By Adria Calatayud
Commerzbank said it asked Germany's financial watchdog to review the support levels for UniCredit's takeover offer after the Italian bank said it secured commitments to raise its stake in its German rival above 30%.
The move escalates a tussle between Commerzbank and its largest shareholder, with less than two weeks left for UniCredit's roughly 24 billion-euro ($27.83 billion) offer to buy the stake in the German bank it doesn't already own.
UniCredit earlier this week said shareholders representing a 7.6% stake in Commerzbank had committed to tender their holdings and that this would give it direct ownership of 34.4% when combined with the existing direct stake it held, clearing the 30% threshold it set as a goal for the bid. The Italian bank said it had an additional exposure to Commerzbank through financial contracts.
Commerzbank, which has urged its shareholders to reject the offer, said it provided information to Germany's financial regulator BaFin to support a review of the matter, adding that transparency and a careful supervisory assessment are in the interests of all market participants.
BaFin didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
Commerzbank said UniCredit's own disclosures showed it held a stake of about 27% directly, and that most of the shares tendered in the offer stems from banks and related entities. Commerzbank said UniCredit's disclosure shouldn't be regarded as evidence of support from independent shareholders for the offer.
UniCredit didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
Write to Adria Calatayud at adria.calatayud@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
June 04, 2026 02:21 ET (06:21 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Comments