Skip Header
Important information: The value of investments can go down as well as up so you may get back less than you invest. Investors should note that the views expressed may no longer be current and may have already been acted upon. This is a third-party news feed and may not reflect Fidelity’s views.

H2 Equity Partners walks away from Inspecs

(Sharecast News) - H2 Equity Partners has walked away from a potential offer Inspecs Group, it was confirmed on Tuesday, ending weeks of speculation about the future of the British eyewear manufacturer. In a brief statement, the London-based investment firm - which made an unsolicited approach for Inspecs in October - said it did not intend to make a formal offer for the business.

It follows a similar decision by Italian eyewear group Safilo. It had been considering an approach at 83p per share, but on Monday announced it no longer intended to bid.

Both companies have bowed out after Inspecs last week agreed to be taken private by a consortium of investors.

The consortium - led by hospitality entrepreneur Luke Johnson and Ian Livingstone, the billionaire co-founder of London & Regional Properties - approached Inspecs at the same time as H2. It is offering 84p per share in cash, or £85.4m, a 107% premium to the closing price on 22 October, the last business day before the possible offer was first announced.

Under Takeover Panel rules, H2 and Safilo are now broadly prohibited from taking another tilt at Inspecs for six months.

As at 1230 GMT, the stock was down nearly 1% at 82.07p.

Share this article

Related Sharecast Articles

Hunting extends share buyback programme to $60m
(Sharecast News) - Hunting said on Tuesday that it would extend its existing share buyback programme by up to a further $20m, taking the total maximum allocation to $60m, citing sustainable cash generation and a strong balance sheet.
IG Group to achieve medium-term targets ahead of schedule, extends buyback
(Sharecast News) - IG Group extended its share buyback on Tuesday as it said it was confident of achieving medium-term revenue growth targets ahead of schedule.
Global Smaller Companies Trust underperforms in volatile first half
(Sharecast News) - Small cap investor Global Smaller Companies Trust has decided to keep its interim dividend unchanged after a slight underperformance against the benchmark during a volatile fiscal first half ended 31 October.

Important information: This information is not a personal recommendation for any particular investment. If you are unsure about the suitability of an investment you should speak to one of Fidelity’s advisers or an authorised financial adviser of your choice. When you are thinking about investing in shares, it’s generally a good idea to consider holding them alongside other investments in a diversified portfolio of assets. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.

Award-winning online share dealing

Search, compare and select from thousands of shares.

Expert insights into investing your money

Our team of experts explore the world of share dealing.