Reuters ahead on JBS submitting verbal offer for Sara Lee

Reuters beat rivals by two hours on the Jan 25 news that Brazilian beef processor JBS and U.S. private equity firm Blackstone had submitted a verbal takeover offer for Sara Lee. The story sent shares of Sara Lee up more than 2 percent, and shares of Blackstone fell 2 percent. Reuters also was first to report that Blackstone would take the beverage business if JBS succeeded with its bid, and we were first to report that Sara Lee`s board would meet later this week to weigh bids versus a break-up plan. The latest scoop follows a series of earlier beats on this highly competitive takeover story, including the news that JBS had put together the financing for a takeover bid, and that a private equity consortium consisting of Apollo, Bain and TPG had submitted a bid.