The surprise $8.8 billion bid for ports operator Asciano by Canadian giant Brookfield would be the tenth biggest takeover deal ever done in Australia if it is secured.
The $9.05 per share offer, which was lobbed on June 26 and foreshadowed by Street Talk before an official statement was released to the market on Wednesday, values Asciano at $8.8 billion.
According to data from research outfit Dealogic, if the deal is done it would sneak into the top 10 largest open offer-and-stock swap merger and acquisition deals.
On Dealogic's US dollar measure the bid is worth $US9.5 billion, putting it just behind Newcrest Mining's $US9.8 billion takeover of Lihir gold in 2010.
It would be the biggest deal since the $US13.1 billion takeover of beverages giant Foster's Group by its Canadian rival SABMiller in 2011, which is the fourth largest in Australia's corporate history.
Top of the all-time league table is Mexican company Cemex's $US15.6 billion purchase of construction group Rinker Group in 2006.
That deal is followed by Wesfarmers' $US14.3 billion takeover of Coles in 2007.
Looking back at the past year and a half it would easily be the biggest takeover, a mantle previously held by the $6.5 billion takeover of Asciano's former parent Toll Holdings by Japan Post in February 2015. Asciano was spun out of Toll in 2007.
Asciano is one of the two main port operators in Australia, alongside DP World. It handles nearly half of the container imports coming into Australia and owns an extensive rail freight network.
