Benzinga's Weekend M&A Chatter

The following are the M&A deals, rumors and chatter circulating on Wall Street for Friday January 21, 2015PE Firm TPG Capital Reportedly Considered Acquisition of Herbalife, Nu Skin in 2014The Rumor:
Private equity firm TPG Capital considered the acquisition of Herbalife Ltd. (NYSE: HLF) and Nu Skin Enterprises Inc. (NYSE: NUS), The New York Post. This report follows a report last Thursday from Deal Reporter that TPG has been in talks with Avon Products Inc. (NYSE: AVP).Spokespersons for TPG and Herbalife declined comment.Herbalife close Friday at $30.54, down 2.5%, while Nu Skin lost 5.5%, to close at $42.52.Teva Reportedly Rejected Approach by PfizerThe Rumor:
Shares of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited (NYSE: TEVA) spiked higher, just before the close Friday, on a report from Bloomberg, that the Israel-based company was approached by Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) in late 2014 regarding a possible takeover.Sources say Teva was not interested in a deal with the $200 billion pharmaceutical giant.Spokespersons for Teva and Pfizer declined comment.Teva shares gained more than 2% Friday, closing at $59.88. Hearing Unconfirmed Market Chatter of Potential Schwab Bid for FXCM of $5.25/ShareThe Rumor:
Shares of FXCM Inc. (NYSE: FXCM) rose over the $3.00 level on Friday, on unconfirmed market chatter of a potential bid from The Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE: SCHW). Sources say Schwab could offer $5.25 per share for the retail exchange broker.Shares of FXCM plunged 90% on January 15, falling below the $1.00 level, as customers lost more than $200 million, due to a surge in the Swiss franc following the SNB scrapping the cap against the euro. Jefferies parent Leucadia National Corporation (NYSE: LUK) announced a $300 million loan to FXCM on the following day, to keep the company operating.A Schwab spokesperson declined comment on the rumor. A spokesperson for FXCM was not available for comment. FXCM shares fell 23% Friday, closing at $2.37. New York Magazine Reports Michael Bloomberg May be Interested in Buying The New York TimesThe Rumor:
Shares of The New York Times Company (NYSE: NYT) rose Friday on a report from New York Magazine that Michael Bloomberg had discussed the possible acquisition of the paper.Sources say Bloomberg, near the end of his term as mayor of New York City, had approached Times chairman and publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr, expressing that he was interested in making a deal for the newspaper, first published in 1851. Sulzberger reportedly said the paper was not for sale.A Sulzberger spokesperson declined comment on the report.New York Times shares gained more than 1% Friday, closing at $13.11. Array Announces Acquistion of Encorafenib From NovartisThe Deal:
Array BioPharma Inc. (NASDAQ: ARRY) announced Friday, that it has reached a definitive agreement with Novartis Pharma AG (NYSE: NVS), to acquire worldwide rights to BRAF inhibitor encorafenib (LGX818), which is currently in Phase 3 development. The agreement is conditional on the closing of transactions announced by Novartis and GlaxoSmithKline PLC (NYSE: GSK) on April 22, 2014. Those transactions are expected to close in H1 of 2015, with the European Commission expected to issue a decision regarding the transaction on January 28, 2015.Array will make a minimal payment to Novartis, which has agreed to provide transitional regulatory, clinical development and manufacturing services. Array has agreed to obtain an experienced partner for global development and European commercialization of both binimetinib and encorafenib. Array shares gained more than 40% Friday, closing at $7.11.