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Factbox-Companies sell their businesses in Russia -Breaking

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© Reuters. FILEPHOTO: This is a woman who enters the LPP Polish Fashion Retailer’s Reserved Shop in Warsaw (Poland), September 4, 2020. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo

(Reuters) -Several Western companies agreed to sell or transfer their Russian assets to local managers in order to meet sanctions on the Ukraine conflict. They also need to deal with Kremlin threats that assets owned by foreign countries could be seized.

This is part of a larger corporate exodus. It will likely raise concern that Russian companies and institutions may be buying valuable assets at a bargain price.

The following is a list by sector of companies that announced plans to buy Russian businesses.

AUTOMAKERS

INCHCAPE

British car distributor stated that it agreed to sell the Russian business to local management. It will cause a non-cash loss in excess of 240million pounds (or $297 million).

Russia has announced that RENAULT, the French carmaker, will be selling its 68% stake at Russia’s most important carmaker Avtovaz to an automobile research institute. The transfer is symbolic and one rouble.

BANKS

OTP BANK

OTP Bank in Hungary, Central Europe’s biggest independent lender, has been under increasing pressure to sell its Russian business, according to its chief executive on April 27.

RAIFFEISEN BANK INTERNATIONAL

Austria’s RBI has been the most vulnerable European bank to Russia. The Chief of the Bank stated on May 4 that they had received no solicited interest from Russia for their Russia operations.

SOCIETE GENERAL The French lender said that it expected to complete the Rosbank sale to Russia’s Interros Capital in the “coming weeks.”

On April 11, it announced that the sale would be completed. It added that 3.1 billion euros (3.3 billion) of the transaction was to be written off, including a 2 billion-euro impact on Rosbank’s book value as well as the remainder linked to the reversal in rouble conversion reserve reserves.

ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS & EQUIPMENT

EMERSON ELECTRIC

On May 4, the diversified U.S. company stated that it will explore strategic alternatives to divest Metran in Russia as part of its exit from the country.

SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC

French manufacturer of electrical equipment will be selling its Russian and Belarus operations to local management. This was announced by the company on April 27th, as it signed an intent letter with designated buyers.

The company will deduct up to 300,000,000 euros (317 million dollars) in net book value, and perform a non-cash reverse of currency translations estimated at 120 millions euros.

FOOD & BEVERAGES

AB INBEV

Brewer InBev Efes announced on April 22 that it will sell its non-controlling share in Russian joint venture AB InBev Efes. In the first quarter, there will be a $1.1 million impairment charge. Joint venture includes 11 Russian breweries and three Ukrainian breweries.

AMREST

According to Russian media Kommersant the Poland-listed restaurant owner stated on May 6 that it could not sell its Russian business to VTB Capital. VTB Capital is a sanctions-hit investment fund. The newspaper reported that AmRest was looking for a buyer.

ATRIA

Finnish food processor company, Finnish Food Processing Company announced on March 7, that it will be closing its Russian fast-food business after the sale of the industrial unit in Russia in April 2021.

CARLSBERG

According to the Danish Brewer, it had announced on April 28 that it was closing its Russian business. The chief executive said there were good prospects and “definitely” interested in it.

FAZER

Finnish food and bakery service provider Fazer announced on April 29 that it agreed to sell the Russian division to Moscow-based Kolomenskij Bakery and Confectionery Holding. Fazer didn’t disclose the amount of the deal.

PAULIG

Privately owned Finnish food- and drink manufacturer Vikas Soi announced on May 5, that it had sold Russia’s operations to Vikas, an Indian private investor. Vikas Soi was previously mentioned as an example of foreign companies which might be nationalized.

According to the company, it said that the unit Paulig Rus LLC as well as Paulig’s operations and Tver’s coffee roastery are included in the divesture. The Paulig brand will remain in Russia over the next few months.

RAISIO

On April 29, the Finnish food processor company announced that it would sell its Russian consumer business to Copacker Agro Ltd. The price was approximately 1.5 million euros ($1.6million). Raisio announced that the transaction would result in an impairment loss estimated at 2.9million euros being recognized by its Q1 earnings prior to interest taxes.

VALIO

GK Velkom has purchased Russian assets from the Finnish dairy farmer. The sale was made after Russian authorities threatened to take over its Russian operation. Valio stated that the transaction would be effective immediately, but did not provide any financial information.

MINIMING

AMUR MINERALS CORP

London-listed Russian mining firm Kun-Manie announced that it would sell its Kun-Manie main project for $105million and will assign all Kun-Manie loans to Amur to the buyer in exchange for $30 million.

KINROSS

Kinross Gold (NYSE:) Corp announced on April 5 that it was selling Russian assets to the Highland Gold Mining group for $680 million cash. This sale came nearly a month following the suspension of operations.

PACKAGING FOIRMS

ELOPAK

According to its chief executive, the Norwegian supplier of filling and carton packaging equipment was looking for a buyer in Russia.

HUHTAMAKI OYJ

Finnish food packaging firm, Finnish Food Packaging Company (Finnfood), announced that it would begin the Russian divestiture on April 29.

MONDI

British paper-packaging company, British Paper and Packaging Company stated on May 4, that its board decided to sell its Russian assets. They also said there was no certainty about the structure and timing of any potential transactions.

TOBACCO

BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO

After Moscow’s suggestion that it might nationalize assets of firms from abroad, the cigarette manufacturer is now in talks with Russia to transfer its Russian business.

IMPERIAL BRANDS

Following talks with an unidentified party in March, the British Tobacco Group announced on April 20 that its Russian business would be transferred to Russian investors.

JAPAN TOBACCO

According to the Japanese company, it had announced that they were considering selling their Russian operations on April 28, after having suspended investment and marketing activities there last month.

OTHERS

BRUNEL INTERNATIONAL

According to the Dutch employment service company, the Dutch are in process of selling Russia activities to local managers.

FLUGGER GROUP

On April 8, the Danish paint manufacturer stated that it initiated sales of Russian and Belarusian businesses, taking a write-down of 115 million Danish Crowns ($16.3 Million).

HENKEL

After announcing on April 19 its intent to leave Russia, the chief executive of German consumer goods company said that it would “completely stop or sell” Russia’s business on April 29.

HYVE

British Exhibitions said that on April 6, it suggested selling the Russian business to it for 72 million pounds (or $89 million). It cited warnings by customers about boycotting its Western events, as well as compliance and operational difficulties from Western sanctions.

LPP

Polish retailer of clothing said that it had decided to sell its Russian business on April 28th and was now talking with potential buyers.

MAERSK

According to the shipping giant from Denmark, there are potential buyers for Global Ports Investments’ 30.75% stake, which manages ports in Russia.

SHELL

British energy and petroleum giant, British Petrochemicals announced May 6th that Russian negotiations are underway for the sale of its petrol station network and lubricant plants in Russia.

Sources told Reuters that the possible buyer wasn’t yet known, though it is most likely to be a local business.

STORA ENSO

Finland’s Stora Enso has reached an agreement with local management to sell their two Russian sawmills as well as the forest operations. This will result in a record-breaking 130 million euro ($137 million) loss, according to the company.

YIT

Etalon PLC has agreed to sell its Russian operations for approximately 50 million Euros ($53 million). YIT stated that it will report an impairment of approximately 150 million euro in its quarter-end income statement as a result.

($1 = 0.8076 pounds)

($1 = 0.9468 euros)

($1 = 7.0399 Danish crowns)

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