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☆ Italy raises $1 bln as reduces Monte dei Paschi stake
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

NOVEMBER 2007 - MPS buys Antonveneta from Santander (SAN.MC) for 9 billion euros in cash, months after the Spanish bank paid 6.6 billion euros for it. JULY 2011 - MPS raises 2.15 billion euros in a rights issue ahead of European stress test results. JUNE 2014 - MPS raises 5 billion euros in a rights issue and repays the state 3.1 billion euros. JUNE 2015 - MPS raises 3 billion euros in cash after a 5.3 billion euro net loss for 2014 on record bad loan writedowns. It repays the remaining 1.1 billion euro state underwritten special bond.

Persons: Valentina Za, Keith Weir Organizations: MILAN, Monday, MPS, JPMorgan, Treasury, Bank of Italy, Antonveneta, Italy's, ECB, EU Commission, Thomson Locations: Italy, Siena, Santander, Europe

The option however is not top of the list for the Treasury, one of the sources added. Announced in May, Eni's share buyback is underway and is expected to increase the government's total stake to just above 34% of voting shares. Once completed, the Treasury could potentially sell enough shares for Italy to remain slightly over 30% of Eni's capital when factoring in CDP's stake, another source said. At current market prices, 4% of Eni is worth around 2 billion euros ($2.14 billion). Eni's share buyback is expected to end before April 2024 after the group said last month it would speed up the programme launched to reward investors.

Persons: Chris Helgren, Italy's, Eni's, Lucia Albano, Giancarlo Giorgetti, Jan Harvey Organizations: Eni, REUTERS, MILAN, Italy's Treasury, Bankers, Treasury, European Union, Economy, Ferrovie dello Stato, Thomson Locations: Vancouver , British Columbia, Canada, Rome, Italy, dei

☆ Italy picks UBS, Jefferies, Clifford Chance for MPS privatisation
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Giuseppe Fonte | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

People pass in front of a branch of Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS) bank in Siena, Italy, August 11 2021. REUTERS / Jennifer Lorenzini/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsROME, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Italy's Treasury said on Friday it had picked UBS (UBSG.S) , Jefferies and Clifford Chance as financial and legal advisers for the privatisation of bailed-out bank Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS) (BMPS.MI). After a failed attempt to sell the Tuscan lender to larger peer UniCredit (CRDI.MI) in 2021, Italy agreed to Brussels' new privatisation terms that were never fully disclosed. However, Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti said this week MPS could return to private hands by the end of next year. Both Giorgetti and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni have said in recent months that the government would try to boost competition among Italy's banks with the privatisation of MPS.

Persons: Jennifer Lorenzini, Jefferies, Clifford Chance, Giancarlo Giorgetti, Giorgia Meloni, Gavin Jones, Richard Chang Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Treasury, UBS, European Union, MPS, Banco, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Monte dei, Siena, Italy, Rome, Brussels

REUTERS/Yara Nardi/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMILAN, Sept 20 (Reuters) - U.S. fund KKR and Italy's Treasury are set to ask Telecom Italia (TIM) for more time to arrange a joint bid for its landline grid, three sources close to the matter said. KKR (KKR.N) last month won the backing of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government, which authorised the Treasury to join its bid for an asset deemed of strategic national interest. The U.S. fund's preliminary bid valued the business -- dubbed NetCo -- at around 23 billion euros ($25 billion) including debt and taking into account a number of variables. The French group, which owns 24% of TIM, has so far shown little appetite for a deal under KKR's terms. The Treasury is evaluating the request, one of these people said, without adding further details.

Persons: Yara, Giorgia, Arnaud de Puyfontaine, Giancarlo Giorgetti, Elvira Pollina, Giuseppe Fonte, Alvise Armellini, Alexander Smith Organizations: REUTERS, KKR, Italy's Treasury, Telecom Italia, Treasury, TIM, NetCo, Reuters, Vivendi, Thomson Locations: Rome, Italy, U.S

