, Columnist
The Great British Corporate Dumpster Dive
Private equity and other big business bidders follow a recognizable pattern in their search for U.K. acquisitions.
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Those who want to deter bidders targeting U.K. stocks should beware what they wish for. A common feature of the London-listed companies caught up in the recent takeover frenzy is the generally dire performance of their shares before the bidders pounced.
Never mind that the U.K.’s FTSE-250 index of mid-cap stocks has been touching all-time highs. Bidders have been going for the has-beens and left-behinds, whose forlorn shareholders are more easily tempted to sell out.