Report: EW Blanch in Talks With Benfield Greig
London’s Financial Times reports that Benfield Greig, the U.K.’s largest independent international reinsurance broker, is in talks to acquire Dallas-based reinsurance broker EW Blanch. Neither company has made any statement confirming or denying the report.
A fusion of the two companies would give Benfield Greig increased U.S. market share, and the combined enterprise would become the world’s third largest reinsurance broker behind Aon Re and Marsh Mac subsidiary Guy Carpenter.
EW Blanch has struggled lately, and seen its share price dip significantly, but it has recently risen on the takeover speculation. Current estimates value the company at around $130 million, but the FT said it was unlikely that Benfield Greig would agree to pay that much.