Investing.com -- BPER Banca has made a €4.3 billion all-share takeover offer for Banca Popolare di Sondrio (BIT:BPSI) (BPSO), signaling another step in the ongoing consolidation of Italy’s banking sector.
The proposed deal offers 1.45 newly issued BPER shares for each BPSO share. Based on closing prices from February 5, 2025, this values BPSO at €9.52 per share, representing a 6.6% premium over its most recent closing price.
To secure majority control, BPER has set a minimum acceptance threshold of over 50% of BPSO’s share capital.
However, it has also left open the possibility of proceeding with a lower acceptance level of at least 35%, which would still grant it significant influence over BPSO. Should BPER acquire more than 90% of BPSO, it has stated it will not reintroduce the free float required for normal market trading.
The merger aims to drive growth and efficiency by integrating two banks with similar business models and overlapping customer bases.
Expected benefits include cost and revenue synergies, as well as enhanced stability within the combined entity.
BPER projects that by 2027, the merged group will generate a net profit exceeding €2 billion and achieve a return on tangible equity (RoTE) of nearly 15%.
BPER CEO Gianni Papa described the transaction as a “unique opportunity to create a leading banking group in Italy, with two complementary banks that have coherent business models and shared values.”