Between the rumors about the downgrading of France by Standard & Poor's and other dreadful rumors about the liquidity problems of the major transalpine banks, the Paris Stock Exchange has been experiencing fearful days for a week now. For the vast majority of titles. With some exceptions. One has not gone unnoticed: Hermès, the Parisian maison, the one of bags (Kelly and so on), sold for several thousand euros. A goose that lays golden eggs (speaking of profits) and also the last bastion of French "family luxury", in the sense that control of the company still lies in the hands of the descendants of the founder.
Well, Hermès' repeated hikes in recent days are not only related to the good financial health of the group. But also with the battle that Bernard Arnault, owner of Lvmh, number one in French and world luxury, has been waging for a year now to get his hands on Hermès. Arnault himself, on the other hand, has managed a "coup" in Italy in recent months, taking control of the jeweler Bulgari. And if he was now also launching the last attack on the Hermès fort? What if the increases in the share were precisely linked to a possible takeover bid in the immediate future? Rumors spread to Paris, unstoppable.
Let's go back to the trend action. Today, around 16 pm, Hermès International gained 4,36%. The share had exceeded 265 euros, an absolute historical record. It is the sixth consecutive session in Paris in which the stock gains (+22% overall). Compared to last January 70, even XNUMX%.
It's true, Hermès, like the luxury industry, is fine. And even more. At the end of July it presented its enviable interim accounts: revenues totaled 1,3 billion euros in the first six months, +21% at constant rates. The forecasts for 2011 have been revised upwards (an increase of between 12 and 14% for turnover).
All this, however, is not enough. Arnault entered the capital of Hermès just in the summer of last year, surprisingly, with a 14,2% stake. He has always denied his intention to resort to a takeover bid. But no one ever believed him. At the beginning of 2011 he was already at 20,4%. At the end of July at 21,4%. What are you up to in this mild but financially hot summer?
