The $440-million, $33 per share cash offer made for Canadian smart grid component maker RuggedCom Inc. by Siemens Canada Ltd. is the best offer RuggedCom is going to get, analysts say. The offer, representing a 142% premium on the Concord, Ont.-based company's share price from six weeks ago, is 50% more than the $22 per share offer made by Belden Inc. on Dec. 19. Belden said Monday it would allow its offer to expire. "The emergence of a higher bid from the likes of Cisco, Huawei and General Electric are low," Kris Thompson of National Bank Financial said in a note to clients. Gus Papageorgiou of Scotia Capital also expressed "reservations" at the idea of another bid emerging, noting RuggedCom has already conducted a bidding process among Belden's rivals and Siemens emerged as the victor. At $33 per share, he believes Siemens is offering "unprecedented value in terms of price and market cap. All in all, we believe the price offered is more than fair," Mr. Papageorgiou said.
Financial stocks led the Toronto stock market to a modest loss Friday morning with buyers inclined to be cautious going into the weekend as the eurozone...
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