☆ Italy set to take over Telecom Italia's submarine cable unit -draft
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Telecom Italia (TIM) logo is seen displayed in this illustration taken, May 3, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMILAN, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Italy's Treasury can take full ownership of Telecom Italia's (TIM) (TLIT.MI) submarine cable unit Sparkle as part of an agreement with U.S. fund KKR (KKR.N) to jointly bid for the group's landline grid, a draft government decree showed on Tuesday. The cabinet on Monday approved two decrees providing for the Treasury to take a 15-20% stake in NetCo, a venture comprising both TIM's domestic fixed-access network and submarine cable unit Sparkle. It was valued at up to 1.2 billion euros in KKR's preliminary bid for NetCo, sources have said. The Treasury stake in Telecom Italia's grid would have the same property rights assigned to other shares, one of the decrees indicated.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, TIM's, Elvira Pollina, Giuseppe Fonte, Alvise Armellini, Jason Neely Organizations: Telecom Italia, REUTERS, Treasury, Telecom Italia's, U.S, KKR, Reuters, Telecom, Thomson Locations: NetCo, TIM's Milan

☆ Italy, KKR discussing terms of state investment into fixed line grid - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Telecom Italia (TIM) logo is seen displayed in this illustration taken, May 3, 2022. The preliminary agreement could be signed as early as this week, one of the sources said, adding that discussions were still ongoing. The Treasury could join KKR in its preliminary 23 billion euro ($25 billion) bid for TIM's grid and secure a government stake in the venture that will own the network, alongside other potential state-backed investors, the sources said. Debt-laden TIM has granted KKR an exclusivity period until the end of September to negotiate a binding bid for Netco, a venture comprising both TIM's fixed domestic access grid and submarine cable unit Sparkle. ($1 = 0.9127 euros)Reporting by Elvira Pollina and Giuseppe Fonte; writing by Valentina Za; Editing by Alvise ArmelliniOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Elvira Pollina, Giuseppe Fonte, Valentina Za, Alvise Organizations: Telecom Italia, REUTERS, Treasury, KKR, Telecom Italia's, TIM, Netco, Thomson Locations: MILAN

Gross domestic product (GDP) contracted by 0.3% on a quarterly basis between April and June and was up 0.6% year-on-year, national statistics bureau ISTAT said. ISTAT gave no numerical sector breakdown of its preliminary second-quarter GDP estimate, but said industry and agriculture output decreased whereas services grew marginally. The 0.3% contraction left Italy with so-called "carryover" growth of 0.8% this year, assuming GDP would be flat in the remaining two quarters. "Italy is an advanced industrial country and the weakness in industry is much more important than the tourism sector for the economy's health," said Lorenzo Codogno, head of LC Macro Advisors and former chief economist at Italy's Treasury. ISTAT also said annual inflation slowed to 6.4% in July from 6.7% in June, on a EU-harmonised consumer prices.

Persons: Giorgia Meloni, Franziska Palmas, Intesa, Lorenzo Codogno, Alvise Armellini, Elvira Pollina, Sharon Singleton, Alistair Bell Organizations: Gross, Reuters, Capital Economics, ISTAT, LC Macro Advisors, Italy's Treasury, Thomson Locations: ROME, Italy, Rome, Milan

KKR's approach incorporates a value for TIM's fixed landline network that could top 23 billion euros ($25 billion). TIM plans to analyse in depth the terms to be proposed by KKR, one of the sources said. Having already invested 1.8 billion euros in the grid, KKR has bid for a controlling stake in a unit comprising TIM's entire domestic fixed access network and submarine cable business Sparkle. KKR is also ready to let TIM retain a stake in its landline network. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's administration will have a say on any deal as Rome can use its "golden powers" rules to set conditions or block bids for strategic assets such as TIM's network.

Persons: Pietro Labriola's, Giancarlo Giorgetti, Giorgia Meloni's, Giuseppe Fonte, Elvira Pollina, Valentina Za, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: KKR, TIM, Telecom Italia, Macquarie, Reuters, Vivendi, Treasury, Thomson Locations: ROME, Rome

MILAN, May 15 (Reuters) - Australian fund Macquarie (MQG.AX) is raising legal hurdles over a plan backed by Italy's Treasury for state lender CDP to join forces with U.S. fund KKR (KKR.N) to buy Telecom Italia's (TIM) landline grid, three sources said. People familiar with the matter told Reuters this month the Treasury would welcome CDP joining forces with KKR for TIM's prized grid, with one source saying government officials ware pushing for CDP to drop its separate proposal. But Macquarie is raising legal issues about a possible alliance between CDP and KKR, three sources close to the matter told Reuters late on Monday. CDP and Macquarie are co-investors in Open Fiber, a smaller rival to TIM. One of them said Macquarie was aiming to improve its offer with CDP ahead of next month's deadline.

