Battle between Casino and Carrefour in Brazil
The tension escalates between Carrefour and Casino in Brazil. While the first confirmed on Tuesday had "received a proposal from major strategic partnership in Brazil," he sharply replied Casino "power to oppose this project."
Gama Brazilian society had proposed to merge the Carrefour group's Brazilian assets with those of the French retailer CBD group Grupo Pão de Açúcar (GPA). They thus constitute an equally owned company. CBD had previously merged with Gama.
But the case is the most sensitive.Right in the legal showdown with Carrefour, Casino contests this possible merger with CBD, "it is the largest shareholder, which it provides the co-control with Abilio Diniz and which it acquired in 2005 from Abilio Diniz and his family the right to become the sole controlling shareholder in 2012, "says the company in a statement issued in the wake and that sounds like a declaration of war.
The group Etienne, who now owns 37% of GPA, is indeed bound by a shareholders' agreement with the businessman Abilio Diniz, who owns shares in the holding company of GPA. Their agreement provides that neither party can negotiate a development project with a third party without the consent of the other. In late May, took the Casino Chamber of Commerce to arbitrate the case.
Referring to "a material financial transactions and prepared for a long time illegally by Abilio Diniz and Carrefour" and "illegal and secret negotiations," Casino accuse both parties have "ignore [d] deliberately both the law and ethics elementary. "
"Casino will consider in the coming days how to best defend the corporate interests of CBD and its shareholders that seems compromised by this project very complex and financial," says Casino, recalling that "it has the power s to oppose this project in terms of existing agreements and that no negotiations on the future of CBD can not be conducted without his consent and without prior discussion of this project to the Board of Wilkes, holding control of CBD. "
Clear benefits for Carrefour
Brazil is a strategic market for the two French groups, "the third world market in terms of food expenditure" the statement said Carrefour there realizes 12 low fee pay day loans.3% of sales. If the proposal is accepted Gama, the new joint venture would represent "the main actor in the distribution in Brazil," said Carrefour.Its turnover pro-forma is estimated at over 30 billion euros for 2011.
Gama has in turn shown to benefit from a capital investment of 2 billion and funding of 500 million euros.
"The benefits of the transaction are clear to Carrefour," noted analysts at Natixis, "the benefit to his credit in Brazil, which leaves just one major accounting scandal, the expertise of CBD; gain size of a key market , realize significant synergies with CBD and strengthen its long-term shareholders. "
Gama: up 6% stake in Carrefour
After OPERATON, Gama become a shareholder of the French distributor. The Brazilian could acquire additional shares Carrefour market of up to 6% stake in Carrefour.It would be represented by two members to the board of the French group, whose vice president, and three from 2013.
"Gama sign a shareholders' agreement and act in concert with Blue Capital LLC, Colony Blue Investor LLC, and Groupe Arnault SAS, which now jointly hold 14.1% of the capital and 20.2% of the voting rights of Carrefour , "the statement said. Together they would hold up to 30% of share capital and voting rights of Carrefour.
The board of Carrefour will meet in the coming days to discuss the proposal of Gama. Following this announcement, the Carrefour share jumped by more than 3% to 27.250 euros, while the title unscrews Casino: it yields about 5% to 62.63 euros.The CAC 40 in advance for its share of 1.08%.
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