(Bloomberg) -- Shares in Royal Mail-owner International Distribution Services Plc rose to a two-and-a-half year high, moving toward a price offered by Daniel Kretinsky’s EP Group on speculation that the Czech billionaire will complete a takeover.
IDS gained as much as 2.3%, to the highest since April 2022, after BBC News reported the UK government was satisfied that the West Ham United football club investor was a suitable owner. Bloomberg has contacted the UK government for comment.
The shares hit a high of 361.20 pence on Thursday, about 2% below the offer, which is worth 368 pence a share when factoring in IDS’s recent 2 pence dividend payment. The stock has traded below the offer price since the £3.6 billion ($4.6 billion) takeover was agreed in May given the risk the UK could halt the deal.
That was a view held by Panmure Liberum’s Gerald Khoo, who has a 200-pence price target and recommends clients sell the shares.
“Clearly, the risks of our view proving wrong have increased,” Khoo said in a note to clients on Thursday.
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