Word: seagrams
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...stock. The U.S. company fended off that threat by agreeing to trade its majority interest in the Hudson's Bay Oil and Gas Co. in return for the Conoco stock that Dome had acquired. At the same time, however, a more ominous Canadian challenger appeared. In late May, Seagram privately approached Conoco with an offer to buy 35% of the oil firm's shares. Edgar Bronfman, Seagram's adroit chairman, is currently on the hunt for new acquisitions with nearly $3 billion, gained largely from the sale of Texas oil and gas properties...
...Conoco's executives saw no way that a large oil concern could be rationally integrated into a liquor company. They also feared that Seagram would bring in new management. Around the oil firm's headquarters, employees bitterly joked that the motto of a combined Seagram-Conoco enterprise would be "Drink and Drive." Chairman Bailey quickly searched for an alternative merger partner, or so-called white knight, to thwart Seagram's plans. His first choice was Tulsa-based Cities Service, an oil company less than half Conoco's size but with exploration rights to 10 million...
...June 24, the day before the Conoco-Cities Service merger was to be announced, the phone rang in Bailey's office. The caller: Du Font's Jefferson. His question: "Is there any constructive role we can play?" Bailey thanked Jefferson for his concern about the Seagram bid, but replied that he was already negotiating with another company...
...Conoco-Cities Service deal, however, collapsed the very next day. Seagram suddenly proposed to buy about 41% of Conoco for $73 a share. Before the offer, Conoco shares were going for $62. Unable to match Seagram's bid to Conoco shareholders, Cities Service promptly dropped out of the competition...
...Conoco disappointment was the second time this year Seagram had been left at the altar with its $3 billion dowry. Its earlier bid for St. Joe Minerals had been quickly topped by Fluor. Will Bronfman pursue yet another U.S. company? Stay tuned. -By Charles Alexander. Reported by David Beckwith/Washington and Frederick Ungeheuer/New York