Burger King in Talks to Buy Tim Hortons in Canada Tax Deal

[jakeXT]

Burger King Worldwide Inc. BKW +1.01% is in talks to buy Canadian coffee-and-doughnut chain Tim Hortons Inc., THI.T +2.79% a deal that would be structured as a so-called tax inversion and move the hamburger seller's base to Canada.

The two sides are working on a deal that would create a new company, they said in a statement, confirming a report on the talks by The Wall Street Journal. The takeover would create the third-largest quick-service restaurant provider in the world, they said.

Inversion deals have been on the rise lately, and are facing stiff opposition in Washington given that they threaten to deplete U.S. government coffers. A move by Burger King to seal one is sure to intensify criticism of them, since it is such a well-known and distinctly American brand.

A person familiar with the matter said a deal between the two companies could be struck soon, though additional details on timing couldn't be learned. Tim Hortons has a market value of about $8.4 billion, while Burger King's is about $9.6 billion, so together the restaurant companies are currently worth about $18 billion.

http://online.wsj.com/articles/burger-king-in-talks-to-buy-tim-hortons-1408924294

[FarPoint]

1. I like Tim Horton's...

Never thought about them not being an American company... I'm going to have learn more about this buyout...

[OnlinePoker]

7. No apostrophe in Hortons (at least in Canada)

This way they don't have to have two different signs because apostrophe s is English and this isn't allowed in Quebec so they changed the whole chain to just read Hortons.

[FarPoint]

8. Thank you for sharing.

I like their donuts. Not going to support the buyout.

[Sherman A1]

2. Well that's is too bad

I am no fan of the tax inversion and equally no fan of Burger King (their food has gotten to be terrible and we have stopped going altogether).

[Hoppy]

3. Why no talk of boycott like with Walgreen?

[unhappycamper]

4. Walgreens backed off on 8.6:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/08/06/338348314/walgreens-drops-plan-to-move-headquarters-and-profits-overseas

[Hoppy]

9. That's the point.

[OnlinePoker]

5. As a Canadian, I say this with all sincerity.

Tim Hortons sucks. It's lousy coffee and doughnuts that are processed in a plant in (I believe) Ontario and then shipped across the country for final cooking in the restaurants. They've gone away from their base of coffee and doughnuts and are now selling standard breakfast egg sandwiches and deep-fried chicken sandwiches and soups for lunch/supper. They had been owned by Wendy's in the 90's and repatriated in 2009. If I want quality coffee and doughnuts, there's a local chain (about 20 stores) near here and a local bakery that makes great apple fritters two doors down.

[polly7]

6. I LOVE Tim Hortons.

I love their coffee, and the chili is delicious!, as well as their doughnuts. Timbits ..... we just ate two boxes last night .......... mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.