Deals

Scooter manufacturer Vmoto has boosted its funding with a $5 million capital raising as it eyes growth opportunities in China.

Perth investment house Argonaut has seen its annual profit and revenue drop following what it described as a period of substantially reduced activity in equity capital markets and mergers and acquisitions.

Toronto-based gold miner Alacer Gold has agreed to sell its Australian operations to a subsidiary of Perth-based explorer Metals X for $40 million.

Perth-based explorer Australian-American Mining Corporation has received a $10 million debt finance term sheet from a private lender as it seeks to bring its American copper interests to production.

Healthcare technology company Allied Healthcare Group will seek to raise $10 million as it looks to launch its CardioCel regenerative tissue patch in Europe.

Information technology group Empired has agreed to acquire Melbourne-based IT consulting service provider OBS for $15 million and has also announced a major contract with an unnamed resources company.

Health insurer HBF is on track to grow its newly acquired Friendlies Pharmacies network to 60 stores, after becoming the parent company to the pharmacy franchise in April.

Leaders of three top performing businesses in vastly different sectors say growing organically has been key to successfully expanding their businesses, rather than mergers and acquisitions, which come at a higher cost and with more risk.

Western Australia's prized AAA credit rating was cut today, with ratings agency Standard & Poor's criticising the Barnett government's "limited political will" to improve its budget.

Bega Cheese has made a $319 million play for fellow dairy producer Warrnambool Cheese and Butter that could create one of Australia's largest listed food companies.

Australia's largest beef cattle producer plans to raise almost $300 million through the sale of new shares.

Westfield Group looks set to offload its stake in two major shopping centres in suburban Perth just days after it was given the green light to increase ownership of the Karrinyup centre.

Quickflix is seeking to raise $5.5 million to increase the content of its online video streaming service and secure more users.

Engineering consulting firm Sinclair Knight Merz has been bought out by global giant Jacobs Engineering in a deal worth around $1.3 billion.

Amcom Telecommunications has snapped up data centre operator aCure Technology for $14.3 million as demand for new information technology services grows.

Minerals explorer Metals X has acquired Rio Tinto's interest in the Mt Davies joint venture in South Australia, which it hopes will add value to its Wingellina nickel project.

Mines Minister Bill Marmion says Toro Energy’s acquisition of a uranium project in close proximity to its proposed yellowcake mine at Wiluna is a significant step forward for the sector.

Paladin Energy has completed a heavily discounted capital raising after scrapping the sale of a stake in its flagship African uranium mine after it failed to attract a high enough bid.

Law firm Slater & Gordon has acquired Perth-based law firm Gibson & Gibson, growing the national firm's Western Australian operations by a third.

South African engineering and construction group Murray & Roberts has made a $430 million offer to win full control of Perth-based Clough, in which it already holds more than 60 per cent of the

Rio Tinto has agreed to sell its majority stake in a New South Wales copper and gold mine to a Chinese firm.

A Perth supplier of industrial water systems backed by local executives Peter Hood, Andy Byk, Gary Steinepreis and Tom Henderson, has continued its rapid growth with an acquisition in Queensland.

Perth mid-tier accounting firm RSM Bird Cameron has increased its focus on the Queensland market by merging with MHM Accountants in Brisbane. The deal which will see 30 staff from MHM join RSM Bird Cameron is the most recent of several acquisitions after RSM acquired businesses in Port Lincoln, South Australia and Ballarat, Victoria.

Australia's biggest owner of natural gas pipelines APA Group has approached leading natural gas distributor Envestra Limited about a merger proposal.

Virgin Australia has completed the purchase of a 60 per cent stake in Tigerair Australia.

Forge Resources has picked up $8.5 million by selling a part of its stake in the Balla Balla magnetite iron ore project in the Pilbara to its joint venture partner, New Zealand’s Todd Corporation.

Charter Hall has bought a shopping centre in Perth’s southern suburbs for $33.2 million.

Paladin Energy shares fell by more than 10 per cent after it delayed until August a deal to sell a stake in an African uranium mine.

Fast-growing Geraldton business Bhagwan Marine has expanded its service offering and geographical presence through the acquisition of a Northern Territory marine services business.

A further $9 million has been wiped from the market value of Elders after it rejected an offer to buy its rural services business.

Employment services firm Skilled Group will pay $75.5 million for a Darwin-based marine contractor focused on the oil and gas sector.

Three directors of takeover target Firestone Energy have resigned, leading to the withdrawal of a shareholder meeting requisition by bidder Waterberg Coal Company.