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Investing.com -- Monte dei Paschi di Siena is pressing ahead with its €13 billion bid to acquire Mediobanca (OTC:MDIBY), despite persistent market volatility, according to a report from CNBC on Tuesday.
The bank, recognized as the world’s oldest still in operation, made headlines in January when it announced an all-share offer for Mediobanca, a leading institution specializing in wealth management and investment banking.
The offer was met with strong opposition from Mediobanca, which dismissed it as a destructive move lacking sound financial justification.
In recent years, Monte dei Paschi has encountered substantial difficulties, most notably the 2017 government bailout following an unsuccessful attempt to raise capital privately.
Subsequently, the Italian government has lowered its equity stake in the bank to below 12%.
In a recent interview with CNBC, Monte dei Paschi’s CEO Luigi Lovaglio conveyed confidence in the bank's strategic direction, emphasizing its renewed stability and ability to steer its own course.
He suggested that current market conditions reinforce the need for greater scale and revenue diversification, arguing that a combined Monte dei Paschi–Mediobanca entity would be better positioned to respond swiftly to external shocks.
While broader market uncertainty has caused some firms to reconsider major transactions — such as British private equity firm 3i (LON:III) Group, which delayed the sale of pet food producer MPM (BVMF:ESPA3), and fintech company Klarna, which paused its IPO plans — Monte dei Paschi appears undeterred.
Analyst opinions on the potential merger remain divided. Deutsche Bank (ETR:DBKGn) has highlighted potential overlooked opportunities for Monte dei Paschi, including the possibility of a more robust distribution strategy.
However, other institutions have expressed skepticism. Barclays (LON:BARC), for example, lowered its price target for Monte dei Paschi, citing concerns about limited synergies between the two banks and the possibility that an increased offer to appease Mediobanca shareholders could deplete Monte dei Paschi’s surplus capital.
Despite these concerns, Monte dei Paschi continues to frame its offer as appropriately valued, with no indication that the bank intends to revise it. The bank remains focused on completing the transaction by July.
Since the bid was made public on January 24, Mediobanca’s shares have dropped by approximately 14%, while Monte dei Paschi’s stock has fallen by around 8.5%.
Both companies saw their shares decline by about 5% during a broader equity market pullback on the first Monday of April.
The proposed acquisition aligns with a broader consolidation trend within the Italian banking sector. Last year, UniCredit launched a €10 billion bid for Banco BPM.
Monte dei Paschi views its move as part of this initial wave of domestic consolidation, anticipating a second phase within the next two years.
The bank believes that by joining forces with Mediobanca, it can reassert itself as a major player in the evolving Italian financial landscape.