Italian company "Coop" wants to buy "Mercator"

Slovenian media mention Italian trade company "Coop" as the most serious potential buyer of market chain "Mercator".

The President of the Administration of Slovenian UniCredit Bank, France Arhar, introduced the Government officials yesterday (June 1st, 2009) to his intention to purchase 12.5% of stocks of "Mercator" chain from Infond Holding, which is majority owned by Brewer "Laško", and the same share would be bought by Croatian businessman Branko Roglić, the owner of company "Orbiko", who would be granted the loan for that purpose by UniCredit Bank.

In the background of the business is, most probably, forming of the majority package of stocks from several sources, which would end in the hands of one of foreign market chains.

Italian company "Coop", which bought the dossier for takeover of 50% of "Mercator" at the beginning of the year, is mentioned in the today's issue of newspaper "Dnevnik" as the most serious potential buyer.

The newspaper concludes that if the agreement is reached, Brewer "Laško" will avoid selling 12% of "Mercator" and about one fifth of the Brewer. The repayment period for the loan that Nova Ljubljanska Banka (NLB) has approved to Infond Holding, which impawned aforementioned securities and failed to provide funds to repay the loan, expires tomorrow.

In spite of the warning of the management of "Mercator" about a damage that would be inflicted to Slovenian economy if that market chain was sold to a foreign company, it is possible that "Mercator" will, after all, end in the hands of foreigners.