AMS, an Austrian sensor maker, said it would offer to buy German car-lighting company Osram for €4.3 billion ($4.8 billion) in cash, a 10% premium to an existing takeover offer from Bain Capital and The Carlyle Group.
Why it matters: It presents a strategic dilemma for Bain and Carlyle, even if they're willing to pay more. On the one hand, Osram's top outside shareholder, Allianz Global Investors, already said it would oppose the private equity firms' bid. On the other hand, this is actually the second time AMS has proposed a superior offer, having pulled the prior approach, suggesting Bain and Carlyle could just wait out the competition.
