25 Feb 2021 / 14:43 H.
PARIS, Feb 25 (Reuters) - French water and waste management firm Veolia, which is locked in a battle to acquire rival Suez, said on Thursday that it aims to return to its pre-pandemic level of sales this year after a fourth-quarter rebound.
The company said talks with Suez about its takeover offer were currently at a standstill.
Revenue was up 0.9% in the October-December period at constant exchange rates, turning positive after the COVID-19 pandemic weighed on Veolia s business in the previous three quarters.
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) in the reported quarter recovered further, rising 4.2% at stable exchange rates, compared with a 1.7% gain in the third quarter.
France's Veolia Environment said on Sunday it was launching an offer for all of Suez, valuing the group at 11.3 billion euros ($13.6 billion), after dropping efforts to win the backing of the waste and water management company's board.
(Fixes typo in paragraph two)
PARIS, Feb 8 (Reuters) - French waste and water management firm Veolia vowed on Monday to press ahead with its bid for smaller rival Suez despite new legal hurdles and a government warning over the increasingly hostile takeover battle.
The standoff between the two historic competitors and heirs to 19th century water companies that have become global firms has descended into a series of tit-for-tat manoeuvres as Suez tries to fend off Veolia.
Veolia, which has argued that merging would better equip the companies to face rivals emerging in China, upped the ante again on Sunday after rowing back on a pledge to only make a move with a green light from the Suez board.