MILAN, May 15 (Reuters) - Australian fund Macquarie (MQG.AX) is raising legal hurdles over a plan backed by Italy's Treasury for state lender CDP to join forces with U.S. fund KKR (KKR.N) in a deal to buy Telecom Italia's landline grid (TIM) (TLIT.MI), three sources said on Monday. But Macquarie is now raising legal issues about a possible alliance between CDP and KKR, three sources close to the matter told Reuters on Monday. CDP and Macquarie are co-investors in Open Fiber, a smaller rival to TIM. One of them said Macquarie was aiming to improve its offer with CDP ahead of the June 9 deadline. Separate sources with knowledge of the matter had said this month KKR had expressed its willingness to work further on its bid.

ROME, May 5 (Reuters) - Italy's Treasury is open to reducing its 64% stake in Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS) (BMPS.MI) through one or more share sales on the market, three people briefed on the matters told Reuters. After rescuing MPS at a cost of 5.4 billion euros ($6 billion) for taxpayers, Rome pumped another 1.6 billion into the Tuscan bank last November when it covered 64% of a 2.5 billion euro capital raise. MPS had to raise fresh capital to fund staff exits and replenish its capital reserves after the Treasury failed to clinch a sale of the bank to UniCredit (CRDI.MI) in 2021. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said several times that MPS's privatisation should foster the creation of several large banking groups in the country. ($1 = 0.9081 euros)Reporting by Giuseppe Fonte in Rome and Valentina Za in Milan; Editing by Susan FentonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Italy's Treasury ready to back KKR-CDP joint bid for Telecom Italia's grid, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ROME, May 5 (Reuters) - Italy's Treasury is ready to back a joint purchase proposal for Telecom Italia's (TIM) (TLIT.MI) grid by U.S. KKR and state lender CDP to end a stalemate over the sale process of the phone group's prized asset, sources told Reuters. In recent talks with involved parties, the Treasury said it would welcome a joint bid for TIM's grid, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday. One of sources added the ministry would also be open to involving Infrastructure fund F2i in the process, should talks over a joint bid prove feasible. TIM, CDP, Macquarie and KKR declined to comment, while F2i was not immediately available for comment. Reporting by Giuseppe Fonte in Rome and Elvira Pollina in Milan, editing Federico MaccioniOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Adviser to Italy's Treasury tables proposal for windfall tax on banks
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Giuseppe Fonte | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

European lenders have consistently beaten expectations in recent quarters as higher rates set by the European Central Bank (ECB) to curb inflation have driven profits higher, while leaving savers disgruntled. Government sources said last week that Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti was working on a windfall tax on banks to fund relief measures for families hit by inflation, which is running above the euro zone average. Giorgetti told parliament that the government "cannot and will not" ignore the fact that banks have seen revenues increase due to higher interest rates, but have not adjusted rates on deposits accordingly. UniCredit (CRDI.MI) CEO Andrea Orcel confirmed on Wednesday that there were discussions ongoing in Italy about a new tax on banks' profits, but there was no certainty it would be introduced. Madrid is planning to raise around 6 billion euros ($6.63 billion) from a windfall tax on energy companies and banks.

☆ Italy pushes to limit executive pay in listed state-run firms
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Giuseppe Fonte | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Top managers' multi-million euro salaries and handsome bonuses have come into focus at a time when Italian families are struggling with an inflation rate that neared 9% in April, well above the euro zone average. According to the government draft, the Treasury will work to "contain management costs" when shareholders vote on remuneration policies at state-controlled listed companies. Monte dei Paschi already applies curbs to executives' pay as a bank that was bailed out by the state in 2017. Under terms agreed with European Union authorities, the total remuneration of any MPS executive may not exceed 10 times the average salary of its employees in 2022. Additional reporting by Gavin Jones; Editing by Gavin Jones and Christina FincherOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Italy's Treasury says it freezes assets of Russian fugitive
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MILAN, April 22 (Reuters) - Italy's Treasury said it has frozen the assets held in the country by Russian businessman Artem Uss, who dodged Italian authorities trying to extradite him to the United States and fled to Russia last month. His electronic tracking tag sent out an alarm when he left the house but he had disappeared by the time police arrived at the villa. Uss told Russia's RIA news agency earlier this month that the U.S. charges against him were politically motivated. His escape has embarrassed the government and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has also criticised the initial decision to grant Uss house arrest. Italy's justice minister has begun disciplinary action against three judges who granted the house arrest, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said earlier this week.

