Siemens accelerate up Ansaldo Energia. In the coming days, the Germans should formalize an offer for the purchase of the subsidiary of Finmeccanica (55%), which has been on the market for some time. According to financial leaks reported by Il Sole 24 Ore, Siemens is preparing, together with the advisor Credit Suisse, an offer equal to approximately 1,3 billion euro.
But it won't all be that simple. Ansaldo's minority shareholder, the American fund First Reserve, paid 500 million two years ago to buy 45% of the company and today has an option on Finmeccanica's share in the event the latter decides to sell its stake. Siemens will therefore also have to agree with First Reserve. They would then remain to be convinced the lending banks of Ansaldo Energia that, under a change-of-control clause, they would have to refinance the credit lines.
Other rumors speak of a possible entry into Ansaldo del Italian Strategic Fund (FSI), the financial arm of Cassa Depositi e Presititi (Cdp), which already last month helped Finmeccanica by signing an agreement for the purchase of the stake in Avio. In the background, as reported by the "Secolo XIX", then remains the constitution of a consortium commissioned by the Municipality of Genoa and the Liguria Region, who have sought the support of the Minister of Economic Development Corrado Passera and the industrial forces of the city. The governor Claudio Burlando and the mayor Marco Doria would have probed with Banca Carige the possibility of a consortium with the support of entrepreneurs such as Vittorio Malacalza.
