While online wagering giant Bodog.com is tops in sports bookmaking , it is an excellent online stop-off for interested participants in the obscure world of business gambling. Currently the billion-dollar question in the world-wide corporate market is who will be purchasing the Land Rover/Jaguar brand from America’s second leading automobile manufacturer, Ford Motor Company? Ford paid $2.5 billion for Jaguar in 1989 and $2.73 billion for Land Rover in 2000. The U.S. automaker said on July 19 it had received offers, without naming the bidders. In a separate statement Ford denied reports the Land Rover/Jaguar brand had been purchased by anybody.
A bidding war amongst several companies has begun and Bodog.com has issued odds on who might likely win the bidding.
It’s our opinion at Point-Spreads.com; where there is smoke there is fire and it seems Tata Group, the largest manufacturer of trucks and busses in India might be leading the way.
Bodog.com says oddsmakers have set 3/1 betting odds on Tata Group’s purchasing Land Rover/Jaguar.
While we are not allowed into their board room we are able to read between the lines. If Ford’s PR department is in denial while the speculation swirls and the stock is slowly rising then there is some substance to the speculation. On the other hand Ford could be holding off the Tata Group bid looking for a bidding competition from other groups.
Mahindra & Mahindra (of India) is also interested in purchasing Land Rover however wasn’t interested in the Jaguar brand. It seems Ford is only interested in selling Land Rover/Jaguar in a package-only deal. M&M has teamed up with Tata Motors LTD in an alliance to jointly market and manufacture Fiat models in India. Oddsmakers see M&M an 8/1 odds long shot in acquiring Land Rover/Jaguar.
Cerberus Capital Management based in New York is shown as a 3/2 odds favorite to acquire Land Rover/Jaguar but we are not so sure especially after today’s announcement the company has purchased 80.1 percent of Chrysler Group from Daimler Chrysler AG of Germany. We at Point-Spreads.com recommend you approach betting on Cerberus Capital Management’s possible purchase of Land Rover/Jaguar with caution after today’s developments involving Chrysler.
One Equity Partners (OEP) a 2/1 odds choice is considered a major player in an attempt to assume control of Land Rover/Jaguar; however, finding quality information on this group is difficult. Nothing has been announced by its PR staff. Our opinion at Point-Spreads.com is OEP will pass and not pursue the deal. The purchase price will probably be beyond what OEP would be willing to pay. This group likes to keep its acquisitions in the $50 to $300 million range.
Three other groups , Fiat Group (9/1), Ripplewood Holdings (7/1) and Texas Pacific Group (11/2) have shown interest in the purchase but are considered unlikely candidates however odds are available on these companies. You might know something we don’t.