MILAN, March 25 (Reuters) - Italy's Treasury said it would confirm Luigi Lovaglio as chief executive of Monte dei Paschi di Siena , keeping the veteran banker in charge of the bank as turmoil shakes the industry. Monte dei Paschi (MPS) is due to appoint a new board of directors on April 20 and the Treasury, which owns 64% of MPS following a 2017 bailout, on Saturday said it had filed its slate of nominees for the board. He arrived at MPS just over a year ago, when the Treasury pushed out his predecessor. A merger also remains the preferred option of banking supervisors to buttress MPS' fragile profitability, a second source said. A failed attempt to sell MPS to UniCredit has forced Italy to seek more time from the EU to cut its stake.

☆ Italy to hand Monte dei Paschi CEO Lovaglio new mandate - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MILAN, March 25 (Reuters) - Italy's Treasury is set to hand veteran banker Luigi Lovaglio a new mandate as chief executive of state-owned lender Monte dei Paschi di Siena , two people with knowledge of the matter said. Lovaglio, who built his career at UniCredit (CRDI.MI) where he eventually rose to lead the group's former Polish unit Bank Pekao, arrived at Monte dei Paschi (MPS) just over a year ago, when the Treasury pushed out his predecessor. The state owns 64% of MPS following a 2017 bailout. Lovaglio, one of Italy's most experienced commercial bankers, in November oversaw a make-or-break 2.5 billion euro ($2.7 billion) capital raise which allowed MPS to bolster capital and fund voluntary layoffs. ($1 = 0.9295 euros)Reporting by Valentina Za and Valentina Za; Editing by Michael PerryOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Italy's Treasury sets up new department for state-run companies
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ROME, March 16 (Reuters) - Italy approved on Thursday a decree to create a new department at the economy ministry in charge of managing state-controlling companies such as energy groups Enel (ENEI.MI) and Eni . Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti announced the scheme in January as part of efforts to tighten the government's grip on key companies dealing with some of the most delicate corporate issues facing Italy. Under the scheme, the influential Treasury department within the ministry, led by veteran economist Riccardo Barbieri, will continue to supervise public debt management, macroeconomic policies, European and international relations as well as financial regulation. The newly created "economic department" will have its own director general and will handle the decision-making process regarding state-controlled firms, public assets and public guarantees on banking loans. Rome is expected to decide on the chairperson and CEO positions of these firms by the end of next week, government sources said.

☆ Monte dei Paschi investor CariFirenze doesn't plan to sell stake
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

FLORENCE, Italy, March 3 (Reuters) - A local banking foundation that invested in Monte dei Paschi's (BMPS.MI) new share issue last year said on Friday it had no plans to sell the stake it built under efforts to make the lender part of a larger banking group. Speaking to Reuters on the sidelines of an event, the chairman of banking foundation CariFirenze, Luigi Salvadori, said the Monte dei Paschi (MPS) stake was not a purely financial investment but a strategic one "because we believe there is a need for another large banking group." CariFirenze was one of several banking foundations - traditionally investors in Italian lenders - that responded to an appeal by the Italian Treasury to back the make or break share sale. "We also liked CEO Luigi Lovaglio's plan," Salvadori said. Reporting by Silvia Ognibene, Wriring by Valentina Za; editing by Gianluca Semeraro and Susan FentonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Italy's Treasury sees AXA stake sale as way to simplify MPS governance - source
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] The logo of French Insurer Axa is seen outside a building in Montaigu, France, February 23, 2022. REUTERS/Stephane MaheMILAN, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Italy's Treasury does not regard negatively a decision by French insurer AXA (AXAF.PA) to sell its 8% stake in Monte dei Paschi (BMPS.MI) because it boosts free float and simplifies the state-owned bank's governance structure, a person close to the matter said. The Treasury owns 64% of Monte dei Paschi following a 2017 bailout and must eventually exit the Tuscan lender. AXA on Monday sold virtually all of the stake it had acquired late last year when it bought into a 2.5 billion euro rights issue at Monte dei Paschi, becoming its second biggest investor after the government. A source told Reuters on Monday the stake was bought by several institutional investors.

