Metro - jetzt mit Kingfisher - 500 Beiträge pro Seite

[BusterNo1]

Von yahoofinance:

Fusionsgerüchte um Metro reißen nicht ab
Die Metro AG und der britische Einzelhandelskonzern Kingfisher verhandeln nach einem Bericht der Londoner "Financial Times" über eine Fusion. Hochranige Manager beider Firmen hätten Verhandlungen aufgenommen, die sich mit Fusion beschäftigen, berichtet die "FT" unter Berufung von Unternehmens-Insidern.

Die beiden Firmen wollten die Gerüchte nicht kommentieren.

Am Donnerstag hatten bereits Übernahme-Gerüchte für einen starken Kursanstieg der deutschen Handelskette um acht Prozent auf 44,5 Euro steigen lassen. In einem Zeitungsbericht hatte es geheißen, dass der US-amerikanische Handelskonzern Wal Mart Metro übernehmen wolle.

[BusterNo1]

Und hier der FT Bericht:


Metro and Kingfisher mull merger
By William Lewis, Susanna Voyle and Richard Rivlin in London

Kingfisher, the UK-based retailer, and Metro, the German food and general retail chain, are exploring a merger of equals in an attempt to create the first pan-European retailing giant.

Discussions are at an early stage but at Thursday night`s closing prices the combined group would be worth about E25bn ($25.5bn). Metro had a market capitalisation of E13.6bn, while Kingfisher was at E11.5bn.

A deal would be the largest agreed German-UK merger to date. The companies have significant interests in Germany, the UK and France, the three leading European markets.

Kingfisher, the B&Q-to-Woolworths combine, declined to comment last night as did Metro.

People close to the discussions confirmed that senior executives had started talks aimed at a merger. The companies are said to have retained investment banking advisers.

An adviser to Kingfisher warned that the talks would have to overcome a number of obstacles, including persuading the three German private families that control Metro.

"The complexities of many German businesses mean things like this have a terribly long gestation period," one person said.

Metro Holding of Switzerland, which owns a 60 per cent stake in Metro, said on Thursday it had no knowledge of any Kingfisher-Metro merger. It is controlled by the Schmidt-Ruthenbeck, Haniel and Otto Beisheim families.

Analysts said that the two companies would fit well together. A merger would help consolidate Kingfisher`s position as Europe`s largest Do-It-Yourself operation, while, for Metro, it would help bring focus to its loose collection of businesses. These include cash and carry shops, Real, Germany`s largest hypermarket chain, the Praktiker DIY chain, consumer electronics stores, the Kaufhof department stores and a small restaurant and catering business.

On Thursday, Metro`s stock price rose 8 per cent, or E3.25, to close at E44.49 on takeover speculation involving a number of retail groups. Metro has seen its shares plunge 44 per cent since their year high of E73.6 in February last year.

It lost its position as Europe`s largest retailer after the merger of Carrefour and Promodès of France, and its profit margins have come under increasing pressure due to Wal-Mart`s entry into the German market last year. The group is understood to have talked to a number of possible merger partners.

Should the deal be completed, it would finally end the search of Sir Geoffrey Mulcahy, Kingfisher`s chief executive, for a partner or acquisition with which to increase Kingfisher`s scale.

Mr Mulcahy, renowned for his patience in corporate dealings, has spent much of the past 18 months hunting for a suitable target. Last year a plan to acquire Asda, the UK food retailer, collapsed after a higher offer from Wal-Mart.