Lagardère was shown on Thursday determined to see Canal + France go public by March 2011 because of disagreement on the sale of its 20% stake in Vivendi, the controlling shareholder group of pay TV.
Shaken last spring with a campaign of shareholder activist Guy Wyser-Pratte, the media group accelerates the sale of its minority, who constitute a conglomerate discount to its stock price.
Arnaud Lagardère, general partner of the group inherited from his father, was more cautious for the next big sale expected by analysts, that of its 7.5% remaining in the group of aerospace and defense group EADS.
During the presentation of interim results of his group, Arnaud Lagardere seemed more eager than ever to clean up these minority, among which 25% of Amaury, the owner of Parisien and L'Equipe, and 42% of media group Marie Claire.
He particularly stressed his determination to introduce Canal + France in stock while analysts saw it as far a new negotiating tactics of Lagardère, began several months in a poker game with Vivendi, which owns the remaining 80%.
"We go through the process (…), we will not turn on the road," he said during a conference call during the half year results.
GO QUICKLY TO CANAL +
Arnaud Lagardere wants to move quickly to avoid being caught by the tender provided during 2011 for the rights of Ligue 1 for the period 2012-2016, during which an initial public offering by Canal +, the main stakeholder, would the least sensitive.
The chief financial officer Dominic D'Hinnin, responsible for leading the operation, said that if it was not buckled before the end of the year, should wait until March because investors would know the results of Canal + in 2010 before committing.
Lagardère values in its accounts its 20% interest in Canal + France to 1.5 billion euros, or the proportional value of sales options exercised this year by TF1 and M6, which together held 15% of Canal + France.
Analysts doubt that Lagardère, which has no option, can achieve such a valuation at an IPO.
Under a shareholders agreement forged in 2007 when the merger between CanalSat and TPS, without an agreement between two parties on the price of participation, Lagardere could sell its shares on the market.
The Figaro had been reported that Vivendi had refused an offer of 1.35 billion euros Lagardère. Neither group had reviewed the information.
Vivendi has not made any proposal when we gave them (our) money.Their response was: we prefer to keep our money and invest in telecoms, "said Dominic D'Hinnin.
MORE TIME TO LEAVE OF EADS
Regarding EADS, the equation is more complicated. The action has returned 27% since the beginning of the year to close at 17.95 euros on Thursday, but still low and many analysts are convinced that Lagardere will not sell to under 20 euros.
Arnaud Lagardere also said he wanted to first ensure that the program of the future Airbus A350 was well underway before leaving the group's capital.
"There may be delays, or maybe not, we know nothing," he explained."But to be in position to sell those shares in EADS, we want to be 100% comfortable with the development of this aircraft, which means a little more time."
He added that he had the green light from the French government to withdraw and that the issue of the French-German balance in the capital of EADS was not within its jurisdiction.
"I do not expect sales at the end of this year, but if we have an opportunity, it is clear that we will seize this opportunity," he added.
Arnaud Lagardere also said that his discussions with Marie-Odile Amaury, which owns the namesake newspaper group, for a withdrawal had not been completed, while hoping to achieve in 2011, see this year.
He argued that a sale of the Parisien and Aujourd'hui en France, refocusing the group on the organization of sporting events and L'Equipe, increase conflicts of interest with Lagardere, also present in this area Marie-Odile Amaury placed in an "awkward position".
"It is important that we sell," he said. "We're trapped in a company we have no control and which we do not draw virtually no dividend".
The Japanese Minister of Finance has honed his arguments Wednesday on the strength of the yen after the Nikkei newspaper had reported that Tokyo would consider unilateral intervention on the foreign exchange market if speculators push the yen upwards.
While it should meet in the day Prime Minister Naoto Kan and other members of the Government, the Minister of Finance Yoshihiko Noda told reporters that he would intervene appropriately whether to do so, speech he had not taken up.
"When necessary shall have to act appropriately," he said in response to a question about the evolution of the yen.
Market participants, however, questioned the ability of unilateral intervention to contain the strong yen, which hit a high Tuesday of 15 years against the dollar and nine years against the euro and weighs heavily on the Stock Exchange Tokyo which closed Wednesday at a low of 16 months.
"The dollar fell to 83 yen, the probability of intervention has increased, but it would take more than intervention," said Kiichi Murashima, an economist at Citigroup Global Markets.
