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FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The Dutch parent of pioneering Russian tech company Yandex is selling its operations in the country at a steeply discounted price of just over $5 billion to its Russia-based managers and oil company Lukoil, one of the biggest deals for Western-held companies to exit Russia since the invasion of Ukraine. He subsequently condemned Russia's invasion as “barbaric.” The Nasdaq exchange suspended trading in Yandex shares days after the invasion. After the sale, Yandex NV would be left with its international businesses — employing 1,300 people — including self-driving technology and generative artificial intelligence as well as a data center in Finland. Yandex NV Chairman John Boynton said the company had faced “exceptional challenges” since the start of the war. None of the purchasers have been sanctioned, Yandex NV said, and the cash part of the transaction would be conducted in Chinese yuan outside of Russia.

Persons: Vladimir Putin's, Arkady Volozh, Dmitry Peskov, ”, —, Alexander Chachava, Pavel Prass, Alexander Ryazanov, John Boynton, Boynton, McDonald’s, France’s Renault, Baltika Organizations: Western, Nasdaq, Yandex, Google, Yahoo, European Union, Companies, Baltika Breweries, Danone Locations: FRANKFURT, Germany, Russian, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Netherlands, Israel, Finland, Avtovaz, Western

MOSCOW, Dec 1 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree putting St Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport under the temporary management of a Russian company, wresting control from investors from Germany, Qatar and other Gulf states. The airport's management company has 14 co-owners. The rights of foreign shareholders will pass to two different Russian entities. Russian shareholders will retain their rights. The decree stated that airport's foreign shareholders would be able to restore their rights to stakes in the new company if they apply and conclude corporate agreements that comply with Russian laws on foreign investment.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Fraport, VTB, Ramzan Kadyrov, Taimuraz, Carlsberg's, Gleb Stolyarov, Alexander Marrow, Ilona Wissenbach, Gareth Jones, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Petersburg's Pulkovo, Qatar Investment Authority, Russian Direct Investment Fund, Baring, Baltika Breweries, Reuters, Thomson Locations: MOSCOW, Russian, Germany, Qatar, St Petersburg, Abu Dhabi, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow

"This super pre-emptive right will work only in specific cases, with specific companies," Chebeskov said on the sidelines of a financial forum in Moscow on Nov. 14. "The idea was that this concerns only those strategic companies in which the state already has a share," Chebeskov said. The lack of clarity and uncertain timeline highlights the unpredictable nature of regulatory changes facing investors and businesses seeking to adjust their exposure to Russia. This compares with net outflows of around $48 million in March 2022 and $69 million in February this year. Western investors have already struggled to get assets out of Russia.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Ivan Chebeskov, Chebeskov, Rybalkin, Tskhakaya, Thomas J Brock, Carlsberg's, Putin, JP Morgan, JPM, Vijay Marolia, Brock, Sinead Cruise, Alexander Marrow, Elena Fabrichnaya, Darya Korsunskaya, Jane Merriman Organizations: Ukraine LONDON, Reuters, Nato, Dyakin, Partners, Kaiser Consulting, Investors, Morningstar Direct, Federal Property Agency, Assets, Deutsche Bank, Regal Point Capital, HSBC, Expobank, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine, MOSCOW, Moscow, Russian, Magnit, London

☆ Carlsberg would rather lose its Russian business than negotiate a deal with Moscow, and it shows how hard it is for companies to exit the market
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The CEO of Danish brewer Carlsberg says Moscow has "stolen" its business in Russia. Moscow seized Carlsberg's assets in July, weeks after the brewer announced it had found a buyer for its Russian business. Carlsberg said it's cutting ties with its Russian business as it can't find an acceptable solution to resolve the issue. AdvertisementAdvertisementDanish brewer Carlsberg operates eight breweries and employs more than 8,000 people through its Russian unit, Baltika Breweries. However, on July 16, Russia seized Baltika.

