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Commerzbank Rejects UniCredit’s €35 Billion Share-Swap Bid to Lift Stake Above 30%

The unsolicited proposal was turned down as UniCredit prepares formal offer documents for an early‑May launch.

Overview

  • UniCredit’s planned exchange ratio is 0.485 UniCredit shares per Commerzbank share, implying about €30.80 per Commerzbank share, a roughly 4% premium.
  • The structure is designed to cross Germany’s 30% takeover threshold without gaining control, with CEO Andrea Orcel calling a full takeover scenario remote.
  • UniCredit already holds an economic stake of about 28% in Commerzbank, including roughly 26% directly and the rest via total return swaps.
  • Political and employee resistance in Germany remains strong, with Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemning the advance and the state still owning a double‑digit stake in Commerzbank.
  • UniCredit targets a formal offer window at the start of May and plans an early‑May EGM for a related capital authorization, while a March 31 AGM will seek approval for a €4.75bn 2025 buyback subject to ECB consent.