Continental sells ContiTech unit to Lone Star in €4bn deal

BY Fraser Tennant

Beginning a new era as a pure-play tire manufacturer, German car parts supplier Continental is to sell its plastics and rubber ‌business ContiTech to private equity firm Lone Star Funds in a transaction valued at €4bn.

As a global provider of rubber and thermoplastic products and systems, ContiTech has extensive expertise in materials and technology – its portfolio spanning conveyor and drive systems, fluid management solutions, as well as damping and surface applications.

Following completion of the sale, Continental – whose tire business has shown stable development in recent years, despite volatile markets – will become a focused tire manufacturer with a strong, globally recognised brand.

The transaction also includes performance-based components of up to €250m in subsequent years. The sale of its industrial business is the final step in DAX-listed Continental’s realignment. In February 2026, the company also sold ContiTech’s former original equipment solutions business.

Despite achieving sales of approximately €4.4bn in 2025, Continental’s ContiTech division ​has been ⁠under pressure in recent months, cutting 3000 jobs in May, including 1600 in Germany.

“With the sale of ContiTech, the Supervisory Board approved the final step in Continental’s realignment,” said Sabrina Soussan, chair of Continental’s Supervisory Board. “We are convinced that both companies will be better positioned to develop as independent businesses than as part of the same group. This strategic focus will make them both even stronger.”

Lone Star Funds, with a long track record in the industrials sector, will take over all of ContiTech’s business operations worldwide following the close of the transaction.

“ContiTech is a well-positioned industrial company with outstanding technological capabilities and extensive expertise in materials, making it one of the leading providers in its industries,” said Donald Quintin, chief executive officer of Lone Star Funds. “As a global investor with a track record in the industrials sector, we are convinced of ContiTech’s significant potential.”

The transaction – which is expected to be completed ​by the ⁠end of 2026 – is subject to regulatory approval.

Mr Quintin concluded: “We look forward to working closely with the management team and employees around the world to further develop the business – through operational improvements and targeted investments in attractive growth markets.”

News: Continental to sell ContiTech unit to Lone Star Funds for $4.6 billion

UK fraud losses close to £1.3bn, reveals new report

BY Fraser Tennant

More than 4 million cases of fraud resulting in a financial loss of almost £1.3bn were reported in the UK in 2025, according to a new report by UK Finance.

In its ‘UK Finance Annual Fraud Report 2026’, the association reveals that there were nearly eight cases of fraud per minute across the UK in 2025 – an 11 percent increase on the previous year and a 31 percent rise since 2023.

The scale and sophistication of fraud is also growing rapidly, driven in large part by criminals deploying artificial intelligence (AI). Specifically, investment scams saw losses soar by 40 percent in a year to a new record high, while purchase scams also hit record levels, as did romance fraud.

The report also shows that most authorised push payment (APP) fraud cases – 248,070 cases were recorded in 2025 with losses of £576.4m – start online or through telecommunication networks.  

Building on the UK government’s Fraud Strategy 2026-2029, UK Finance is calling for stronger, enforceable responsibilities to be placed on companies, including tackling fraudulent advertising by having Ofcom place stronger and proactive fraud prevention obligations on high-risk platforms.

Also recommended is for online marketplaces to verify their sellers and use secure payment mechanisms rather than allowing separate bank transfers to take place off the platform. This, believes UK Finance, would address purchase fraud, which often starts on marketplace sites.

“Fraud operates on an industrial scale, harming people, businesses and the UK economy, typically funding serious and organised crime in the UK and globally,” said Ruth Ray, managing director of economic crime at UK Finance. “The financial sector invests huge amounts in protecting customers, but we cannot be the only line of defence. It is clear we are not tackling the underlying problem effectively enough.”

To share the burden, Ms Ray is looking to firms in the technology and telecommunications sectors to contribute financially, as well as sharing expertise, intelligence and capabilities to support proactive fraud prevention.

“Given most APP fraud still starts via online technology platforms or via telecoms, we urgently need stronger, enforceable responsibilities to be placed on these sectors,” concluded Ms Ray. “This is the way to reduce the harm and stop criminals and technology companies profiting from these devastating crimes.”

Report: UK Finance Annual Fraud Report 2026

Martin Marietta to acquire Lhoist North America in $13.5bn deal

BY Richard Summerfield

In a move which will strengthen its position in the lime and industrial minerals sector, Martin Marietta Materials Inc has announced it is to acquire Lhoist North America in a cash-and-stock deal valued at around $13.5bn.

According to Martin Marietta, the company expects to use a mix of $7bn in cash along with shares of its stock valued at $6.5bn to fund the deal, which is expected to be completed in the second half of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals.

Upon closing, the Berghmans family, the current owner of Lhoist, is expected to own approximately 15 percent of Martin Marietta on a fully diluted basis and will have the right to appoint one director and one observer to the comapny’s board of directors.

Martin Marietta expects its combined net leverage ratio to be approximately 3.7x at closing with a target of reducing this ratio to below 2.5x within 24 months of closing through strong free cash flow generation. Upon closure, the company expects to realise about $85m in annual run-rate cost synergies.

Lhoist operates a network of 20 quarries and production facilities and 45 distribution terminals, generating $1.8bn in gross sales and $786m of adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) for the 12 months ended 31 December 2025. The company has over 2 billion tonnes of high-quality limestone reserves positioned in high-growth, Sun Belt metropolitan corridors. This reserve base of over 200 years of useful life represents one of the most significant and strategically advantaged limestone positions in North America.

