Ferrero and Hostess vie for Kellogg's Keebler cookie business, in a roughly $1.5 billion deal

Hostess Brands and Nutella-owner Ferrero are competing as front-runners to buy Kellogg's Keebler, Famous Amos and fruit snacks businesses, in a deal that could value the brands at roughly $1.5 billion, people familiar with the situation tell CNBC.

Hostess, which has a market capitalization of $1.2 billion, is considering acquiring the Keebler cookie business through a"Reverse Morris Trust," said the people. The Reverse Morris Trust or RMT is an unusual deal structure that allows for a tax-efficient combination of two similarly sized companies.

Shares of Kellogg, which has a market capitalization of $19.5 billion, have fallen 11 percent over the past year. Kellogg executives have pointed to Pringles, Cheez-Its and Rice Krispies Treats as brands it can revive with innovation and single-serve options. Companies like Ferrero have shown how new attention can breathe life into previously neglected brands. Products like sweets and snacks, which still appeal to today's on-the-go consumer, have proven particularly amenable to renovation.

Nigeria Nigeria Latest News, Nigeria Nigeria Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

$930 billion Nuveen’s head of private markets is retiring amid ‘challenges’ to the asset management businessIn a Thursday memo to employees, Jose Minaya, Nuveen's chief investment officer, said private markets head Heather Davis would retire.
Source: BusinessInsider - 🏆 729. / 51 Read more »