Bidding war for UK supermarket chain Morrisons heats up

By PAN PYLAS
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — Shares in British supermarket chain Morrisons have spiked higher after New York-based private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice trumped a previous offer for the company with a 7 billion-pound ($9.5 billion) bid. Morrisons’ board has accepted the offer and said shareholders should vote in favor of the takeover at a meeting due in early October. That means the company has withdrawn its recommendation for investors to accept a previous 6.7 billion-pound takeover deal from a consortium led by rival private equity firm Fortress, which said it was considering its options. The news of the new offer and the possibility of a continuation in the bidding war buoyed Morrisons’ share price. In morning trading in London, it was up 4.3% at 291.20 pence.