Travelport Plans London IPO, Joins Growing List of Large Upcoming International Deals

Travelport, the travel reservations company majority-owned by Blackstone, plans London's largest IPO in nearly two years after the company formally announced plans to float its shares in London in a transaction valuing it at around $3 billion.

Travelport, the travel reservations company majority-owned by Blackstone, plans London's largest IPO in nearly two years after the company formally announced plans to float its shares in London in a transaction valuing it at around $3 billion.

Blackstone Group LP and activist investor Carl Icahn submitted proposals to buy Dell Inc.  that would rival a US$24.4-billion buyout offer from Silver Lake Management LLC and company founder Michael Dell, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Blackstone, the world’s biggest private-equity firm, outlined an offer valued in excess of US$14.25 a share in cash, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified because the process is private.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Dell Inc appeared to have received competing offers following a $24.4 billion agreement last month to be taken private by its founder and private equity firm Silver Lake, setting up a tug-of-war for the world's No. 3 PC maker.

If Metro Inc. wants to use the estimated $416-million in after-tax proceeds from the sale of its 11% stake in Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., there are several acquisition options it may consider. David Hartley, a retail analyst at Credit Suisse, highlighted four such opportunities in Canada.

Zacks.com submits: ProLogis (PLD), a leading global provider of distribution facilities, has recently sold a huge portfolio of industrial assets worth approximately $1 billion to affiliates of The Blackstone Group (BX).

Renaissance Capital IPO Research submits: The US IPO market flourished this week with six companies completing their deals and posting an average return of 31% by Friday's market close. Small cap growth stories and US-listed Chinese ADRs continued to take the spotlight with quilted handbag designer Vera Bradley (

Renaissance Capital IPO Research submits: Backed by SOFTBANK Asia and Tiger Global, MakeMyTrip launched a US website in 2000 focused on US-to-India airline tickets. In 2005, it launched its Indian website and has rapidly grown into the dominant player in the country's online travel market.