BERLIN CONSIDERS FULL UNIPER EXIT – The deal could see the government selling its entire holding in the $18.8 billion energy utility
Berlin has sounded out potential buyers for Uniper in a deal that could see the government selling its entire holding in the $18.8 billion energy utility, three people with knowledge of the matter said.
Germany’s government, which owns 99.12% of the company after nationalising it in 2022 during Europe’s energy crisis, is pursuing a partial stake sale, or re-IPO, of around 25% as a preferred option, but is also weighing exiting its holding in one go, the people said.
Parties that have been approached about a full sale include Canadian fund Brookfield, two of the sources said. A full sale to a private equity fund would be one of Europe’s biggest in recent years.
Uniper nearly collapsed after its former main gas supplier, Russia’s Gazprom, first curbed and later stopped deliveries after the outbreak of the Ukraine war, forcing the German government to step in to ensure energy security in Europe’s biggest economy.
Germany’s Finance Ministry, which oversees the government’s Uniper stake, said on Monday January 13th that the government was examining all scenarios to cut its stake, with no firm decision regarding timing and structure. It reiterated that the leading option for the re-privatisation was selling shares via the equity market.
