Offer of 7.6 billion euro
JAB or Joh. A. Benckiser wants to make an offer
of 12.75 euro per share, totalling of 7.6 billion euro for a complete acquisition. DE Master Blenders
confirms the board of directors is researching the offer and that JAB has
gotten permission to look at the books, but so far there has been no formal offer.
The news of a possible takeover has been well
received at the exchange: not only because analysts are saying it is a fair
price, but also because a takeover can mean better tidings for DE Master
Blenders. Ever since the company was split off from Sara Lee, it has met one
problem after another: first there was the financial mess in Brazil, then came the confession of the watered down Senseo
and late last year the CEO quit after frictions with the board of directors.
JAB likes a cup of coffee (among others)
For the investment company of the German family
Reimann, who got rich through Reckitt Benckiser, this would be their third
coffee company as they already have premium coffee retailer Caribou Coffee in
their portfolio and last year the Germans acquired a majority in the American
Peet’s Coffee & Tea.
JAB also likes some other things than coffee:
they still are the biggest shareholders of Reckitt Benckiser, a British
producer of cleaning products (Dettol, Calgon, Finish and Airwick…) and (para)pharmaceutical
brands such as Durex, Nurofen and Strepsils. It does not stop there,
because JAB also has its say at Labelux, the luxury company above Jimmy Choo.
They are definitely no small potatoes.
