With shareholders of Mylan NV approving its $36 billion hostile takeover bid for Dublin-based Perrigo Co. on Friday, the battle between the two companies will quickly move to the hand-to-hand combat stage. And it’s likely to be particularly nasty, for three reasons.
First, Irish takeover rules likely will make Perrigo’s criticisms of the bid loud and intense. Perrigo is not permitted structural defenses like poison pills, which in the U.S. can be used to buy time and potentially even block a bid shareholders want to accept. That forces Perrigo to rely on its ability to persuade its shareholders to reject the bid. Plus, the Irish rules will not permit the takeover battle to extend beyond 60 days from the commencement of the offer, without regulatory approval. Under a prior Irish ruling, Mylan is required to commence the formal offer by Sept. 14, so the time for each side to make its case is limited. Since the Irish rules limit the Perrigo board’s ability to influence the outcome of the bid other than through its rhetoric (unless it negotiates a deal with Mylan or a white knight), look for Perrigo in particular to sharpen its attacks.