AbbVie, Shire and how $54.7B can turn a 'no' into a 'yes'

It takes finesse to pull off a megadeal. For months, AbbVie ($ABBV) mounted a dogged pursuit of Shire ($SHPG), learning from the mistakes of the now-thwarted Pfizer ($PFE) and maintaining its patience without letting lines go cold, largely avoiding major missteps as it closed in on its target. The New York Times' DealBook has a detailed account of the whole proceedings, culled from interviews with people involved in the negotiations, that paints AbbVie as a clever suitor committed to staying on message and Shire as its realistic counterpart with ears pricked for a magic number. Story (sub. req.)