(Reuters) -Asian private equity firm FountainVest has struck a deal with the main shareholder of EuroGroup Laminations to buy a major stake in the Italian electric motor component maker, with a view to eventually taking it private.
The two investors said on Monday that EMS Euro Management Services had agreed to sell its 45.7% stake in EuroGroup Laminations to an investment vehicle owned by FountainVest for 3.85 euros per share, a 64% premium to Friday’s closing price.
EMS would then reinvest 50% of the proceeds from the sale into a new holding company set up with FountainVest to own EuroGroup Laminations.
The investors said FountainVest had also struck a deal to buy Tikehau Capital’s 7.9% stake in EuroGroup Laminations for the same price, meaning that at the closure of the deal – expected in the first half of 2026 – the new holding would own 55.3% of the voting share capital in EuroGroup Laminations.
It will then launch a tender offer for the rest of EuroGroup Laminations shares at 3.85 euros, valuing the company at 626 million euros ($730 million), with a view to delisting it from Euronext Milan.
At 1010 GMT, EuroGroup Laminations shares were up almost 54% at 3.58 euros.
FountainVest managing director and head of Europe Florian Almeling said the deal would support EuroGroup Laminations’ global growth, “while delivering highly differentiated growth opportunities in Asia and other attractive global markets.”
EuroGroup Laminations specialises in stators and rotors, two core components of electric motors and generators and has eight plants in Italy and seven abroad, including in China and the United States.
As part of the deal, EuroGroup Laminations CEO Marco Arduini and other top executives will be confirmed in their roles, the two investors said in a statement.
($1 = 0.8565 euros)
(Reporting by Laura Contemori. Editing by Alvise Armellini and Mark Potter)
