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.

戴尔公司将优先考虑百仕通和伊坎收购要约

全球第三大个人电脑厂商戴尔公司董事会２５日表示,公司已经收到并将优先考虑百仕通集团和投资人卡尔·伊坎的收购要约.

负责公司出售事务的特别委员会在声明中表示,相比公司创始人迈克尔·戴尔和私募股权基金银湖投资上个月提出的私有化要约,委员会决定优先考虑百仕通或伊坎的要约.特别委员会在声明称,将会与三个潜在收购方继续谈判,以保证交易为戴尔股东带来最有利的结果.

戴尔公司２月５日发布的声明显示,公司与迈克尔·戴尔及银湖达成私有化协议.根据协议,交易总价约为２４４亿美元,或每股１３．６５美元.该私有化要约被认为是戴尔公司面临智能手机和平板电脑蚕食市场做出的重大调整.

戴尔和银湖的要约发出后,已有大股东提出该价格低估了公司的价值.新的要约出现意味着迈克尔·戴尔和银湖投资可能需要提出更优厚的条件.不过,戴尔的要约允许公司继续选择更好的价格,戴尔也表示愿意与第三方合作.

百仕通提出以每股１４．２５美元以现金或股票收购戴尔公司,戴尔公司股东可以选择现金或股票回报.交易完成后,戴尔股票还将继续在纳斯达克交易.

根据伊坎提出的收购要约,戴尔公司股东可以选择继续持有收购后的公司股票,或以每股１５美元的价格获得现金回报.