Bracing For A Mars Attack on Wrigley

Right now, conventional wisdom says the venerable gum maker Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. will not get chewed up despite being acquired for $23 billion by candy maker Mars Inc.
In my column for the upcoming Businessweek's BW Chicago magazine, I take a more skeptical viewpoint that's entitled, "Wrigley: Another Great One Soon Gone".
Click here to read the column.
It was posted last Saturday on Businessweek.com.
As the column points out, it's rare when a corporate merger doesn't yield significant cost cuts and major changes for the acquired company. That's especially true when the buyer plunks down a pile of cash, which is what Mars is doing. No matter what assurances are given at the outset of a buyout process, chances are big changes are on the way.
You get the idea.
Many observers and industry analysts are saying the Mars buyout is going to be the exception. That's also what the gents at Mars and Wrigley are saying.
We'll see.
This deal must still be approved by Wrigley shareholders and regulators.
Meanwhile, please be on the look out for the next BW Chicago which is coming out soon.


(Photo courtesy of Betlza Scene Vol. 3 on Flickr.com)