MILANO – Atlantia flies to the stock market and earns over 10%, after the interest shown by large private equity funds, together with Florentino Perez, in the group’s assets. The two funds Gip and Brooksfield confirmed “that they have met with the representatives of Edizione il 3 and 23 March I went through and subsequently advanced one non-binding preliminary proposal a Edition regarding a possible offer for Atlantia on March 30th “.
The other part of the agreement provides that the two international funds, if they launch an offer, would be allied with Acs by Florentino Perezwhich the day before – at the request of the Spanish Consob – had declared its intention to “acquire a majority stake in the motorway concessions of Atlantia”, which it also controls Abertis, in which Perez is a shareholder with Atlantia itself. However, both the consortium of international funds and Perez have made clear that no decision has yet been made in this regard: in short, it is not a tender announcement or a binding declaration of intent, but only a concrete interest.
The stock exchange, however, seems to give a lot of credit to the hypothesis and, after all, the two funds have declared that they have already talked about it with the Benettons. However, it is difficult for the group of Ponzano Veneto is really willing to lend its side to the offer, indeed from the indiscretions it seems set to defend itself in every way. Including an alliance with the Blackstone fund, perhaps aimed at removing the company from the list to better defend it, according to press rumors. Regardless of the forms, however, the family would be looking for a side with Blackstone.
The fund (which opposed a “no comment” to the press reports) is well known by the group and on excellent terms, being one of the three parties who, as a consortium, bought the88% of the subsidiary Aspi. The sale, which sees in the first place Cdp (together with the colossus Macquarie) is expected to be finalized in early May, leaving the company permanently Motorways for Italy from the perimeter of the group, which continues to be very present on motorways abroad (with the Abertis group in fact) and in airports. And while waiting for the final set-up, Atlantia leaps to the center of the limelight.