNCF wants to merge Eurostar, which operates high-speed trains to London, and the Thalys service that takes passengers from France to Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, its chief executive said on Friday.Guillaume Pepy said that the move, which would take up to two years to implement, would create a single and more efficient European railway company and respond to new challenges as passengers opt against flying due to climate change.He told reporters that the two networks, which are majority owned by the SNCF, could together transport 30 million passengers a year, compared with 18.5 million in 2018.The project for the merger, dubbed "Green Speed", would have to be approved by the other shareholders of both railway firms and their supervisory boards."The idea is to develop and expand the network," Pepy told … [Read more...] about France’s SNCF Wants To Merge Eurostar And Thalys Services

Merger mania in the legal space is not a new phenomenon. Many law firm leaders see a merger as a viable way to boost revenue, pick up new clients, and expand a regional or international footprint. As of last November, Altman Weil reported a record of 79 mergers in 2015, the largest number since they started keeping track. It seems like 2016 is off to an equally robust start.Law firm mergers are undoubtedly complex, high-profile and often international in scope. In addition to all the complex financial and business elements, as well as the cultural mix of the firms, law firm leaders – and marketers in particular – must carefully plan out how to notify various audiences of the intended tie-up. From support staff to the management committee to vendors, consultants and clients, each of these groups needs special attention.  Of course, firms will want to share their good news with the world. The best way to reach this massive audience with a big splash is via the legal, … [Read more...] about The Urge to Merge: A Marketer’s Checklist

Mergers can be difficult, risky and expensive. So why do so many law firms contemplate them? Most would say they’re hoping to achieve a competitive advantage or find a quick fix to a perceived need. Mergers often help firms realize their strategic objectives. However, if not done for the right reasons, they can be a source of frustration and lead to a firm’s demise.  THE RIGHT REASONSA good place to look for the right reasons is your firm’s strategic plan. For instance, a merger may make sense if your firm wishes to:Add experience and depth to an established practice area. Offering clients expanded capabilities is a great way to keep their business and increase your billings. For example, suppose by way of a merger you’re able to increase the size of your intellectual property practice and expand your firm’s patent infringement services. This could be important to existing and prospective clients when retaining a firm. Increase specialization. A … [Read more...] about Law Firm Mergers: To Merge or Not to Merge? That is the Question!

An accounting firm Barnes Dennig is in the process of merging with another firm to give it a larger presence in Northern Kentucky. The merger is to take place on January 1st, and the merger will make it as one of the larger accounting firms in the area.Barnes Dennig is currently located in Cincinnati. But rather than just expand in the Northern Kentucky area, the new firm would like to expand "regionally in Kentucky" as well.It is felt that such a merger will bring together differing strengths of the two firms. While one firm has specialized in international and specialty tax consulting, the other firm has performed a great deal of work for local governments. At the same time, both firms will bring something to their certified fraud examiner and valuation capabilities.Business transactions such as acquisitions or mergers often involve a jumping through a variety of legal and financial hoops. Business planners will have to pay attention to federal and state regulators, and sometimes … [Read more...] about Accounting Firms Merge to Move Into North Kentucky Market

The past 18 months have been a busy time for the staffers investigating hospital mergers at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). In December 2011, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit affirmed a district court's denial of an FTC preliminary injunction motion,[1] from which the FTC and Solicitor General in March 2012 filed a petition seeking review by the U.S. Supreme Court (the "Phoebe Transaction"). Also in March, the FTC ruled that the 2010 acquisition of control over a rival health system in the Toledo, Ohio, area would have anticompetitive effects and ordered divestiture;[2] the parties reportedly plan to appeal (the "ProMedica Transaction"). In April 2012, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois granted the FTC's request for a preliminary injunction against two hospital systems in Rockford, Illinois,[3] prompting the parties to abandon their proposed transaction (the "OSF/Rockford Transaction").At issue in each of these challenges was … [Read more...] about Hospital Consolidations: Facing Competing Pressures to Merge and Remain Independent