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Austrian Company Deal News and Analysis
Read the latest headlines about financial transactions between Austrian and foreign parties, such as investments, important orders or M&A deals
Polish Insurer PZU Gains More Power in Baltic States
As announced by the Polish insurance company, PZU took over three Baltic competitors.
April 17, 2014
Conwert to Leave Germany?
A consortium of investors is highly interested in the German subsidiary of the Austrian real estate group. The consortium is led by conwert´s former board director Johannes Meran.
April 16, 2014
Hypo Group Alpe Adria: Massive Losses in Italy
Last year, the distressed Austrian lender recorded losses in the amount of € 2.7bn. In Italy, losses were highest.
April 11, 2014
Austria: VBAG Sells Malta Affiliate
Partly nationalized VBAG (Österreichische Volksbanken AG) has sold its banking affiliate VB Malta to Maltese Mediterranean Bank (MedBank).
April 11, 2014
Poland: BZ WBK to Take Over Santander Consumer Bank
Bank BZ WBK was given the go-ahead by the Financial Market Regulator KNF to acquire a 60 percent stake in retail bank Santander Consumer Bank (SCB) from their joint parent bank Banco Santander.
April 9, 2014
ECB Puts Pressure on Hypo Group
The distressed Austrian nationalized lender has no access to the Eurosystem monetary policy credit instruments. About ten potential buyers might be interested in the Balkan lender.
April 5, 2014
Bosnian Billionaire to Acquire Hypo Group?
The Finance Ministry confirmed the announcement and is now examining the offer.
April 4, 2014
Hungary: OTP Approaches Acquisition of MKB
MKB, the Hungarian loss-making affiliate of German regional lender BayernLB, is approaching its acquisition by the biggest lender OTP.
April 3, 2014
PKO BP Closes Takeover of Nordea
According to the Polish Bank, the takeover of the Polish affiliate of the Swedish banking group is concluded.
April 2, 2014
Poland: PZU to Take over RSA’s Baltic Branch?
Polish insurance company PZU intends to take over the Baltic assets of British ailing insurer RSA.
April 1, 2014
BayernLB: “Odd“ Sponsoring Contracts in Carinthia
Former managers of the German regional bank are under suspicion of having bribed then-governor of the Austrian province of Carinthia.
March 31, 2014
Austria: VBAG Downgraded to Junk Status
Moody´s has lowered VBAG´s rating. According to the rating agency, the partly nationalized Austrian bank has no investment grade anymore.
March 29, 2014
Poland: PZU to Takeover Healthcare Companies
Polish insurance group PZU is considering the acquisition of two healthcare enterprises.
March 18, 2014
Austria: DiTech to be Taken Over by Investor
Insolvent computer equipment trader DiTech is supposed to be taken over by a German investor with Polish roots.
March 13, 2014
Poland: Rabobank Polska Gives up BGZ
Dutch financial institute Rabobank wants to get rid of BGZ.
March 6, 2014
VBAG to be completely Nationalized?
According to experts, VBAG is the only Austrian bank which will not pass the stress test. In this case, there are only two alternatives: liquidation or full nationalization.
March 6, 2014
VBAG to Sell Romanian Subsidiary
The Austrian partly nationalized VBAG has started the sale of the loss-making Romanian affiliate.
March 5, 2014
Raiffeisen Bank International Postpones Sale of Ukrainian Affiliate
Due to the extremely tense situation in Ukraine, the second-largest lender in CESEE (Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe) has stopped the sale of Aval Bank.
March 3, 2014
Hypo Group: Five Potential Buyers for CESEE Affiliates
Alexander Picker, CEO of the nationalized bank Hypo Group Alpe Adria, is optimistic that the affiliates in the Western Balkan countries may be sold until the end of 2014.
March 1, 2014
Poland: PKO BP Takes over Nordea’s Insurance Division
Polish financial market regulator KNF has finally approved the takeover of life insurance company Nordea TUnZ by PKO BP.
February 27, 2014
Hypo Group: Nowotny to Replace Liebscher
After Liebscher, head of Hypo Group’s task force, announced throwing in the towel Nowotny, Governor of the Austrian National Bank (OeNB), will become his successor.
February 22, 2014
Austria: Investment Banker Part of Hypo’s Expert Group
A former investment banker is supposed to support Austrian government in the Hypo Group issue.
February 21, 2014
Hypo Österreich = Austrian Anadi Bank
Hypo Österreich will be renamed to “Austrian Anadi Bank”.
February 20, 2014
Polish PKO BP Tapping into Swedish Leasing Market
Major Polish lender PKO BP has opened a branch of its leasing unit in Sweden.
February 20, 2014
Bawag: Losses for Cerberus Running into Billions
There are persistent rumors that the U.S. investor may leave the Austrian bank. For Cerberus, Bawag is a disaster.
February 11, 2014
Sale of Bad Assets: UniCredit Under Pressure
The parent company of Bank Austria, the Italian lender UniCredit, wants to sell its risky assets as soon as possible. Insiders report that UniCredit wants to sell its “bad bank”.
