Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on August 1, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 22, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleSpectris opts for Advent's £4.8B offer over KKR, marking a significant UK takeover. Shares rise as KKR plans next steps.
(Reuters) -British scientific instruments maker Spectris <SXS.L> has agreed to private equity firm Advent's sweetened takeover offer worth 4.8 billion pounds ($6.38 billion), including debt, as the battle for Britain's biggest takeover target of the year heats up.
Shares in the London-headquartered company closed up 2.2% at 4,078 pence, a near four-year high. They have more than doubled in value since Advent made its first buyout proposal on June 9.
Advent is now offering Spectris shareholders 40.72 pounds per share in cash and an interim dividend of 28 pence, topping a 4.7 billion pound offer from U.S. investment firm KKR, which also included debt.
KKR is evaluating its next steps and will update the market when appropriate, it said in a statement after Spectris' board withdrew support for its offer.
The U.S. firm also recently lost out on British healthcare real estate investor Assura, which recommended a rival bid from Primary Health Properties.
Britain’s subdued valuations and relative stability have attracted overseas buyers, with a flurry of bids in recent months highlighting the appetite for UK assets.
Spectris provides hardware and software to sectors including pharmaceuticals, steel and automotive.
($1 = 0.7528 pounds)
(Reporting by Raechel Thankam Job and DhanushVignesh Babu in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar, Kirsten Donovan)
Equity refers to the ownership interest in a company, represented by shares. It signifies the value of ownership after all liabilities have been deducted.
Valuations are assessments of a company's worth based on various factors, including its assets, earnings, and market conditions.
Investment is the act of allocating resources, usually money, to generate income or profit. It can take various forms, including stocks, bonds, and real estate.
Market capitalisation is the total market value of a company's outstanding shares, calculated by multiplying the share price by the total number of shares.
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