EQT has secured a one-week extension to finalize its £9.4bn takeover of Intertek, pushing the deadline to 5pm on 18 June. The UK Takeover Panel approved the delay to allow the Swedish private equity firm to complete confirmatory due diligence and internal governance processes.

Intertek confirmed the extension in a statement on Thursday, reaffirming that EQT's £60.00 per share cash offer remains unchanged. The delay signals EQT needs additional time to wrap up due diligence before making a binding commitment, though the core terms of the proposed acquisition remain intact.

The £9.4bn deal would represent one of the largest take-private transactions in the industrial testing services sector this year. At £60.00 per share, the offer reflects a premium to Intertek's previous trading levels and values the company's equity at nearly £9.4bn. The extension provides EQT with flexibility to finalize financing arrangements and shareholder approvals.

EQT's pursuit of Intertek underscores continued appetite among private equity firms for industrial assets with stable cash flows. The additional week allows thorough review of the target's operations before the firm commits to the transaction. Market participants now await EQT's final decision on 18 June.