Persons: Carlsberg, Moscow, —, Jacob Aarup, Andersen, Dmitry Medvedev, Medvedev, they'd, Baltika, Carlsberg's Organizations: Service, Carlsberg, Baltika Breweries, Carlsberg Group, Financial Times, Russian, Unilever Locations: Moscow, Russia, Carlsberg, Ukraine, British

LONDON/COPENHAGEN, Nov 2 (Reuters) - Global brewers AB InBev (ABI.BR) and Carlsberg (CARLb.CO) this week played down concerns among some investors that demand for weight-loss drugs may lead to a sharp drop in beer drinking. But AB InBev Chief Executive Michel Doukeris likened the concerns to others, such as how cannabis could disrupt various sectors, which he said were often short-lived. Some clinical trials on rodents have found treatment with GLP-1 agonists reduces alcohol consumption, eases symptoms of alcohol withdrawal and more. AB InBev has a big U.S. business, but earns more revenue in the Middle Americas and has a large footprint in countries like Brazil. Such emerging markets often have lower obesity rates, while weight-loss drugs are unlikely to be available or affordable there any time soon.

Persons: Nordisk's Wegovy, Michel Doukeris, Jacob Aarup, Andersen, Moritz Kronenberger, Janus Henderson, Tom O'Hara, O'Hara, Wegovy, Emma Rumney, Jacob Gronholt, Matthew Scuffham, Alexander Smith Organizations: Global, AB InBev, Carlsberg, Nordisk's, InBev, Reuters, Budweiser, World Health Organization, WHO, Germany's Union Investment, Brewers, Pedersen, Thomson Locations: COPENHAGEN, United States, Brazil, Asia, China, Danish, U.S, London, Copenhagen

REUTERS/Alexander Demianchuk/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCOPENHAGEN, Oct 31 (Reuters) - Carlsberg has cut all ties with its Russian business and refuses to enter a deal with Russia's government that would make its seizure of the assets look legitimate, the brewer's new CEO said on Tuesday. The Danish group had since last year attempted to sell its Baltika subsidiary in Russia, following in the footsteps of many other Western companies exiting Russia since its invasion of Ukraine. "There is no way around the fact that they have stolen our business in Russia, and we are not going to help them make that look legitimate," said Jacob Aarup-Andersen, who took over as CEO in September. Carlsberg had eight breweries and about 8,400 employees in Russia, and took a 9.9 billion Danish crown ($1.41 billion) write-down on Baltika last year. Earlier this month, Carlsberg retaliated by ending license agreements for its brands in Russia that have enabled Baltika to produce, market and sell all Carlsberg products in the country.

Persons: Alexander Demianchuk, Vladimir Putin, Jacob Aarup, Andersen, Aarup, We're, they're, Jacob Gronholt, Pedersen, Jan Harvey Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Carlsberg, Thomson Locations: St . Petersburg, Rights COPENHAGEN, Danish, Russia, Ukraine, Russian

☆ Russian court grants unspecified 'interim measures' as Baltika sues Carlsberg
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Barrels are seen at the museum of the Baltika brewery in St. Petersburg, October 12, 2014. REUTERS/Alexander Demianchuk/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMOSCOW, Oct 20 (Reuters) - A court in St Petersburg has imposed unspecified "interim measures" against Carlsberg (CARLb.CO) in favour of Baltika Breweries, court filings showed, after the Danish brewer stopped licensing its brands in Russia this month. The court filings provided no information other than that interim measures had been granted in a lawsuit filed on Oct. 17 by Baltika against Carlsberg. In another lawsuit filed on Sept. 25, before Carlsberg terminated the licence agreements, Baltika had asked a Russian court to prohibit Carlsberg from initiating legal proceedings in Denmark, citing the risk that Carlsberg could seek to remove Baltika's right to use certain trademarks. The court did not grant interim measures, but a hearing in that case is scheduled for Nov. 15.

Persons: Alexander Demianchuk, Vladimir Putin, Baltika, Alexander Marrow, Kevin Liffey Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Carlsberg, Baltika Breweries, Carlsberg Group, Baltika, Reuters, Thomson Locations: St . Petersburg, St Petersburg, Danish, Russia, Russian, Ukraine, Denmark

The logo of Russian technology giant Yandex is on display at the company's headquarters in Moscow, Russia December 9, 2022. Moscow already demands a 50% discount on all foreign deals after consultants selected by the Russian government have valued the business. But three people familiar with the exit process for foreign companies said that some deals are facing demands for additional discounts before the government gives a green light. Another person, who works on M&A transactions and with foreign companies, said deals exceeding $100 million were at particular risk of being denied. In its biannual financial stability review, the central bank said foreign companies under pressure to leave Russia were doing so on "unfavourable" terms.

