Intertek, a UK-based product testing company, agrees to be taken over by private equity group EQT in a deal widely reported at around £11 billion (approximately $14.5 billion). Multiple outlets report that the Intertek board backs the acquisition, and that the company will leave the FTSE 100 following the completion of the transaction. City AM highlights the role of law firms Freshfields and Slaughters in the deal, indicating major legal support for the transaction.
While the takeover itself is presented as the latest example of a large FTSE 100 company moving into private ownership, the coverage also focuses on broader implications for London’s equity listings. The Guardian notes that the main issue is not the takeover—Intertek’s exit is viewed as consistent with ongoing trends—but the apparent scarcity of large, high-profile new listings returning to the FTSE 100. The comparison to earlier take-private activity and concerns about fewer prominent growth or technology listings provides context for why some observers see Intertek’s departure as less beneficial for the index than it could be.
