Dell confirms two alternative buyout bids

Dell said Monday that it received two alternative acquisition proposals that may be superior to its founder and Chief Executive Officer Michael Dell's earlier offer.

The two new bids were offered by Carl Icahn, a billionaire investor and shareholder of Dell, and by private equity group Blackstone. Icahn proposed to pay 15 U.S. dollars a share for 58 percent of Dell, while Blackstone offered 14.25 dollars a share for an undisclosed amount of shares.

In early February, Michael Dell, in conjunction with equity investment firm Silver Lake Partner, agreed to buy all of Dell for 13.65 dollars a share, which would amount to a 24.4-billion-dollar bid, for the company to go private.

A special committee of Dell's board said in a statement that both alternative proposals could be expected to result in superior proposals and the committee will "work diligently" with the three potential buyers to ensure the best possible outcome for Dell shareholders.

Alex Mandl, chairman of the special committee, said he was pleased to see the two alternative proposals that can potentially create additional value for Dell's shareholders.

However, the committee stressed that no assurance could be given to either proposal as any of the bids need to be approved by a majority of Dell shareholders, excluding the founder.

Dell's shares rose 3.22 percent to 14.60 dollars a share shortly after the opening bell.

The buyout is seen as Dell's most drastic effort to revive the economy, especially after the rise of smartphone sand tablet computers that devoured PC sales.

Due to shrinking PC sales, Dell's profits plunged 31 percent to 530 million dollars and its revenues dropped 11 percent to 14.3 billion dollars in its fiscal fourth quarter ended Feb. 1.

戴爾公司將優先考慮百仕通和伊坎收購要約

全球第三大個人電腦廠商戴爾公司董事會２５日表示,公司已經收到并將優先考慮百仕通集團和投資人卡爾·伊坎的收購要約.

負責公司出售事務的特別委員會在聲明中表示,相比公司創始人邁克爾·戴爾和私募股權基金銀湖投資上個月提出的私有化要約,委員會決定優先考慮百仕通或伊坎的要約.特別委員會在聲明稱,將會與三個潛在收購方繼續談判,以保證交易為戴爾股東帶來最有利的結果.

戴爾公司２月５日發布的聲明顯示,公司與邁克爾·戴爾及銀湖達成私有化協議.根據協議,交易總價約為２４４億美元,或每股１３．６５美元.該私有化要約被認為是戴爾公司面臨智能手機和平板電腦蠶食市場做出的重大調整.

戴爾和銀湖的要約發出后,已有大股東提出該價格低估了公司的價值.新的要約出現意味著邁克爾·戴爾和銀湖投資可能需要提出更優厚的條件.不過,戴爾的要約允許公司繼續選擇更好的價格,戴爾也表示愿意與第三方合作.

百仕通提出以每股１４．２５美元以現金或股票收購戴爾公司,戴爾公司股東可以選擇現金或股票回報.交易完成后,戴爾股票還將繼續在納斯達克交易.

根據伊坎提出的收購要約,戴爾公司股東可以選擇繼續持有收購后的公司股票,或以每股１５美元的價格獲得現金回報.