Find Recent News Concerning a Possible Merger of X and Y Company?

TOPIC: Three types of databases provide the latest news on possible mergers and acquisitions.

1. Databases that focus on mergers and acquisitions, such as TFSD Worldwide Mergers & Acquisitions (File 551).

2. Industry/news databases often have a key field that points directly to articles on mergers and acquisitions. Such files include Business & Industry (File 9) (CT=MERGER?), Gale Group PROMT® (File 16) (EC=150), andDialog Global Reporter (File 20) (SELECT ACQUI?/DE) in the trade press.

3. Newswire databases, such as Business Wire (File 610) and PR Newswire (File 613), can be searched free-text to find the latest news on mergers and acquisitions. These files also index company names and descriptor terms (e.g., SELECT MERG? OR ACQUI?)/DE).

You have been asked to verify a rumor that Kraft Foods is selling Post Cereals to Ralcorp Holdings. This example shows a search in TFSD Worldwide Mergers & Acquisitions, which includes information on all partial, completed or rumored transactions that involve a change of ownership of at least five percent. Updating daily, it covers in depth both U.S. and international targets, public and private companies.

As you view the example note that even if the first try yields no “hits,” you can experiment with alternative company names, such as a subsidiary or brand name in the target field (TG=), and in this case, it worked! Never say never!

COMMAND SUMMARY

BEGIN 551
VISUAL EXPAND AQ=RALCORP
Check appropriate entries and click Select
VISUAL EXPAND TG=KRAFT FOODS
Check appropriate entries and click Select
DISPLAY SETS
SELECT S1 AND S2:S3
VISUAL EXPAND TG=POST
Check appropriate entries and click Select
DISPLAY SETS
SELECT S1 AND S5
REPORT S6/SYNOPSIS

HOW TO...

1. BEGIN File 551 to search TFSD Worldwide Mergers & Acquisitions. 2. VISUAL EXPAND the Acquirer (AQ=) field to identify variations that refer to the same acquirer. 3. Check the appropriate entries and click Select.
4. VISUAL EXPAND the Target (TG=) field for variations on the target company name. 5. Check the appropriate entries and click Select.
Note: Click More to scroll through the index and check additional entries. 6. When you have checked all entries of interest, click Select.
7. DISPLAY SETS to view retrieval so far. 8. Combine the acquirer records in Set 1 (S1) with the target records in Sets 2 and 3. S2:S3 means S2 OR S3. Note 0 records.
9. If a record does not appear, try exploring other names for either the acquirer or the target. Since the requestor mentioned Post Cereal, try VISUAL EXPANDing Post as a target company name. 10. Check the appropriate entries and click Select.
11. DISPLAY SETS to view history. 12. Combine the Acquirer (AQ=) field with the new Target (TG=) set.
13. TYPE a record in the appropriate format. Check the Bluesheet for the available display formats, or enter HELP FMT 551. Enter HELP RATES 551 for format costs. Note: Two pre-formatted reports are available at a lower rate: REPORT SN/SYNOPSIS/1 or REPORT SN/ADVISOR/1 Note: Portions of the record not shown.

RELATED HOW DO I...? SOLUTIONS

• Locate the top companies in X industry?
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• Find members of a corporate family and identify its headquarters?
• Find biographical information on a director or officer of a company using directories?
• Find biographical information on a director or officer of a company using journal sources?

NEED HELP?

Contact the Dialog Knowledge Center
Within North America +1 800 3 DIALOG (334 2564)
Outside North America 00 800 33 DIALOG (33 34 2564)
Web Form www.dialog.com/contacts/webform

Stock #: 53819; Last modified: 14 Sep 2011

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