Today on the table of the Board of Finmeccanica will arrive the offer of the Korean Doosan for Ansaldo Energia. Barring surprises, however, the Board will not give the green light to the sale, probably because the approval of the policy has not yet arrived, essential for defining the future structure of the energy company 55% controlled by Finmeccanica and 45% owned by the US fund First Reserve .
Everything revolves around maintaining control in Italian hands, loudly requested by various political and trade union sectors. Eventually, politics will ask that Finmeccanica not allow the Koreans to reach the majority in the capital of Ansaldo Energia.
According to the latest rumors, Doosan could acquire 45% of FirstReserve, while CDP would acquire at least 30% in the hands of Finmeccanica. The solution would allow the group to reduce debt, giving an initial signal to the market for exit from non-strategic sectors. On the other hand, Italian control of the company could also be safeguarded in this way.
However, it is by no means obvious that the Koreans accept this perspective. The most accredited reorganization hypothesis, therefore, speaks of 70% Doosan, with the remaining 30% remaining with Finmeccanica.
As for ANSALDOBREDA, there are no suitors yet, while for Ansaldo Sts there is insistent talk of an interest from General Electric. Also in this case politics and trade unions are alarmed and authoritative exponents of the Democratic Party (the Minister of Economic Development Flavio Zanonato and the Deputy Minister of Economy Stefano Fassina) have received the indication to create a sort of "Finmeccanica 2" under the direct or indirect control of the CDP.
It would be an Italian holding into which Ansaldo Energia, Ansaldo Sts and Ansaldo Breda would converge, before the companies open up to international partnerships. But it was the president of the CDP himself, Franco Bassanini, who pointed out that the Cassa is not like the old Iri.
At the opening today in Piazza Affari, the Finmeccanica share dropped 0,25%.
