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

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

Sberbank: Lawsuit Against VBAG

The largest Russian banking group has filed a lawsuit against Austrian VBAG at the International Court of Arbitration.

November 29, 2013

VIG and Bulgaria Are Causing Headache Each Other

The Austrian insurance group VIG has sold the Bulgarian pension fund to an unknown investor. Bulgaria´s government wants to reverse the sale.

November 21, 2013

PKO to Take over Nordea Bank Polska

The biggest Polish Bank PKO Bank Polski will submit an offer to the minority shareholder of Nordea Bank Polska

November 19, 2013

Triglav: No Expansion in Croatia

The biggest Slovenian insurance company planned to increase its stake in Croatia Osiguranje. Croatia´s government rejected Triglav´s offer.

November 11, 2013

BNP Shows Interest in Taking Over Polish BGZ

In the race for the Polish lender BGZ, the biggest French bank BNP Paribas enters the stage.

November 8, 2013

Bawag Faces Radical Job Cuts

The Austrian bank implements fierce austerity measures. About a fifth of the jobs may be cut.

November 5, 2013

BGZ: Santander Aims to Expand into Poland

In order to complete its local affiliate Bank Zachodni WBK, Spanish Santander intends to take over the Polish lender BGZ.

October 29, 2013