Friday 5 July 2013

Unilever open offer for HUL closes

Unilever Logo

A manufacturer and supplier of fast moving consumer goods, with more than 400 brands focused on health and wellbeing, 14 of which generate sales in excess of €1 billion a year. I have a holding in my income portfolio (epic code: ULVR)



Yesterday ULVR announced that its open offer to acquire additional shares in Hindustan Unilever had closed and they had acquired 14.8% of HUL, bringing their total ownership to 67.28%.

At the start of this process, see my post on 30 April, they stated that they were seeking to increase their holding up to 75%.  Their INR600 offer was at a premium of almost 30% and valued HUL at 34x historical earnings, so I am surprised that they did not attract a higher percentage.  What I find equally surprising is that HUL's shares post the closing of the offer are trading at INR608.  One would have expected them to drift back closer to the pre-offer price, unless the market expects ULVR to try again with an increased offer to get closer to the 75% - I do hope not.

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