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Eurobank Set To Solidify Control Of Hellenic Bank With Expanded Stake

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

November 26, 2024

Eurobank is poised to increase its stake in Hellenic Bank to an impressive 93.47%, following agreements to purchase additional shares from Demetra Holdings Plc and Logicom Services Limited.

In an official announcement, Eurobank detailed its agreements to acquire a 24.66% stake (101,794,409 shares) in Hellenic Bank for approximately €493 million, pricing each share at €4.843.

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Breaking down the deal, Eurobank will purchase 88,064,705 shares (21.33%) from Demetra for roughly €426 million and 13,729,704 shares (3.33%) from Logicom for around €66 million.

The acquisition is contingent upon regulatory approvals and the consent of Demetra’s General Assembly. The transaction is expected to be completed no sooner than February 8, 2025, six months after the finalization of a mandatory tender offer. Until then, Demetra and Logicom will retain full legal and beneficial ownership of the shares, including associated rights.

Additionally, the agreed price of €4.843 per share will apply to transactions with the Cyprus Union of Bank Employees (ETYK), the Cyprus Bank Employees Welfare Fund, the Cyprus Bank Employees Health Fund, and the Financial Sector Provident Fund, as confirmed in a November 7 announcement.

Currently holding a 55.962% stake in Hellenic Bank, Eurobank’s acquisition will bring its total ownership to 93.47% once both the new transaction and ETYK-related deals are finalized.

In compliance with Cyprus’ Takeover Bids Law of 2007, Eurobank plans to initiate a tender offer for all remaining shares of Hellenic Bank at the same price (€4.843 per share). Upon securing over 90% of the bank’s share capital and voting rights, Eurobank intends to invoke its squeeze-out rights under Article 36 of the law, paving the way for the delisting of Hellenic Bank’s shares from the Cyprus Stock Exchange.

Furthermore, Eurobank revealed a separate agreement with Logicom to sell 8.58% of Demetra shares (17,152,353 shares), which Eurobank had previously acquired on November 8. This transaction, valued at approximately €27 million (€1.55 per share), awaits regulatory clearance before completion.

Following announcements by Demetra Holdings and Logicom, the Cyprus Stock Exchange suspended trading of their shares for the day to safeguard investor interests.

This strategic expansion signals Eurobank’s commitment to consolidating its position in the Cypriot banking sector while navigating regulatory processes and market dynamics.

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Only 1% Of Cyprus Farms Use Precision Farming Technologies

Cyprus remains one of the European Union’s least digitised agricultural economies, with just 1% of farms using precision farming technologies in 2023, according to Eurostat.

The findings come as the EU continues to encourage the adoption of digital tools aimed at improving agricultural productivity, efficiency and sustainability.

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Internet Access Expands, But Digital Uptake Lags

Internet access has improved across the bloc, although adoption remains uneven. Eurostat found that 43% of EU farms had internet access in 2023, with northern and central European countries leading the way.

Denmark, Germany, Slovakia, Latvia, the Czech Republic and Austria all reported internet access rates above 90%.

Greater connectivity, however, has not translated into widespread digital adoption. Farm management information systems, which help farmers manage day-to-day operations, were used by only about 11% of EU farms. France was a notable exception, with around 60% of farms using the technology.

Precision Farming Concentrated In Larger Operations

Robotics adoption also remained relatively limited, with only about 7% of EU farms using robotic technologies. Overall, around 18% of farms with utilised agricultural area employed at least one precision farming technology or practice in 2023.

These included robotics for plant protection, band spraying, variable-rate application, precision crop monitoring and soil analysis. Despite representing fewer than one in five farms, these holdings accounted for around 44% of the EU’s utilised agricultural area.

The figures suggest that precision farming remains concentrated among larger agricultural businesses, where investment in digital technologies is typically easier to support.

Cyprus Lags Behind EU Leaders

Luxembourg, Finland and Estonia recorded the highest shares of utilised agricultural area managed by farms using precision farming technologies, each exceeding 75%.

At the other end of the ranking, Cyprus recorded just 1%, while Greece and Romania reported between 10% and 15%. The results indicate that Cyprus remains at an early stage of digital adoption in agriculture, even as precision farming becomes more widespread across parts of the European Union.