March 23 (Reuters) – Victory Capital on Monday fired back at Nelson Peltz’s Trian over the criticism of its latest $8.6 billion proposal for asset manager Janus Henderson, saying the activist was making “efforts to blanket market with misinformation”.
San Antonio, Texas-based Victory said recent reports regarding the purported views of Janus’ employees and clients on its proposal were an attempt to “manufacture uncertainty” in the market around its ability to close the proposed transaction.
Trian, Janus’ largest shareholder with a 20.7% stake, had on Friday raised concerns about Victory’s sweetened offer, which rivals its own take-private deal with Janus.
The high-stakes battle for the $493 billion asset manager has intensified in recent weeks, after Victory in late February went public with its $8.6 billion cash-and-stock offer for Janus.
Despite being spurned multiple times by the Janus board since November, Victory has maintained its dogged pursuit for the asset manager. The firm last week sweetened its $8.6 billion bid with more cash.
Janus declined to comment. Trian and General Catalyst did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
The Wall Street Journal reported last week that clients, including senior officials at wealth-management arms of Morgan Stanley and Citigroup, had expressed discomfort to Janus executives about Victory’s plans and potential cost cuts.
Addressing the media reports, Victory said it “has been told that those statements in the press do not reflect the corporate positions of these institutions.”
The firm said the wealth-management units of Morgan Stanley and Citigroup are clients of both Victory and Janus and are familiar with its products.
“Victory Capital believes these are manufactured attempts by those who stand to benefit from the transaction to create uncertainty and doubt about Victory Capital’s superior proposal,” it said.
(Reporting by Arasu Kannagi Basil in Bengaluru; Editing by Shreya Biswas)
