LyrArc Article Gist
Vodafone is well positioned to cope with the eurozone crisis. Operations in Greece and Spain are only 6% of total enterprise value, according to JP Morgan estimates. Vodafone expects free cash flows of 5.3-5.8 billion pounds in 2012 compared to 6.1 billion pounds in the prior year. Vodafone continues to show growth in Turkey and India. And the 45% stake it has in Verizon Wireless in the U.S. also contributes to earnings, as growth in Verizon Wireless revenues was 7.3% in 2011.

LyrArc Article Gist
U.S. healthcare insurance company Wellpoint's acquisition of 1-800 Contacts, which sells eyewear and contact lens directly to consumers, for $900 million. Wellpoint sees this as bringing the company directly in contact with consumers and a business with higher margins.

LyrArc Article Gist
COFCO is the abbreviation for China National Cereals, Oil and Foodstuffs Corporation, which was the state company importing grain and other staple foods into China during the period before China opened up its economy. It is now a dominant company in China's grain and other staple products from edible oil, dairy products to bacon and beer. Under CEO Ning Gaoning, Cofco has transformed itself since 2004 from primarily being a grain importer to value added products, food processing, and technologies in the food business. Cofco is expanding rapidly overseas with deals and acqusitions, and has about $10 billion in state funds for acquisitions. Recent acquisitions include $2.7 billion for Dutch grain trader Nidera BV, and 51% ownership of Noble agricultural unit. Earlier acquisitions include vineyards in Chile and France in 2010, and Australia's Tully Sugar in 2011. Current plans are for acquisitions in the U.S. and Latin America. Revenues in 2014 were an estimated $63.3 billion. Interviews with cane farmers that are part of Tully Sugar in Australia show Cofco has managed the company well and won the support of farmers....