Italian Insurer Cattolica Says Its Board Views Generali Takeover Offer as Fair
Generali, Italy’s largest insurer, earlier in May said it would launch a 1.17 billion euro [$1.4 billion] buyout offer for smaller rival Cattolica to further strengthen its domestic market leadership.
Generali, which already holds a stake of almost 24% in Cattolica, is offering investors 6.75 euros ($7.91) a share to take full control.
Shares in Cattolica have consistently traded above the bid’s price. On Tuesday Cattolica shares were down 0.14% at 7.15 euros.
Generali first moved on Cattolica last year, coming to its rescue with a 300 million euro [$351.4 million] investment after supervisors told the Verona-based insurer to bolster its finances.
Following the move Generali became the single largest investor in Cattolica, relegating Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway to second place when one excludes a 12.3% holding held by Cattolica itself.
The offer will run from Oct. 4 to Oct. 29.
($1 = 0.8537 euros)
(Reporting by Andrea Mandala; additional reporting by Nishit Jogi in Bengaluru; editing by Valentina Za, Jane Merriman and Sandra Maler)