Business News
Louis Vuitton acquires American jeweller, Tiffany for $16 billion
LVMH Moët Hennessy has bought the American jeweller known for its engagement rings and white diamond necklaces, Tiffany & Co for $16.2 billion.
The highest maker of luxury goods in the world, LVMH Moët Hennessy has bought the American jeweller known for its engagement rings and white diamond necklaces, Tiffany & Co for $16.2 billion.
The company announced that it would pay $135 a share in cash while stating that the deal would transform its watches and jewellery division, its latest addition to its 75 key brands known as “maisons” or houses.
Speaking about the acquisition as reported on BBC, Bernard Arnault, the Chairman and Chief Executive of LVMH, said, “We have immense respect and admiration for Tiffany and intend to develop this jewel with the same dedication and commitment that we have applied to each and every one of our Maisons.
“We will be proud to have Tiffany sit alongside our iconic brands and look forward to ensuring that Tiffany continues to thrive for centuries to come.”
Also commenting on the deal, Alessandro Bogliolo, the Tiffany & Co, Chief Executive said, “As part of the LVMH group, Tiffany will reach new heights, capitalising on its remarkable internal expertise, unparalleled craftsmanship and strong cultural values.”
[READ MORE: PayPal acquires shopping browser extension company for $4 billion]
What you should know: LVMH first approached Tiffany in late October this year with a $14.5 billion bid. However, after the review of the proposal by Tiffany’s Board of Directors, it was rejected as the amount was termed too low. The new deal values each Tiffany share at $135 in cash which is higher than the initial offer of $120 a share.
About Tiffany: Tiffany was founded in 1837 by Charles Lewis Tiffany who opened the first store in downtown Manhattan. Presently, Tiffany now has more than 300 stores around the globe. Apart from jewellery, the company sells stationery, fragrances, water bottles, personal accessories, and leather goods.
About LVMH: The luxury goods empire owned by billionaire Bernard Arnault includes brands such as Louis Vuitton, Dior and Moët & Chandon, Bulgari and so on. It has 75 brands, 156,000 employees and a network of more than 4,590 stores.
Business News
FG to support MSME contribution to economy to boost development – Minister
The Minister said that the FG has schemes aimed at improving the post-pandemic climate for SMEs in Nigeria.
The Federal Government declared that it is working with stakeholders to improve MSME participation in the economy through improving the business climate which will create jobs.
This was disclosed by Amb. Mariam Katagum, Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, at the 7th EMPRETEC Global Summit, on Tuesday, themed “The Role of Entrepreneurship, MSME and EMPRETEC in post-COVID-19 Resurgence.”
The Minister stated that the MSME sector of the economy is the growth engine of any economy which contributes to its development, job creation and export, amongst others.
“An MSMEs survey indicates that Nigeria’s SMEs contribute nearly 50 percent of the country’s GDP and account for over 80 percent of employment. No doubt, the sector is pivotal to Nigeria’s growth, including reducing poverty and unemployment levels.
It has, therefore, become more apparent that supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses by creating opportunities for MSMEs to thrive is essential for increasing productivity, creating jobs, and boosting our economy.
This is why the Government is working with stakeholders across all sectors, to create the enabling environment for entrepreneurs and MSMEs to ensure that they grow now and into the future,” she stated.
On economic sustainability
The Minister said that the FG has schemes aimed at improving the post-pandemic climate for SMEs in Nigeria. She also disclosed that the FG launched the National Policy on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), a framework for the resolution of the challenges faced by the sector.
The programmes launched by the FG includes the Survival Fund and Guaranteed Off-take Schemes, operated by a Steering Committee in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.
“The Government of Nigeria had, prior to the outbreak of COVID-19, initiated the MSMEs Clinics scheme as a strategy, aimed at providing support for the MSMEs in the country.
At the clinics, operators in the MSMEs space are engaged by regulators and business advisory experts, on issues ranging from entrepreneurship, skill development, finance, quality & standards, and on how to facilitate and grow their businesses and enterprises,” she added.
What you should know
Nigeria’s unemployment rate as of the end of 2020 rose to 33.3% from 27.1% recorded as of Q2 2020, indicating that about 23,187,389 (23.2 million) Nigerians remain unemployed.
A combination of both the unemployment and underemployment rate for the reference period gave a figure of 56.1%. This means that 33.3% of the labour force in Nigeria or 23,187,389 persons either did nothing or worked for less than 20 hours a week, making them unemployed by our definition in Nigeria.
Business News
Amazon to open its first African office in South Africa
Amazon already launched its data centres for AWS in Cape Town but its eCommerce services had until now, not been available in Africa,
