European Event-Driven Analyst

Jesus Rodriguez Aguilar

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>PPF exits the stage: With 15.7% of ProSieben shares tendered into MFE’s bid, PPF has abandoned its rival ambitions, leaving MFE unopposed and on track for outright majority control.</li>
<li>Arbitrage window closed: ProSieben now trades precisely in line with MFE’s implied offer value. The spread is exhausted, signalling that the classic risk arb trade has already played out.</li>
<li>Integration is the next test: With majority assured, the spotlight shifts from bid dynamics to synergy execution.</li>
</ul>


PPF exits the stage: With 15.7% of ProSieben shares tendered into MFE’s bid, PPF has abandoned its rival ambitions, leaving MFE unopposed and on track for outright majority control.
Arbitrage window closed: ProSieben now trades precisely in line with MFE’s implied offer value. The spread is exhausted, signalling that the classic risk arb trade has already played out.
Integration is the next test: With majority assured, the spotlight shifts from bid dynamics to synergy execution.


ProSiebenSat 1: PPF Concedes, MFE Majority Secured

<ul>
<li>MFE secured 43.6% of ProSieben; board supports its offer. PPF stalled at 18.4% with expired bid. The arbitrage spread compressed, leaving minimal upside but structural consolidation remains pivotal.</li>
<li>Short-Term arbitrage returns are capped (+0.4% base case), while downside risk persists if blocking dynamics resurface. The medium-term value case depends on synergy delivery, with 18–35% EPS accretion possible.</li>
<li>Key milestones: September 1 end of extended acceptance, September 4 final results. Thereafter, MFE may pursue creeping acquisitions under Germany’s best-price rule, progressively consolidating control and enabling strategic integration.</li>
</ul>


MFE secured 43.6% of ProSieben; board supports its offer. PPF stalled at 18.4% with expired bid. The arbitrage spread compressed, leaving minimal upside but structural consolidation remains pivotal.
Short-Term arbitrage returns are capped (+0.4% base case), while downside risk persists if blocking dynamics resurface. The medium-term value case depends on synergy delivery, with 18–35% EPS accretion possible.
Key milestones: September 1 end of extended acceptance, September 4 final results. Thereafter, MFE may pursue creeping acquisitions under Germany’s best-price rule, progressively consolidating control and enabling strategic integration.


MFE-ProSieben: Spread Closed, Control Still in Play

<ul>
<li>MFE: A versus B discount widened to 32.2%. ProSiebenSat.1 tender issues new A shares, lifting A voting share from 12.64% toward ~19% at full take-up, supporting medium-term convergence.</li>
<li>Handelsbanken: B shares trade at a 62% premium despite far lower votes (ratio 55.17) and liquidity; history suggests mean reversion—bias long A / short B.</li>
<li>Telecom Italia: savings premium 11.4%. Three years of unpaid €0.0275 dividends (€0.0825 arrears). Payouts guided from 2026; Poste Italiane now largest shareholder, reinforcing governance stability.</li>
</ul>


MFE: A versus B discount widened to 32.2%. ProSiebenSat.1 tender issues new A shares, lifting A voting share from 12.64% toward ~19% at full take-up, supporting medium-term convergence.
Handelsbanken: B shares trade at a 62% premium despite far lower votes (ratio 55.17) and liquidity; history suggests mean reversion—bias long A / short B.
Telecom Italia: savings premium 11.4%. Three years of unpaid €0.0275 dividends (€0.0825 arrears). Payouts guided from 2026; Poste Italiane now largest shareholder, reinforcing governance stability.


Liquid Universe of European Ordinary and Preferred Shares: August '25 Report

<ul>
<li>MFE raised its offer to €7.88 implied, tightening the spread to just +1.15%; new long entries now face skewed downside risk without a second bump or strategic surprise.</li>
<li>Legacy holders from €5.80–7.00 have captured meaningful gains; with the August 13 deadline approaching, using MFE-A hedges or call structures preserves upside while limiting exposure.</li>
<li>MFE-A borrow remains accessible (~0.75%), making short hedges viable; paired with call options, this offers capital-efficient exposure to upside while mitigating equity volatility in a tight spread setup.</li>
</ul>


MFE raised its offer to €7.88 implied, tightening the spread to just +1.15%; new long entries now face skewed downside risk without a second bump or strategic surprise.
Legacy holders from €5.80–7.00 have captured meaningful gains; with the August 13 deadline approaching, using MFE-A hedges or call structures preserves upside while limiting exposure.
MFE-A borrow remains accessible (~0.75%), making short hedges viable; paired with call options, this offers capital-efficient exposure to upside while mitigating equity volatility in a tight spread setup.


ProSiebenSat.1: MFE Raises Offer, Reducing Arbitrage Upside and Shifting Risk Profile

<ul>
<li>Since mid-June, share price spreads have generally widened across the European liquid universe of ordinary and preferred shares, with 6 tightening and 13 widening.</li>
<li>The premium of non-voting, less liquid Handelsbanken B shares vs. A has widened to 59.2%; the discount of Grifols B has widened (Brookfield’s approach remains tentative and non-committal).</li>
<li>Recommended trades long preferred/short ords: Atlas Copco, BMW, Grifols, MFE Media-for-Europe. Recommended trades long ordinary / short preferred shares: Handelsbanken, Henkel.</li>
</ul>


Since mid-June, share price spreads have generally widened across the European liquid universe of ordinary and preferred shares, with 6 tightening and 13 widening.
The premium of non-voting, less liquid Handelsbanken B shares vs. A has widened to 59.2%; the discount of Grifols B has widened (Brookfield’s approach remains tentative and non-committal).
Recommended trades long preferred/short ords: Atlas Copco, BMW, Grifols, MFE Media-for-Europe. Recommended trades long ordinary / short preferred shares: Handelsbanken, Henkel.


Liquid Universe of European Ordinary and Preferred Shares: July '25 Report

Italy

MFE-MediaForEurope N.V. is a holding company. The Company, through its subsidiaries, operates television broadcasting, television production, signal broadcasting management, and music production businesses, as well as television stations. MFE-MediaForEurope serves customers in Europe.

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MFE-MediaForEurope (MFEA IM)

ProSiebenSat 1: PPF Concedes, MFE Majority Secured

PPF’s exit clears the way for MFE’s majority control of ProSieben. With the spread gone, the story pivots to integration and synergy capture,...

Jesus Rodriguez Aguilar

MFE-ProSieben: Spread Closed, Control Still in Play

MFE leads ProSieben takeover with 43.6% stake; spread closed, upside minimal. Real value now hinges on integration and €150m synergies, offering...

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Liquid Universe of European Ordinary and Preferred Shares: August '25 Report

Across Europe’s liquid dual-class universe, share-price spreads have mainly tightened. Convergence plays: MFE A/B as A votes rise; TIM savings...

Jesus Rodriguez Aguilar

ProSiebenSat.1: MFE Raises Offer, Reducing Arbitrage Upside and Shifting Risk Profile

MFE’s raised bid lifts offer value to €7.88, but the spread is now tight. Old longs are in the money; new entries face downside risk unless a new...

Jesus Rodriguez Aguilar

Liquid Universe of European Ordinary and Preferred Shares: July '25 Report

Since mid-June, share price spreads have generally widened across the European liquid universe of ordinary and preferred shares, with 6 tightening...

Jesus Rodriguez Aguilar

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)