"This must be accompanied by an easing (of monetary policy) of the BoJ (Bank of Japan) to have any effect."
DOUBTS ON MEASURES TAKEN the radical
The soaring yen and the decline of the Tokyo Stock Exchange have increased the probability of announcing a further easing of monetary policy the Bank of Japan before its next meeting on interest rates scheduled for 6 and 7 September, Reuters said sources familiar with the matter.
Speculators doubt however that the BoJ is ready to take drastic measures.
"If they really want to do something about the yen (…) they must create the conditions to anticipate inflation," said Martin Schulz, senior economist at Fujitsu Research Institute.
"But I do not think the BoJ will move in that direction."
While it took nearly 10% since the beginning of the year against the greenback, against which it was trading around 5:45 GMT at 84.28 dollars, some investors believe the greenback could fall to a record high against the Japanese currency, at least 80 dollars.
So far the Japanese authorities tried to contain the strong yen by simple oral statements, the Minister of Finance stressed on Tuesday the growing irritation of Tokyo against the Japanese currency rise.
Now, about Yoshihiko Noda had the opposite effect to that intended, because dealers have so wanted to test the determination of Japanese authorities to stem the yen's appreciation.Why he decided to get tough on Wednesday.
EMERGENCY MEETING
Tokyo should be difficult to convince the United States and Europe to join its efforts on the foreign exchange market, weakening their own currencies being favorable to their exports.
Yoshihiko Noda declined to comment on rumors suggesting a possible meeting with Secretary of U.S. Treasury Timothy Geithner. The U.S. Treasury has not made any comments.
Japan is no longer intervened on the foreign exchange market since 2004.But the situation is becoming even more worrying than the Japanese export growth slowed to an annual rate in the fifth consecutive month in July.
According to an estimate of Nomura Securities, every increase of one yen against the dollar will result in a decrease of 0.9% of current earnings of major Japanese manufacturing groups for fiscal year 2010-2011, which will close in March.
According to sources close to the situation, the most likely scenario is that the BoJ will increase the size, or prolongs the duration of its mechanism of short-term financing in place in December.
The Nikkei newspaper wrote Wednesday that the BoJ intends to take further monetary easing and could do so in the context of an emergency meeting.
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) is planning to resume participation of BNP Paribas in a Chinese joint venture asset management for 50 million dollars (38.2 million euros), we learn two sources familiar with the matter.
This would allow the first Japanese bank to enter the Chinese market for the management of funds, estimated at 237 billion euros and could exceed 765 billion euros in five years, according to consulting firm Z- Ben Advisors.
BNP Paribas and MUFG will submit the draft to the Chinese authorities before the end of the month, after rejecting an initial application for minor technical reasons, "said one source.
Once disengaged from SYWG BNP Paribas Asset Management, BNP Paribas will hold only one license for fund management in China and thus in keeping with rules set by Beijing, which prohibit foreign companies from holding more than one license in that market .
VERY ATTRACTIVE OFFER
Over thirty foreign institutions, including JPMorgan, Credit Suisse and Morgan Stanley, have formed joint ventures in fund management in China, while groups such as Aberdeen Asset Management and T. Rowe Price are looking to break into this market.
MUFG has prevailed over a dozen other candidates for the takeover of parts of BNP, among whom were Japanese Nomura Holdings and Britain's Ashmore Group.
The offer of the Japanese for 33% of BNP Paribas is a ratio of prices on assets under management of approximately 10%, against a normal value of 5%, thus making the supply of MUFG very attractive.
SYWG BNP Paribas was established in 2004 by BNP Paribas and the Chinese broker Wangguo Shenyin & Securities Co, which owns two thirds of the capital.
The joint venture had 10.4 billion yuan (1.2 billion euros) in assets under management at the end of June, 0.49% of the market, against 0.9% at end 2009.
After this assignment, BNP Paribas will not have more than a joint venture in China Fund Management, Fortis Haitong, which manages about 40 billion yuan of assets, or 2% of the market.
The BP has decided that its chief executive Tony Hayward must leave office because of his handling of the spill, and his departure will probably be announced within 36 hours, officials said Sunday, sources close to the group.
The board of BP is due to meet Monday to determine how the departure of Hayward and its replacement by Bob Dudley, the American leader who also oversees the fight against the oil spill, sources said.
