WSP reportedly eyes Jacobs with multibillion-dollar offer

Group 1 - WSP, a Canadian infrastructure giant, has made a multibillion-dollar bid to acquire Dallas-based Jacobs, with the offer primarily consisting of stock [7] - Jacobs has engaged investment bank Centerview Partners to evaluate WSP's bid, which includes both stock and cash components [7] - The acquisition follows WSP's recent history of aggressive mergers and acquisitions, including the purchase of U.K.-based engineering consultancy Ricardo and healthcare consulting firm Lexica [3][4] Group 2 - Analyst Andrew Wittmann noted that while WSP has a strong track record in M&A, the timing of this potential deal may be problematic due to Jacobs' recent operational improvements [4][5] - Wittmann expressed concerns about the integration risks associated with large-scale mergers in the engineering and construction sector, citing Jacobs' complex history of acquisitions and restructuring [4][5] - Despite the challenges, potential benefits of the acquisition include cost synergies and Jacobs' strong position in the water infrastructure market and advanced manufacturing [6]