March 12 (Reuters) - Reuters plans to stop publishing this item from April 1. For coverage of stories related to corporate finance on Eikon, please click on TOP/DEALS to retrieve the Investment Banking Top New page and TOP/NOW2 to retrieve the IFR Top News page. For all Top News pages, click on TOP . Thomson ONE users, please enter RT/TOP/DEALS in the News window to retrieve the Investment Banking Top News page. For the IFR Top News page, enter RT/TOP/NOW2. For comments and feedback, please contact ted.kerr@thomsonreuters.com
The following corporate finance-related stories were reported by media:
* Activist hedge funds Barington Capital Group LP and Macellum Advisors GP LLC are urging specialty retailer Children's Place Inc PLCE.O to improve its operating results and to explore a potential sale, according to a person familiar with the matter. ID:nL1N0WD28E
* SoulCycle Holdings LLC, the U.S. indoor cycling chain that describes its classes as a "dance party on a bike," is mulling an initial public offering as part of a review of strategic options, according to people familiar with the matter. ID:nL1N0WC2ZX
* General Mills Inc (NYSE:GIS) GIS.N is looking to sell its Green Giant frozen and canned vegetable business, people familiar with the matter said, as the maker of Bisquick and Betty Crocker cake mixes struggles with weak sales of products like cereal. ID:nL1N0WC2QP
* A consortium of private equity firms CVC and KKR has tabled the highest bid to take control of Philips' PHG.AS lighting components business, though rival Bain Capital could still make a better offer, three sources familiar with the matter said. ID:nL5N0WD4WZ
* French oil major Total TOTF.PA is selling its stake in the North Sea Laggan-Tormore oil and gas field as it seeks to shed assets after a steep fall in the oil price, banking sources said. ID:nL5N0WD3V8
* Alibaba (NYSE:BABA) Group Holding Ltd BABA.N is investing $200 million in photo-messaging app Snapchat, a source familiar with the deal said, striking its latest Silicon Valley deal as the Chinese ecommerce company builds up mobile services. ID:nL1N0WD2SM
* Cement maker Summit Materials Inc's SUM.N initial public offering was priced at $18 per share, according to a market source, valuing the Blackstone Group-controlled BX.N company at $1.67 billion. ID:nL4N0WD5LW
* The Consumer Product Safety Commission, Federal Trade Commission and other U.S. agencies are discussing allegations that some Lumber Liquidators LL.N flooring contains dangerous levels of formaldehyde, a senior official knowledgeable about the matter told Reuters on Wednesday. ID:nL1N0WD23Y
* Endo International Plc ENDP.O has made an offer to buy Salix Pharmaceuticals Ltd SLXP.O for more than $10 billion, trumping Canada's Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc's VRX.TO offer, a person familiar with the matter said. ID:nL1N0WD1N2
* Spanish oil major Repsol REP.MC is working to issue a hybrid bond next week, a source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Wednesday, a move that had been flagged when the company bought Canadian firm Talisman Energy TLM.TO last year. ID:nS8N0SQ01L
* Private equity firms and sovereign investors including Temasek Holding, Capital International and GIC of Singapore have lined up to acquire a stake in life insurer ICICI Prudential (LONDON:PRU) Life for $300 million, valuing the firm at $6 billion, the Times of India reported, citing sources familiar with the matter. (http://bit.ly/1b3qLgQ)
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