The takeover battle for United States copper miner Asarco continues to rage, as its estranged parent Grupo Mexico has offered $1.3 billion to counter Sterlite Industries' offer for the second time.
Sterlite Industries, the flagship firm of London-listed Vedanta Resources, may consider legal action if the bankruptcy court favours Grupo Mexico's counter-offer of $4.1 billion for Asarco, the US copper mining giant. Sterlite's takeover bid for Asarco hit a bump when a judge of a bankruptcy court in Texas signalled on Friday that he might give Grupo Mexico, Asarco's estranged corporate parent, a last chance to resume control of its US subsidiary.
Countering Grupo Mexico's bid to acquire US-based bankrupt miner Asarco, Vedanta Resources group firm Sterlite Industries today said it has increased the cash component of its offer by about $500 million to nearly $2.1 billion.
Sterlite Industries, the flagship firm of London-listed Vedanta, may get the support of rival bidder Harbinger Capital Partners in its takeover plan for the bankrupt US copper mining firm, Asarco. Harbinger has decided to withdraw from the race, informing the bankruptcy court that its plan to restructure Asarco should not be considered.
Asarco's unsecured creditors will support Sterlite Industries, the flagship firm of London-listed Vedanta group, in the bidding war for the bankrupt US copper mining firm.
Asarco has filed a lawsuit against one time suitor Sterlite Industries for backing out of a $2.6 billion deal to take the US copper miner out of bankruptcy in 2008.
Anil Agarwal-controlled Sterlite Industries has got a leg-up in its takeover battle for bankrupt copper miner Asarco in the United States. A district court in Texas has allowed Sterlite to argue for its amended bid of $2.56 billion, which was earlier rejected by a lower court.
Though the verdict of the bankruptcy court needs final approval from the district court, something that Sterlite is banking on, legal experts said that step was just a formality and nothing more. In its ruling filed late Monday, Judge Richard S Schmidt of the bankruptcy court at Corpus Christi in Texas recommended the district court judge to confirm the Grupo Mexico's plan and reject Asarco's own plan, which is sponsored by the Vedanta group company.
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