Wargaming, has announced its decision to sell its remaining stake of 6.8% (28,023,767 shares) in Hellenic Bank to Eurobank. The deal is valued at pound 65.9 million, equivalent to pound 2.35 per share. At the same time, provident funds of the directors and senior management of Wargaming have also agreed to sell their entire stake (0.4% or 1,686,245 shares) in Hellenic Bank shares to Eurobank for pound 4.0 million (pound 2.35 per share) on the same terms. The sale agreements are subject to Eurobank obtaining the relevant regulatory approvals and will only be completed once the approvals are granted. Until then, Wargaming and the provident funds shall continue having the full legal and beneficial ownership of the shares together with all rights attached thereto. ‘The goal of Wargaming’s investment in Hellenic Bank was to support the Cyprus economy and make the lender more robust – a goal that has been fully achieved. Eurobank is a credible counterparty and not an opportunistic investor, that can add value to Hellenic, hence Wargaming’s decision to sell its investment to Eurobank,’ says the company’s press release. Wargaming’s investment in Hellenic Bank totalled pound 127 million. The company took part in the bank’s share capital increase in 2013, amidst the then Cypriot banking and economic crisis, with Hellenic Bank being the only Cypriot bank that adequately covered its private sector capital needs during the crisis, without requiring state aid or a haircut on deposits. Wargaming has participated in all share capital increases of the bank over the past decade.
Source: Cyprus News Agency