Poste Italiane is ready to take a step further and move on to the executive phase of the growth plan in the digital payments sector. According to today's Il Sole 24 Ore, the company led by Matteo Del Fante is considering increasing its stake in Sia - European leader in the design, construction and management of infrastructures and technological services in the payment areas - to reach a share of slightly less than 50% stake.
Poste Italiane's intention is confirmed by the fact that JP Morgan, a US investment bank, was contacted to proceed with an exploratory mandate to evaluate the operation. At the moment, Poste Italiane's stake in Sia is equal to 15% of the capital and would be interested in the additional 34,5%. The operation could be worth around one billion euros for Poste and which could allow it to grow in the digital payments sector, a sector in which Sia is highly specialized.
The composition of Sia at the moment is rather fragmented and sees the presence behind the main shareholder Fsia Investimenti which holds 49,48%, a series of funds and banks such as: F2i with 17,05%, the Hat Orizzonte fund (8,64 .4,82%), Banco Bpm (4,05%), Intesa Sanpaolo (3,97%), Unicredit (2,85%), Mediolanum (2,58%) and Deutsche Bank (XNUMX%).
Poste Italiane's goal is industrial: “Sia has high-level customers and a wealth of skills such as to be in synergy with Poste. A true national champion would be born, in a strategic sector such as that of payment systems”, according to reports from Il Sole 24 Ore: “Sia, after all, had seen the entry into the field of Cdp Equity and F2i to wrest it from the large foreign groups that were ready to buy it from the shareholder banks”. Il Sole24Ore recalls that "for years now the Sia group has indicated listing on the Stock Exchange as the main road: however, the IPO has never materialized and at the moment the company also has some managerial issues to resolve".
These rumors are in line with the intentions of the CEO of Poste Italiane to expand the already substantial investments in digital payments where the delivery operator holds an important position through Poste Pay. In Piazza Affari, at 11:50, the Poste Italiane share is quoted at 7,06 euros, +0,57% compared to the opening price.
