Posts
And, then...there were 3.
The deep-pockets equity firm Blackstone Group...and notorious billionaire corporate raider Carl Icahn...joined founder/CEO Michael Dell and hedge fund partner Silver Lake...in the battle to take Round Rock, Texas-based...#3 PC maker Dell Inc...private.
At the very end of the 45 day 'go-shop' period...Blackstone and Icahn submitted preliminary offers.
CEO Dell and Silver Lake have offered $13.65 per share...or $24.4 billion.
Now Icahn is said to be offering $15 per share...while Blackstone is offering $14.25.
Some funds and stockholders claim Michael Dell was seriously low balling the value of the company he founded...trying to pick it up cheaply.
Dell and his family own 15.6% of the shares....but cannot vote on his LBO offer.
The second largest stockholder...Southeastern Asset claims the shares are worth $24.
The T. Rowe Price fund also believes the $13.65 deal...is a steal.
Icahn had previously proposed Dell issue a $9 per share special dividend.
Dell Inc has $9 billion in cash overseas...and generated $3.7 billion in profits in 2012.
It employs 14,000 workers in Central Texas.
Michael Dell and Silver Lake are allowed only one bid revision.
There is also much speculation that the new bidders envision a Dell Inc...without Michael Dell as CEO.
Disgraced former Hewlett Packard CEO Mark Hurd's name is frequently mentioned.
The suitors may lust only for his shares...not his faltering and suspect vision.
On Monday...Dell shares closed up 2.6%...at $14.51.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03-26/dell-s-bidders-plan-for-computer-maker-s-future-without-founder.html
