Skip Header
Important information: The value of investments can go down as well as up so you may get back less than you invest. Investors should note that the views expressed may no longer be current and may have already been acted upon. This is a third-party news feed and may not reflect Fidelity’s views.

Avant Homes said to have tabled secret takeover offer for Crest Nicholson

(Sharecast News) - Crest Nicholson surged on Friday following a report that Avant Homes, which is owned by investment firm Elliott Advisors, has tabled a secret takeover offer for housebuilder.

According to Sky News, Avant Homes - run by former Persimmon chief Jeff Fairburn - made an all-share proposal to the board of Crest last month.

The bid, which City sources said had been rejected by Crest's board in the last ten days, would have seen Elliott become the biggest shareholder in the combined group, according to insiders.

One source told Sky the combination risked representing an unattractive prospect for some Crest Nicholson shareholders. Avant's interest comes weeks after Crest rejected a bid from Bellway, another London-listed housebuilder, that would have valued the target at about £665m.

Bellway now has a deadline set by the Takeover Panel to make a formal offer for Crest of next Thursday.

It is unclear if it intends to submit a revised offer.

Last month, Crest said: "The board of Crest Nicholson evaluated the revised proposal with its financial advisers and concluded that it significantly undervalued Crest Nicholson and its future standalone prospects and was not in the best interests of Crest Nicholson's shareholders.

"The board therefore unanimously rejected the revised proposal on 14 May 2024."

At 1025 BST, the shares were up 10% at 269p.

Share this article

Related Sharecast Articles

Revenue, underlying profit rises for Gateley
(Sharecast News) - Gateley reported a 4.1% rise in revenue to £179.5m for the year ended 30 April on Tuesday, with underlying operating profit up 3.3% to £20.9m, as the professional services group continued to deliver growth in a challenging economic environment.
Advanced Medical Solutions reports strong first-half revenue growth
(Sharecast News) - Advanced Medical Solutions reported robust first-half revenue growth on Tuesday, supported by strong momentum in its core surgical portfolio and early commercial synergies from recent acquisitions.
Anglo Asian reports strong second-quarter performance
(Sharecast News) - Anglo Asian Mining reported a strong operational performance in the second quarter of 2025 on Tuesday, with production rising sharply following the launch of its Gilar mine and continued progress at its Demirli project.
Citigroup posts better-than-expected second quarter earnings
(Sharecast News) - Citigroup posted stronger-than-expected earnings for the second quarter on Tuesday, lifted by robust growth across its core businesses and a standout performance in markets and investment banking.

Important information: This information is not a personal recommendation for any particular investment. If you are unsure about the suitability of an investment you should speak to one of Fidelity’s advisers or an authorised financial adviser of your choice. When you are thinking about investing in shares, it’s generally a good idea to consider holding them alongside other investments in a diversified portfolio of assets. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.

Award-winning online share dealing

Search, compare and select from thousands of shares.

Expert insights into investing your money

Our team of experts explore the world of share dealing.