Irish energy distributor DCC Energy has agreed to a £5.75 billion ($7.68 billion) takeover offer from a consortium of U.
S. private equity firms KKR and Energy Capital Partners.
The deal, announced on July 27, 2026, values DCC shares at £65.25 each in cash, plus a proposed final dividend of 147.22 pence per share.
Shareholders could receive an additional £1.25 per share if DCC successfully sells its Nexora technology unit for at least $800 million.
This is the third bid submitted by the consortium and represents a premium of more than 26% over DCC's closing stock price on April 28, before the initial proposal became public.
Following the announcement, DCC shares rose 1.3% to £63.65 in early trading.
Streamlined Operations and Investor Support
DCC Energy has recently streamlined its business by divesting non-core healthcare and technology assets while expanding acquisitions in the European liquid gas market.
CEO Donal Murphy said the company had simplified the group and spent considerable time on investor relations, but that value was not reflected in the public market compared to private capital.
Addressing reported opposition from some key investors over the valuation, Murphy noted that one major shareholder had sold a large stake at a lower price than the consortium's offer.
He expressed confidence in securing broad investor approval for the transaction.
The acquisition highlights growing private equity interest in UK-listed companies trading at low valuations.
According to LSEG data, foreign-led mergers and acquisitions in the UK have exceeded $197 billion so far in 2026, the highest year-to-date total since records began in 1980, with U.
S. bidders accounting for more than half of those deals.