Persons: Evgenia, Carlsberg's, Intesa, Vladimir Putin's, Suren Gortsunyan, Rybalkin, Gortsunyan, Alexey Kupriyanov, Elena Fabrichnaya, Alexander Marrow, Victor Goury, Josephine Mason, Jane Merriman Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Heineken, Arnest, Companies, Nasdaq, Russia, Dyakin, Partners, Aspring, Nato, Thomson Locations: Moscow, Russia, Ukraine, MOSCOW, Russian, London, Laffont, Gdansk

☆ Heineken exits Russia with one-euro sale of operations
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBRUSSELS, Aug 25 (Reuters) - Dutch brewer Heineken (HEIN.AS) said on Friday it had completed its exit from Russia by selling its operations there to Russia's Arnest Group for a symbolic one euro. Heineken announced its intention to exit Russia in March 2022, after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, acknowledging that the process had taken longer than expected. Many multinational companies flocked to leave Russia after the West imposed unprecedented sanctions on Moscow, but the Kremlin has retaliated by seizing some assets. Heineken had seven breweries in Russia and 1,800 employees, who will receive employment guarantees for the next three years. The Dutch brewer removed its Heineken brand from Russia last year and production of Amstel is to be phased out within six months.

Persons: de, Dolf van den Brink, Vladimir Putin, Turkey's, Heineken, Philip Blenkinsop, Jane Merriman Organizations: Heineken, REUTERS, Rights, Arnest, Kremlin, Anheuser, Busch InBev, Arnest Group, Thomson Locations: Nijmegen, Netherlands, Dutch, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Russian, Amstel

☆ Europe's biggest companies reported a combined €100 billion loss from leaving Russia, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Joseph Wilkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Since the invasion of Ukraine last year, companies have been scrambling to cut ties with Russia. An FT survey found that companies lost €100 billion attempting to leave the state. European companies have lost more than €100 billion in Russia since its invasion of Ukraine, according to the Financial Times. If energy and utilities were excluded from the survey, the largest writedowns come from Germany's chemical and automotive industries. In December 2022, Russia started forcing those companies selling their assets to dispose of them at a 50% discount, leading to a scramble among domestic businessmen for bargain-bin assets.

Persons: Putin, TotalEnergies –, Yale, Nabi Abdullaev, Vladimir Putin Organizations: Kremlin, Morning, Financial, BP, Shell, Danone Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Danone's

☆ Factbox: Moscow takes control over assets of Western companies
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

July 27 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin has signed decrees to take temporary control of assets belonging to some Western companies in Russia, in retaliation against foreign moves against Russian companies abroad, and warned in April the Kremlin could seize more. CARLSBERG (CARLb.CO)The Russian state took control of Danish beer company Carlsberg's stake in local brewer Baltika Breweries on July 16, putting it under "temporary management" of government property agency Rosimushchestvo, according to a decree signed by Putin. DANONE (DANO.PA)The Russian state took control of the French yoghurt maker Danone's Russian subsidiary Danone Russia on July 16, according to a decree signed by Putin, and brought it under temporary control of the government property agency. FORTUM (FORTUM.HE)On April 25, Putin signed a decree that established control over the Russian subsidiary of the Finnish utility company Fortum, which operates power plants in Russia. Compiled by Agata Rybska, Greta Rosen Fondahn; Editing by Nick MacfieOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, Agata Rybska, Greta Rosen Fondahn, Nick Macfie Organizations: CARLSBERG, Baltika Breweries, Putin, DANONE, Danone Russia, Unipro, Thomson Locations: Russia, Russian, Finnish