☆ Italy, Lufthansa sign letter of intent over ITA minority stake sale
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Planes of German air carrier Lufthansa are parked as Lufthansa pilots start a strike over a wage dispute, at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany September 2, 2022. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach/File PhotoROME, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Italy's Treasury on Friday said it had signed a letter of intent with Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) over the sale of a minority stake in state-owned airline ITA Airways, paving the way for negotiations with German carrier. Last week, Lufthansa offered to buy a minority stake in the loss-making successor of Italy's Alitalia, saying Italy was a prominent market both for business travellers and tourists. Lufthansa said on Friday it had signed the letter of intent with the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance and ITA Airways. The new right-wing administration in Rome passed a decree in December to initially sell a minority stake through capital increases, to speed up a full divestment in ITA.

☆ Lufthansa still interested in buying into ITA Airways
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BERLIN, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) is still interested in buying into state-controlled Italian carrier ITA Airways, a spokesman said on Friday, despite reports that its original partner in the mooted deal had pulled out. The spokesman declined to comment on reports that it had entered ITA's so-called data room to review the financial status of the company. Italy in August picked a group led by U.S. private equity fund Certares, backed by Air France-KLM (AIRF.PA) and Delta Air Lines Inc (DAL.N), for exclusive talks on buying a majority stake in ITA Airways. Complicating the situation, a senior MSC executive, Pierfrancesco Vago, told investors in Doha last week that MSC was no longer interested in ITA Airways, according to Swiss magazine Travel Inside. Certares had no contact with ITA Airways and Italy's Treasury since the end of October, a source close to the matter said.

☆ Italy OKs process to grant state guarantees for Enel credit facility - source
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies Enel SpA FollowMILAN, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Italy's Treasury has given a preliminary go-ahead to a request by utility Enel (ENEI.MI) to tap state guarantees for an up to 16 billion euro ($16 billion) credit facility provided by a pool of banks, a source with knowledge of the matter said. The preliminary green light from the ministry sets in motion a process that entails numerous approval steps and stretches over several weeks. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterUnder the process, the boards of the banks in the pool will need to approve the credit facility. Italian state exports credit agency SACE will need to clear the guarantees which will then need a final green light from the ministry itself. Europe's biggest utility has asked to tap a state guarantee scheme Rome has designed to help domestic companies hit by surging energy prices.

Up to 200 million euros of the capital will come from France's AXA (AXAF.PA), MPS' partner in an insurance joint-venture. Another 50 million euros are being guaranteed by London-based fund Algebris, whose founder Davide Serra is a close associate of Lovaglio. The state will put in 1.6 billion euros towards the capital raising, based on its 64% stake. Local banking foundations in Tuscany - charitable organisations overseen by Italy's Treasury - have already put in some 30 million euros. After its market value shrunk to just 256 million euros, MPS will sell the new shares with a discount of only 8.6% over Wednesday's closing price stripped of subscription rights.

☆ Italy's Caript has no plans to invest in Monte dei Paschi, chairman tells Reuters
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

FLORENCE, Italy, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Italy's Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Pistoia e Pescia (Caript) has no plans to invest in an upcoming new share sale at state-owned bank Monte dei Paschi di Siena (BMPS.MI), the chairman of the not-for-profit banking foundation told Reuters. "As far as Caript is concerned, an investment in Monte dei Paschi is not on the agenda," Chairman Lorenzo Zogheri told Reuters. Italian daily Il Sole 24 Ore reported on Wednesday Italy's Treasury had sounded out banking foundations, long-standing investors in the country's lenders, as Monte dei Paschi struggles to secure support from private investors amid tough markets. The report said Tuscan foundations such as Caript were top of the list. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Silvia Ognibene, writing by Valentina Za, editing by Maria Pia QuagliaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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