By Patricia Kowsmann
LISBON-- Banco BPI SA's board on Thursday shot down a EUR1.09
billion ($1.2 billion) takeover offer from its largest shareholder,
Spain's Caixabank SA, saying it undervalues the company.
Caixabank offered in February to buy the 55.9% of Portuguese
lender BPI that it doesn't already own for EUR1.329 a share in
cash. Shares of the bank closed Thursday at EUR1.46.
In a statement, BPI's board said under its calculations, BPI is
valued at EUR2.04 a share. That excludes an extra EUR0.22 a share
from synergies expected under the merger between the banks.
Therefore, BPI said, "it doesn't recommend that its shareholders
accept the bid."
BPI's stock has risen sharply this week after another
shareholders publicly rebuked the Caixabank offer and said BPI
should consider merging with Portuguese lender Banco Comercial
Português SA instead.
Isabel dos Santos, Africa's wealthiest woman and BPI's
second-largest shareholder with 18.6% of the bank, said a merger
with Banco Comercial Português would create a large domestic lender
with operations in Angola, Mozambique and Poland and a diversified
shareholder base. She also said Caixabank's offer didn't reflect
the value of BPI.
BPI didn't comment on Ms. dos Santos' remarks. Banco Comercial
Português said Tuesday that it is "available to analyze" a possible
merger if BPI shows interest.
Write to Patricia Kowsmann at patricia.kowsmann@wsj.com
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