This brings the total impairments related to Russia to almost 700 million euros, Danone said. The adjustment on the balance sheet of 500 million euros to reflect the negative currency transaction difference will also be recognized by Dec. 31, it added. Danone also reported a better-than-expected rise in quarterly like-for-like sales, as it increased prices again to make up for rising costs. Like-for-like sales rose 6.4% in the second quarter, beating expectations for 5.6% growth in a company-compiled consensus of 18 analysts. ($1 = 0.9047 euros)Reporting by Richa Naidu; Editing by Edmund Klamann, Muralikumar Anantharaman and Conor HumphriesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Danone, Richa Naidu, Edmund Klamann, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Conor Humphries Organizations: France's Danone, Danone, Evian, Nestle, Thomson Locations: Russia, Russian, Ukraine

Moscow's actions highlight the vulnerability of other consumer products companies that still have operations in Russia, some of which have announced plans to leave. "The second option is to sell the business, but the reality is, we have not found a viable solution that meets our stated objectives." The company, which owns the Knorr soup and Dove soap brands, employs over 3,000 people in Russia. In March 2022 Unilever became the first major European food company to stop imports into and exports out of Russia after the country's invasion of Ukraine. Former CEO Alan Jope said at the time "volumes in our Russian business are down significantly, by double digits".

Persons: Hein Schumacher, Schumacher, Knorr, Alan Jope, Richa Naidu, Jason Neely Organizations: Unilever, Danone, Carlsberg, Thomson Locations: Russia, Russian, Ukraine

☆ Putin ordered 2 Western corporate giants to be seized after Kremlin-friendly businessmen expressed an interest in them: report
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Putin ordered Danone and Carlsberg seized after Kremlin-friendly businessmen expressed interest, per the FT.A Chechen leader and a businessman close to Putin have taken over the companies' assets in Russia. Russia seizing the local operations of Danone and Carlsberg was not the first time the country took control of Western firms. Managers from Rosneft, a state energy company headed by Putin ally Igor Sechin, took over both energy companies. Independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta reported on Thursday, Russian businessmen bought the assets of 110 Western companies "that have fully or partially left Russia" at bargain-bin prices. Danone said in a Sunday statement it was "preparing to take all necessary measures to protect its rights as shareholder."

Persons: Putin, Vladimir Putin, Moscow, Yakub Zakriev, Ramzan Kadyrov —, Taimuraz, Igor Sechin, Ekaterina Kurbangaleeva, Kurbangaleeva, Hassan Malik, Loomis Sayles, Danone, Carlsberg Organizations: Danone, Carlsberg, Kremlin, Observers, Service, Financial Times, Vedomosti, Rosneft, Analysts, Russia's, Independent Russian, Novaya Gazeta, Carnegie Endowment, International, Boston Locations: Russia, Wall, Silicon, Russian, Moscow, Ukraine

According to a decree signed by Putin on Sunday, the Russian state had taken control of Danone's Russian subsidiary along with beer company Carlsberg's (CARLb.CO) stake in a brewer. Yakub Zakriev, 32, a deputy prime minister of Chechnya and the republic's agriculture minister, took the post of general director of Danone Russia on Tuesday, Interfax's SPARK database of company disclosure documents in Russia showed. "Choosing him as general director of Danone Russia shows that representatives of the team of Chechen President and Hero of Russia Ramzan Akhmatovich Kadyrov are talented and successful managers," Dudayev said on his Telegram messaging app. Kadyrov, a close ally of Putin, has referred on social media to Zakriev as his "dear nephew". Danone sought alliances with big local players during the boom years, eventually gaining at least a fifth of Russia's dairy market.

Persons: Kadyrov, Danone Russia Kovalchuk, Carlsberg, Ramzan Kadyrov, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Yakub Zakriev, Akhmed Dudayev, of Russia Ramzan Akhmatovich Kadyrov, Dudayev, Zakriev, Zulai, Akhmad Kadyrov, Kadyrov's, Danone, Yuri, Mikhail Kovalchuk, Bolloev, Guy Faulconbridge, Lidia Kelly, Shubhendu, Stephen Coates, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Danone Russia, Danone, Kremlin, Sunday, Chechen, Moscow State University, Cuban Missile, Soviet, Financial Times, Shubhendu Deshmukh, Thomson Locations: MOSCOW, Russia, Ukraine, Russian, Chechnya, Grozny, Paris, Red, Soviet Union, United States, China, Baltika, St Petersburg, Moscow, Melbourne, Bengaluru