“This transaction represents another transformational milestone for Martin Marietta and directly advances our SOAR 2030 objective to expand our complementary, upstream Specialties segment in lime and other industrial minerals,” said Ward Nye, chair, president and chief executive of Martin Marietta. “It builds on our core quarrying competency, expands our geographic footprint and immediately establishes Martin Marietta as the leading national producer of lime solutions. As the United States continues to invest in infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, energy development and industrial expansion, demand for high-quality lime products is expected to remain resilient for decades to come.

“With long-lived limestone reserves, a complementary distribution network, and an attractive financial profile, the LNA business strengthens our portfolio, enhances our ability to serve both new and existing customers, and deepens our role in providing the critical materials necessary to build our nation’s infrastructure, manufacturing and industrial base. Importantly, it reinforces our ability to deliver consistent, through-cycle performance and long-term value creation,” he added.

“For more than a century, our family has built Lhoist into a global leader by safeguarding world-class limestone reserves and serving our customers with discipline, quality and care,” said Baron Berghmans, chairman of Lhoist Group. “In Martin Marietta, we have found a partner who shares these values, honors the legacy we have carefully built and ensures it will endure for generations to come.”

News: Martin Marietta to buy Lhoist North America in $13.5 billion deal

Sangamo Therapeutics files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection

BY Richard Summefield

On Tuesday, Sangamo Therapeutics, Inc., a genomic medicine company, announced it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware to facilitate a court-supervised reorganisation, which is expected to include the auction of substantially all of the company’s assets.

Simultaneously, the company also announced it had entered into two separate asset sale agreements, one with Eli Lilly for Sangamo’s capsid delivery platform, zinc finger platform, modular integrase (MINT) platform and the prion disease programme, ST-506, and another with Astellas Pharma Inc., for the company’s Fabry disease programme, isaralgagene civaparvovec (ST-920).

To underpin the sale process, Lilly and Astellas will each serve as stalking horse bidders for the sale of the assets contemplated by their respective agreements. A stalking horse asset sale agreement establishes a strong baseline offer and is intended to help maximise value for all stakeholders through the Chapter 11 auction process.

Although during the Chapter 11 proceedings the company said “substantially all” of its assets will be up for sale, the stalking horse bids do not include the clinical-stage ST-503 programme to treat chronic neuropathic pain, the giroctocogene fitelparvovec programme to treat hemophilia A, and Sangamo’s cell therapy and regulatory T cell (Treg) assets. Sangamo said these are expected to remain available to interested bidders at the auction.

To maintain operations during the restructuring, Sangamo has secured a commitment for debtor in possession financing from Northridge ATM and its affiliates. The company said the financing, which is subject to court approval, is expected to provide sufficient liquidity to fund operations, support the Chapter 11 process and meet post-petition obligations. Sangamo has filed motions with the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware seeking authorisation to continue normal business operations during the proceedings.

“Following a comprehensive review of available alternatives, we believe this process provides a clear framework to pursue value‑maximizing transactions,” said Sandy Macrae, chief executive of Sangamo. “Our priority is to execute a disciplined and efficient sale process while supporting all of our stakeholders. We are also pleased to have signed agreements with two large pharmaceutical companies to serve as stalking horse bidders in the process, underscoring the strategic interest in our assets.”

Sangamo reported a $31m net loss on revenue that fell 78 percent year over year to $1.4m from $6.4m. Sangamo said $5m of that decrease was due to Pfizer’s termination early last year of its collaboration with Sangamo to develop a hemophilia A gene therapy, giroctocogene fitelparvovec. The company is also laying off approximately 51 staffers, or around 40 percent of its total workforce, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

News: Sangamo Therapeutics Enters Into Asset Sale Agreements with Lilly and Astellas

CRH acquires rival Arcosa in $8.5bn all-cash deal

BY Fraser Tennant

In a deal that reinforces its position as the number one infrastructure player in North America, buildings material provider CRH is to acquire its rival Arcosa in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $8.5bn.

Under the terms of the agreement, Dublin-based CRH is offering Arcosa’s stockholders $150 per share, representing a 10.4 percent premium to Arcosa’s last close. CRH intends to fund the transaction with available cash and committed debt financing.

Marking the Irish company’s largest-ever takeover, the acquisition of Dallas-based Arcosa will give CRH exposure to GE Vernova (GEV) – one of the major infrastructure companies in the world and one of Arcosa’s biggest clients.

“This strategic acquisition advances our strategy to build an aggregates-led, connected portfolio,” said Jim Mintern, chief executive of CRH. “As demand for US energy and utility infrastructure solutions accelerates, this transaction places CRH at the forefront of an immense growth opportunity and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to building market-leading positions through disciplined capital allocation.”

The boards of directors of both companies have unanimously approved the transaction.

“This transaction is a powerful validation of the work we have done in recent years to grow in attractive markets, simplify our portfolio, reduce cyclicality and build a more resilient business focused on construction products and engineered structures,” said Antonio Carrillo, president and chief executive of Arcosa. “For our stockholders, this transaction crystalises the value we have built.”

The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2027 subject to approval from Arcosa’s stockholders, regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.

A provider of infrastructure-related materials, products and solutions, Arcosa’s construction products business is a leading aggregates platform in the US, with 109 quarries and yards, nine asphalt plants, 19 terminals and approximately 35 million tonnes of 2025 aggregates shipments.

Mr Carrilo concluded: “We are excited that CRH recognises our value, and we are confident that their resources, scale and expertise will provide attractive opportunities for our team members, for our customers and for the communities we serve.”

News: CRH to buy Arcosa in $8.5 billion all-cash deal