February 8, 2014 · Updated: February 8, 2014; 14:12
FHB Bank Acquires Stake in Takarek Bank
The largest Hungarian mortgage bank becomes a core shareholder of the Hungarian savings bank Takarek Bank. Takarekbank is an umbrella bank for the Hungarian savings bank sector.
February 7, 2014
Raiffeisen Bank International: Moody´s Downgrades Ukrainian Subsidiary
Due to the political instability, the U.S. rating agency lowers the rating of Aval Bank, the Ukrainian affiliate of Austrian RBI (Raiffeisen Bank International).
February 5, 2014
Santander on Circulated Sales Talks: „No Comment“
As reported by Vindobona, Spanish Banco Santander is said to be interest in taking over the fifth largest Austrian lender Bawag. Bawag´s management remains silent on this matter.
February 4, 2014
„Hungary and Austria Must not Become Enemies“
Ewald Nowotny, governor of the Austrian National Bank (OeNB) wants a solution between the Hungarian government and the Austrian banking sector.
February 4, 2014
OTP: Takeover of Croatian Banco Popolare Fixed
On Friday Hungarian OTP signed a deal to take over Croatian affiliate of Italian Banco Popolare.
January 31, 2014
Croatia: Hungarian OTP to Acquire Banco Popolare Croatia
OTP will, according to media reports, take over Banco Popolare Croatia which has a market share of only 0.56 percent.
January 21, 2014
„Hungarian Economy Must be Rearranged“
István Töröcskei thinks that the Hungarian banking sector is highly interesting. In general, the financial sector must help to develop the Hungarian economy, Töröcskei argues.
January 18, 2014
BayernLB Bought Hypo Group Alpe Adria above Value
Apparently former member of BayernLB’s supervisory board acquired Hypo Group Alpe Adria above its value.
January 16, 2014
Raiffeisen Bank International Moves Up a Gear
The second-largest lender in CESEE is in a hurry. According to the news provider Bloomberg, the capital increase may take place in the next few weeks.
January 14, 2014
Bank Austria Declines Selling Plans in Ukraine
CEO of Bank Austria, Gianni Franco Papa, rejects rumors about Bank Austria intending to leave the Ukraine.
January 14, 2014
RBI: Capital Increase Because of Unsuccessful Partner Search
For Raiffeisen Bank International, the capital increase is nothing else but an emergency solution. The main loser is RBI´s core shareholder, the Austrian Raiffeisen Zentralbank.
January 10, 2014
RBI: No Withdrawal from Hungary
Due to massive losses, the second-largest lender in CESEE was said to leave the difficult Hungarian market. RBI denies such reports.
January 8, 2014
Hungary: SZKB to Take over Hungarian RBI?
Hungarian Economy Minister Mihaly Varga considers it unlikely for Szecheny Commercial Bank (SZKB) to take over the Hungarian affiliate of Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI).
January 8, 2014
Growing Evidence for RBI’s Withdrawal from Hungary
According to media reports, Hungarian partly nationalized Szechenyi Commercial Bank has placed an offer for the take-over of RBI’s Hungarian affiliate.
January 7, 2014
Hungary: Erste Group Confident
The third-largest lender in CESEE underlined that the Hungarian subsidiary will not be sold. The Austrian bank is confident to reach the turnaround soon.
January 6, 2014
First Offer for RBI´s Hungarian Subsidiary
The partly nationalized Hungarian lender Szechenyi Bank is interested in the Hungarian subsidiaries of the Austrian banks Erste Group and Raiffeisen Bank International.
January 6, 2014
Hypo Group: Fatal Errors of Austrian National Bank
Before Hypo Group Alpe Adria was nationalized in late 2009, the Austrian National Bank (OeNB) has misjudged the situation of the problem bank completely. The Austrian government demonstrates its incompetence once again.
December 30, 2013
AXA Leaves Hungary
Austrian Vienna Insurance Group takes over 100% of AXA Hungary.
December 27, 2013
VIG: Sale of Bulgarian Affiliate Failed
Vienna Insurance Group has to find a new buyer for the Bulgarian pension fund Doverie. United Capital, the potential buyer of Doverie has lost its bank license.
December 16, 2013
Croatia: Privatization of HPB Fails
The privatization of the Croat Postal Bank (HPB) has failed for the time being. For the potential buyers, HPB is too risky.
December 13, 2013
OTP Interested in MKB
Sandor Csanyi, CEO of the largest Hungrian lender OTP, considers taking over the rival MKB.
December 9, 2013
Sale of Hypo Group: Small Number of Potential Buyers
In 2014, Hypo Group´s assets will be sold. It is not certain whether there will be a bad bank or not. Even a bankruptcy is not completely excluded.
December 7, 2013
Poland: BGZ Bank Taken Over by BNP Paribas
Polish BGZ Bank will be taken over by French BNP Paribas for a selling price of around € 1bn.
December 5, 2013
Raiffeisen Bank International Negotiates with Alfa Bank
Vienna-listed RBI wants to leave Ukraine. RBI´s subsidiary Bank Aval may be sold to Alfa Bank.
November 30, 2013