Replace Hayward at this stage of operations could be difficult for BP.Well Macondo, which lets out of oil since the explosion of the platform Deepwater Horizon April 20, has not yet been definitively blocked.
If problems occur during the recent operations, Dudley's reputation could also suffer.
But the fact that the leak has been controlled for over a week by a temporary containment has led the company to be more concerned about the future of its chief executive.
According to sources, Hayward acknowledged that he was in the interests of BP let him go.
The British oil giant has lost 40% of its stock value since the beginning of the disaster.The group would not comment on rumors of departure from Hayward, declaring that he was general manager with the full support of the board of directors.
A spokesman for BP declined to repeat the news last week that the board does not even discussed the future of Hayward.
In the Gulf of Mexico, ships trying to stop the leak came back Sunday on the site after being forced to move away from threats of Tropical Storm Bonnie, now dissipated.
The next step is now the operation known as "static kill", which is to inject heavy fluids and cement into a pit pass.
This operation could begin in three to five days, according to Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen, who directs operations for the U.S. government.
Unilever said Monday it completed the sale of its Italian subsidiary specializes in the Findus frozen food products to Birds Eye Iglo to 805 million euros.
Birds Eye Iglo is for the private equity firm Permira.
It involves the sale of Unilever's recent activities in Europe frozen.
Permira will bring Findus and Birds Eye Iglo to the old pole of Unilever's frozen foods, he had acquired in 2006 for 1.73 billion euros.
In a statement, Unilever said that about 650 people Findus, whose turnover reached 462 million euros in 2009, will be transferred to the new owner.
Reuters reported last week that Permira was elbow to elbow with Lion Capital in the race to buy Findus, to BC Partners.
In London, Unilever gained 0.74%, to 1.896 pence to 9:45 GMT.
Atos Origin will display an order book to date higher than the corresponding period of 2009, which supports the software houses in anticipation of a resumption of growth in coming quarters, said Tuesday its chief executive Thierry Breton.
He said Atos was in line with annual targets to increase by half a point to point margin at 6.2 to 6.7% from year-end debt reduction and cash generation flow of the same order as that of 117 million euros posted in 2009.
"We have a backlog that is higher than last year and which is constructed dynamically," said Thierry Breton in an interview with Reuters.
Atos, which counts among its customers Renault, EDF, KPN and Dexia, had earned in the first half of 2009 a backlog of 7.5 billion euros.
"What we had anticipated in the model of re-growth is consistent with what we see," added Thierry Breton.
He confirmed the expectation of a negative organic growth in the first half of the same order of magnitude as the 3.7% decline throughout 2009 and then a resumption of growth in coming quarters.
Atos, whose main competitors are the American Accenture and Capgemini, is well equipped to face the situation in Europe, where it generates most of its sales, since two thirds of its activities are recurring, "he stressed.
CONSOLIDATION IN THE AREA OF THE DECADE
Thierry Breton, 55, has led Thomson (now Technicolor), and France Telecom, before becoming Minister of Economy and Finance between February 2005 and May 2007.
He arrived at the head of Atos Origin in November 2008, replacing Philippe Germond, the strategy which had opposed the funds Pardus and Centaurus activists.
PAI Partners is the largest shareholder with 25% of Atos's capital, with 8.5% to Pardus.
Thierry Breton said he expected in the decade to a consolidation of the sector, still "fairly fragmented" worldwide.
Atos, which continues to look "systematically" all targets of acquisition talks with Royal Bank of Scotland and its partners for an industrial partnership with its subsidiary WorldPay electronic payments, he said.
"On this asset, we are positioned somewhat industrial partner rather than private equity funds.Is discussed with all partners and also with RBS, "said Thierry Breton.
Atos, which has issued 250 million euros Oceane in October 2009, had been in the running to acquire Italian SIA-SSB, which the British group Xchanging Outsourcing announced last week the takeover a 51% stake.
Atos should announce the end of July to finalize its new division Atos WorldGrid specializing in technology management Intelligent Energy, also said Thierry Breton.
The objective with this division, whose goal is to adapt the energy demand to the available power among producers and distributors, is to achieve a turnover of 150 million euros in 2010 and have doubled end of 2014.
Atos, which employs 49,000 people worldwide, has to hire 4.000-4500 this year, including 500-600 engineers in France, said Thierry Breton.
The staffing offshore Atos amounted to 5,000 in late 2009, over 70% in India where the group account increase from 800 to 1,000 people this year.
