The environment in Switzerland is very attractive for private and public M&A transactions.
Private transactions are in principle structured as share deals (i.e. buyers acquiring shares in a target company on the basis of a share purchase agreement), asset deals (i.e. buyers acquiring the assets and liabilities of the target company) or mergers (i.e. taking over and amalgamation with the dissolving company in an absorption merger and combination and amalgamation into a newly founded third company in a combination merger).
Public tender offers are the most common means of acquiring a Swiss public company. The bidder offers cash, shares or a combination thereof. The Swiss Takeover Board ensures compliance with the rules applicable to public tender offers
