Arnold Eyes N.Y. Shop

Snyder Communications has been negotiating to buy Cliff Freeman and Partners, a move designed to give Snyder’s Arnold Communications a credible presence in New York.
The talks, which began earlier this year, apparently hit a snag last week on the question of price, sources said.
Although issues such as reporting structure and name had been worked out, Freeman and its owner, London-based Saatchi & Saatchi plc, were not satisfied with the financial terms, said sources. Snyder’s stock has dropped in recent months, closing on Friday near $28 a share; its 52-week low is $26.
Both of Snyder’s most recent acquisitions–BDDH Partners in London and Ingalls Moranville in San Francisco–have adopted the Arnold name as part of their own and now report directly to the Boston agency as part of Snyder’s creative services group.