ING Bank from London, which the majority owners of the Slovenian retail chain Mercator have once again chosen as a consultant in a new attempt to sell their shares, has compiled a call for the submission of non-binding offers that will be sent to the addresses of 70 potential buyers.
Once again, Croatian Agrokor is mentioned as the most serious candidate, reported Slovenian POP-TV citing advisors at ING Bank.
Among the investors to whom ING Bank has sent invitations are Mercator’s 28 strategic investors, including Aldi, Billa, Carrefour, Metro, Tesco, and Walmart. Slovenian media report that Ljubljana has deviated from the principle of the so-called ‘national interest’ in the economy, according to which large companies and banks must be in domestic ownership. They recall a recent statement by Finance Minister Janez Šušteršič that Slovenia’s national interest is not necessarily state ownership, but ownership that enables welfare.
If it happens that Mercator is sold, it will not be at the price of 221 euros per share, which was the amount of last year’s non-binding offer from Agrokor, as its price on the stock market has significantly decreased since then and currently amounts to only 116 euros.
