Following the weekend press reports today say a 11m buy. Something cooking?

A 5 million buy after hours

There seems to have been a large series of purchases on or after the bell on Friday- yet no news, (or speculation) in the papers about this.
The only news that I can see is that ITV seem to have been ruled out of the bidding process for Flextech.
Will this be positive for the shares as a) they wont be spending money on this and are less likely to take their eye off the ball of ITV, and/or b) unless the company does grow, will it become more likley to be taken over ?
Comments gratefully received.

Takeover bid COULD come out anytime NOW

The Times February 02, 2006

Stock markets

Talk of bid by private equity lifts ITV to a 20-month high
By Nick Hasell

Larger capitalisation shares

ITV joined in a FTSE 100 advance to a new 20-month high as a leading investment bank lent credibility to the idea of a private equity bid for the broadcaster.
In an interview with The Times as recently as Monday, Charles Allen, ITVs chief executive, firmly stated that there had been no offers for the 4.5 billion company.



But that stance proved no obstacle to the credit derivatives team at Credit Suisse, which yesterday suggested that hurdles to a leveraged buyout of ITV had diminished, while the rationale had strengthened. The bank argues that ITVs credit default swaps are currently pricing in very little leveraged buyout risk, despite ITVs depressed share price raising the chances of a bid emerging from a financial buyer. Indeed, according to Credit Suisses estimates, a private equity house could pay 140p a share and still achieve an acceptable internal rate of return of 18 per cent.

The bank advised clients to take positions in ITVs 15-year bonds and ten-year credit default swaps to take advantage of such an outcome, but its musings also inevitably fed into the stock market, where its shares rose 3p at 111p.

05/02/06 - 15:16
ITV shareholders mulling break-up plan - report
AFX
LONDON (AFX) - Major shareholders in UK broadcaster ITV PLC are contemplating putting pressure on the company to demerge its production operation from its broadcasting business, the Observer reported, citing unnamed sources.

The Observer said the demerger option has received 'informal' backing from US investment house Brandeis, which owns 7 pct of ITV's equity, and is also being considered by fellow shareholder Fidelity Investments.

The proposed demerger is aimed at freeing up ITV's production unit to sell programmes to other broadcasters, increasing profitability and boosting shareholder returns.

It comes as ITV's main channel, ITV 1, is losing audience share to new digital channels, putting advertising revenues under pressure.

Fidelity and Brandes could not immediately be reached for comment.

A spokesperson for ITV said the company had no plans to demerge the production business.

'As the number of channels increases, owning the right to quality content becomes ever more attractive,' the spokesperson said.

newsdesk@afxnews.com

Speculation surfaces once again:

"Private equity giant Kohlberg Kravis Roberts is once again considering launching a takeover bid for ITV PLC, the UK largest commercial broadcaster, according to the Mail on Sunday."

This time it could be for real!!

No link Opto?

KD.

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/pages/dmstandard/frame.html?in_bottom=http:%2F%2Fwww.thisismoney.co.uk%2Fnews%2Findex.html%3Fin_page_id%3D2&in_page_id=1804

There we go.

Thanks KEAYDIAN, not too good with links .....LOL.

Tee-hee, no problemo!

KD.

Where by friday,will there be a bid,or is it all roumours like last time,volume looks good so could see a rise soon. any predictions please.

ITV takeover talk.......


http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/sharewatch/market-report-takeover-talk-switches-investors-on-to-itv-2304598.html