Tag: voting rights

Oceanwood Becomes NH Hoteles’ 2nd Largest Shareholder

29 April 2016 – Expansión

The British fund manager Oceanwood Capital Management has strengthened its shareholding in NH Hoteles to obtain a 10% stake in the hotel chain, whereby overtaking the second largest shareholder, Hesperia, which holds a 9.1% stake. Oceanwood has informed the market that it owns 10% of the share capital, split between shares (8.746%) and financial instruments (1.254%), compared with the 7.58% stake that it held before. According to the latest data from the CNMV, the group has 350 million voting rights, which are worth more than €1,510 million, at market prices.

In addition, the co-Chairman of NH Hoteles, José Antonio Castro, the Chairman of Grupo Inversor Hesperia, has reported the purchase of 130,000 indirect shares with a unitary value of €3.60, which represents a total price of €468,000. Castro acquired these shares at a 20% discount with respect to yesterday’s closing price.

Of the twelve members that currently sit on the Board of Directors of NH Hoteles, besides the CEO, who serves as an Executive Director, there are four representatives from HNA, two from Hesperia, one from Oceanwood and four independent directors. Moreover, at its next general shareholders’ meeting, NH Hoteles will propose the appointment of Taisa Markus as an Independent Director, and so the Group’s Board will once again comprise 13 members.

HNA continues growing

Meanwhile, the main shareholder of NH Hoteles, the Chinese group HNA Group, with a 29.5% stake, has agreed to buy the hotel business of Carlson Rezidor, the thirteenth largest hotel chain in the world by size, according to the Hotels ranking and the owner of brands such as Radisson, Park Inn and Park Plaza.

Original story: Expansión (by Rebeca Arroyo)

Translation: Carmel Drake

Slim Launches Voluntary Takeover For 100% Of Realia

28 January 2016 – Expansión

The Mexican multi-millionaire Carlos Slim has launched a takeover bid for 100% of the real estate company Realia, in which he already holds a 30.4% stake, at a price of €0.80 per share. The voluntary offer represents a premium of 17.6% with respect to the trading value yesterday, when the share price remained stable (at €0.68/share).

In March last year, after acquiring Bankia’s stake in the real estate company, the Mexican businessman, who is also the majority shareholder of FCC, in which he holds a 27.4% stake, launched a takeover for 100% of the real estate company Realia, at a price of €0.58 per share, for which the Socimi Hispania also made a bid. In turn, FCC holds a 36.9% stake in Realia.

On this occasion, Slim, through his company Inmobiliaria Carso, has decided to formulate his offer on the understanding that a strategic plan will have to be prepared for the Realia group, in order to clean up the company and turn it into a business with a stable level of recurring income, that is balanced with its debt, according to a report submitted to Spain’s National Securities Market Commission (CNMV) yesterday.

On the other hand, by launching a voluntary takeover in this way, Slim avoids the need for the CNMV to set an equitable price, which in all probability could be higher. Carso has been advised by the law firm Ontier.

The Mexican businessman considers, in addition, that by formulating a takeover at an equitable price, a new window of liquidity will be opened for the minority shareholders, which will allow them to take a decision as to whether to continue in the company or sell their stakes. The operation is subject to approval by the CNMV.

On 8 February 2015, the Mexican multi-millionaire advised the CNMV that his stake in Realia exceeded 30%, following the subscription of shares under the framework of the capital increase, which the real estate company launched for €87 million.

At the time, he announced that he was going to request a waiver from the obligation to launch a takeover for 100% of the company, although in the end, he has decided to submit a voluntary takeover bid.

Nevertheless, and despite having exceeded the 30% stake in the company’s share capital, which requires the launch of a takeover for 100% of the company, Slim believes that the criteria for the aforementioned waiver apply in this case.

He says that he has not appointed the majority of the Board members or of the Executive Committee, he has not exercised any of the voting rights that apply to holders of stakes of more than 30% in Realia. Furthermore, none of the events established in Article 5 of the takeover law that would attribute additional voting rights in Realia to his company, have taken place, besides those already mentioned.

The Mexican businessman ranked in second place on the Forbes list of the richest people in the world.

Original story: Expansión (by M. Anglés)

Translation: Carmel Drake