☆ Moscow takes control of Russian subsidiary of Danone and Carlsberg's stake in brewer
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MOSCOW, July 16 (Reuters) - The Russian state has taken control of French yoghurt maker Danone's (DANO.PA) Russian subsidiary along with beer company Carlsberg's (CARLb.CO) stake in a local brewer, according to a decree signed by President Vladimir Putin on Sunday. The decree said that foreign-owned stakes in Danone Russia and Baltika Breweries were being put under the "temporary management" of government property agency Rosimushchestvo. The move comes after the Russian subsidiaries of Germany's Uniper (UN01.DE) and Finland's Fortum (FORTUM.HE) were taken under state control in April. The decree published on Sunday also said that Danish brewer Carlsberg's stake in Russian-based Baltika Breweries had been put under state management. Carlsberg said in June it had signed an agreement to sell its Russian business, subject to regulatory approvals.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Finland's, Danone, Carlsberg's, Carlsberg, Caleb Davis, Darya, Andrew Osborn Organizations: Sunday, Danone Russia, Baltika Breweries, Danone, Carlsberg, Thomson Locations: MOSCOW, Russian, Russia

☆ Carlsberg agrees to pay 50 million euro fine in German price-fixing case
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

COPENHAGEN, May 3 (Reuters) - Danish brewer Carlsberg (CARLb.CO) has reached a settlement with German authorities and agreed to pay a 50 million-euro ($55 million) fine over the alleged formation of a cartel more than a decade ago. It said it refuted the allegations but had settled in order to focus on its core business of brewing beer. "We confirm that Carlsberg Deutschland Holding GmbH has reached a settlement in this case, which has been ongoing for 11 years and required an enormous amount of time and financial resources," Carlsberg's head of communications, Tanja Frederiksen, said in a statement. "We still strongly disagree with the charges and maintain our innocence, but we have taken this decision in order to be able to fully focus again on the future of Carlsberg Deutschland Holding GmbH," Frederiksen said. The case was concluded on Tuesday at the Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court, Carlsberg said.

Carlsberg shares have risen more than 60% during Hart's tenure, outperforming AB Inbev and Heineken, whose shares have dropped around 47% and risen around 45% respectively. Carlsberg's shares fell 3.5% at market open in Copenhagen, but later pared losses and were 0.7% lower at 1118 GMT. "Cees 't Hart has delivered remarkable results during his time at Carlsberg," Supervisory Board Chair Henrik Poulsen said. It is also seeking an option to buy back the Russian business in the future. With only around 16% of revenue coming from Eastern Europe, Carlsberg's biggest markets are Western Europe and Asia.

☆ Carlsberg CEO Hart's retirement plan triggers share fall
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Nikolaj Skydsgaard | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Hired in 2015, partly to help restore sluggish sales in its Eastern Europe division, including Russia, Hart has successfully overseen Carlsberg's SAIL'22 strategy, which focused on cutting costs and improve sales of more premium beer brands. Carlsberg said in a statement that Hart planned to leave by the end of the third quarter. "Cees 't Hart has delivered remarkable results during his time at Carlsberg," Supervisory Board Chair Henrik Poulsen said. "He has really been a significant person in the transformation that has taken place, it's been very impressive to witness," Laustsen added. It is seeking an option with the buyer to buy back the Russian business in future.

☆ Carlsberg lifts 2022 profit outlook; shares trim losses
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

COPENHAGEN, Oct 26 (Reuters) - Danish brewer Carlsberg (CARLb.CO) on Wednesday reported third-quarter sales broadly in line with expectations and lifted its profit forecast for the year despite weakening consumer sentiment. Sales in Asia grew 19% in the period, with volumes up 10%, but the firm cautioned that the outlook remained uncertain. Carlsberg's shares were down 2.5% at 1222 GMT, recouping much of its losses in early trading on the weak Heineken outlook. It also increased its share buy-back programme for the fourth quarter to 1.5 billion crowns from 1 billion crowns in the third quarter. The firm, which released the numbers one day earlier than planned, does not provide earnings in its third-quarter trading statements.

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