BPost may launch another bid to acquire PostNL
BPost, the Belgian postal service, may launch another bid to acquire its Dutch competitor PostNL, Dutch-language Het Financieele Dagblad reported, citing analyst Marc Zwartsenburg of ING Bank.
According to Zwartsenburg, the strategic reasons for a deal remain the same, while there would be more clarity on several key issues in about 6 months to a year from now, he said in the report.
However, not all analysts agree. Marcel Achterberg of Degroof Petercam considers a second attempt at a deal unlikely, the item added, especially as politicians in Belgium are less likely to favor a deal.
A key uncertainty is Dutch market regulator ACM's investigation into the package delivery market, with a ruling expected this year, the report noted.
PostNL's current share price stands at EUR 3.45 per share, significantly below the EUR 5 to EUR 6 per share Bpost was reported to be willing to pay for a deal, the item added. This share price seems to indicate shareholders don't expected a renewed takeover attempt, the report noted.
Het Financieele Dagblad