Activists target these two industrials

Article Excerpt

TENNANT CO. $73 (New York symbol TNC; Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 17.9 million; Market cap: $1.3 billion; Takeover Target Rating: Highest; Dividend yield: 1.2%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www. tennantco.com) makes industrial floor and street-cleaning equipment, including scrubbers, sweepers and polishers. The stock is a recommendation of our Wall Street Stock Forecaster newsletter. London-based private-equity firm PrimeStone Capital recently disclosed its 5.2% ownership of Tennant. The activist investor believes the company should merge with Nilfisk, its Denmark-based competitor, to create a $3 billion global leader in professional cleaning equipment. PrimeStone also owns 5.6% of Nilfisk, which trades on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange. PrimeStone’s feels that a merger would provide significant advantages. Tennant would bring its strong business and its established industrial clientele from across the Americas; Nilfisk, on the other hand, is a leader in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. It mainly serves commercial customers, which makes for almost no overlap between the two companies. The combined firm would have a market…