Finance
UK's Spectris agrees sweetened KKR offer as takeover battle heats up
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on August 5, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 22, 2026
Global Banking and Finance Review
Company
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on August 5, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 22, 2026
Spectris has accepted a £4.8 billion offer from KKR, surpassing Advent's bid. This highlights the growing interest in UK assets by overseas investors.
LONDON (Reuters) -British scientific instruments maker Spectris has agreed to a sweetened offer from U.S. private equity firm KKR valuing it at 4.8 billion pounds ($6.4 billion), it said on Tuesday, withdrawing its backing for a lower offer from rival suitor Advent.
The London-headquartered company said it had agreed to a 41.75 pound per share deal with KKR just four days after backing a bid from Advent at 41 pound per share.
The two private equity firms have been vying for control of the company for over a month after Spectris agreed to an initial offer from Advent in June.
Britain's subdued valuations and relative stability have attracted overseas buyers, with a flurry of bids in recent months highlighting appetite for UK assets.
The KKR offer values Spectris' equity at 4.2 billion pounds, with an enterprise value of 4.8 billion pounds.
($1 = 0.7528 pounds)
(Reporting by Yadarisa Shabong in Bengaluru and Charlie Conchie in London; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala and Iain Withers)
A takeover occurs when one company acquires control over another company, often by purchasing a majority of its shares.
Private equity refers to investment funds that buy and restructure private companies or public companies that are taken private.
Equity valuation is the process of determining the value of a company's shares, often used in investment analysis and mergers.
Enterprise value is a measure of a company's total value, often used as a comprehensive alternative to equity market capitalization.
Market implications refer to the potential effects that a business event, such as a takeover, can have on the broader market or industry.
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