For years there have always been rumours floating around - and up until now I've never believed a single one because there was clearly no basis for them.

Right now things are different - and based on a few things I've heard in recent weeks it now wouldn't surprise me if a deal was close. AU has now recovered and the cash cow that was NZ has slowed down production. The Vodafone strategy of being a huge global player is now gone, and in many ways maintaining NZ and AU no longer makes sense.

The big question is who the buyer will be - while many assume TPG makes sense, it's not the only player. The Australian media picked up the TPG rumour in early March and a quite a few analysts have written about it since. The stuff story today really is just 6 weeks late.

There was also a story yesterday that implied that Spark might be 'in play' as well as Vodafone and/or 2Degrees

Spark management shuffle story on Stuff 26/4/16

"The [Spark management] reshuffle comes as takeover speculation continues to swirl in the industry, with rumours centred on Vodafone, 2degrees and Australian-listed companies TPG Telecom and Vocus.

[Forsyth Barr analyst Blair] Galpin described the speculation as "noise" and said that while it indicated some change might be about to happen in the market, it was not clear yet what that might be."

There is no unusual activity on the NZSX with regards to Spark shares with shares trading basically as they have been all year. 2 Degrees is a candidate to sale given that it is not generating great returns for its off shore parents.

MikeB4:

 

There is no unusual activity on the NZSX with regards to Spark shares with shares trading basically as they have been all year. 2 Degrees is a candidate to sale given that it is not generating great returns for its off shore parents.

 

So why would a buyer be interested if they are not generating enough profit. 

ajw:

 

MikeB4:

 

There is no unusual activity on the NZSX with regards to Spark shares with shares trading basically as they have been all year. 2 Degrees is a candidate to sale given that it is not generating great returns for its off shore parents.

 

 

 

 

So why would a buyer be interested if they are not generating enough profit. 

 

The assets

MikeB4:

 

ajw:

 

MikeB4:

 

There is no unusual activity on the NZSX with regards to Spark shares with shares trading basically as they have been all year. 2 Degrees is a candidate to sale given that it is not generating great returns for its off shore parents.

 

 

 

 

So why would a buyer be interested if they are not generating enough profit. 

 

 

 

 

The assets

 

But both competitors have a nationwide cellular network and if 2 degrees can't make a profit who's to say a new company will in such a low population base. In regards to fixed line they are only making a narrow margin.

ajw:

 

MikeB4:

 

ajw:

 

MikeB4:

 

There is no unusual activity on the NZSX with regards to Spark shares with shares trading basically as they have been all year. 2 Degrees is a candidate to sale given that it is not generating great returns for its off shore parents.

 

 

 

 

So why would a buyer be interested if they are not generating enough profit. 

 

 

 

 

The assets

 

 

 

 

But both competitors have a nationwide cellular network and if 2 degrees can't make a profit who's to say a new company will in such a low population base. In regards to fixed line they are only making a narrow margin.

 

2D is in the main owned by offshore equity and venture capital companies which generally are not involved in ventures for the long term and look to release their funds for new investments. A new buyer would look to either assimilate the assets including customer base into their operation or to inject new capital to expand their interests or to inject capital expand it and sell on or to asset strip and move on.

MikeB4:

 

ajw:

 

MikeB4:

 

ajw:

 

MikeB4:

 

There is no unusual activity on the NZSX with regards to Spark shares with shares trading basically as they have been all year. 2 Degrees is a candidate to sale given that it is not generating great returns for its off shore parents.

 

 

 

 

So why would a buyer be interested if they are not generating enough profit. 

 

 

 

 

The assets

 

 

 

 

But both competitors have a nationwide cellular network and if 2 degrees can't make a profit who's to say a new company will in such a low population base. In regards to fixed line they are only making a narrow margin.

 

 

2D is in the main owned by offshore equity and venture capital companies which generally are not involved in ventures for the long term and look to release their funds for new investments. A new buyer would look to either assimilate the assets including customer base into their operation or to inject new capital to expand their interests or to inject capital expand it and sell on or to asset strip and move on.

 

Like Dick Smith's. Time will tell.

2degrees fits very well with the existing Vocus business.

I laugh every time I see somebody writing about Spark possibly being the subject of a takeover. I've yet to see a single analyst produce a single reason why this would make sense.

sbiddle:

 

2degrees fits very well with the existing Vocus business.

 

I laugh every time I see somebody writing about Spark possibly being the subject of a takeover. I've yet to see a single analyst produce a single reason why this would make sense.

 

 

 

Strange things happen...

HP/Compaq

MSFT/Nokia

Mind you, maybe if they did get bought out, it could be by a company that actually provides a decent service. Not a half-hearted attempt.

sbiddle:

 

For years there have always been rumours floating around - and up until now I've never believed a single one because there was clearly no basis for them.

 

Right now things are different - and based on a few things I've heard in recent weeks it now wouldn't surprise me if a deal was close. AU has now recovered and the cash cow that was NZ has slowed down production. The Vodafone strategy of being a huge global player is now gone, and in many ways maintaining NZ and AU no longer makes sense.

 

The big question is who the buyer will be - while many assume TPG makes sense, it's not the only player. The Australian media picked up the TPG rumour in early March and a quite a few analysts have written about it since. The stuff story today really is just 6 weeks late.

 

 

 

Sounds like someone has been reading NBR.

Stuff is jam-packed full of credible information [/joke]

Dratsab:

 

Stuff is jam-packed full of credible information [/joke]

 

It's the exact same article from the AFR. TPG are running out of telcos to buy in Australia. It wouldn't surprise me at all if they bought Vodafone (AU and/or NZ).