"Delta" ready for negotiations about procurement of stocks of "Mercator" – US fund to additionally capitalize “Delta” with 300m EUR?

- "Delta holding" is ready to talk about all the options for procurement of stocks of Slovenian market chain "Mercator" – people from that Serbian company told Beta agency today (March 17, 2009).

As they explained, “Delta” is interested in takeover of the package of stocks of "Mercator", which it confirmed by submitting non-obligatory bid for 48% of capital of the Slovenian trade company.

In the meantime, the stockholders of "Mercator" have announced the possibility of offering minor package of stocks for sale.

People in "Delta holding" did not want to talk about the information announced by Slovenian newspaper "Večer" that the Serbian company would buy 25% of stocks of "Mercator" from Brewer Laško in May.

According to the Maribor’s newspaper, "Delta" should get the funds for procurement of 25% of “Mercator” and another chain in one of the neighboring countries by letting one of the largest US investment funds enter the ownership structure of the Serbian company.

That fund, of which name has not been revealed yet, should additionally capitalize “Delta” with 300m EUR, which would also give it the ownership share in the largest private company in Serbia, of which owner is Miroslav Mišković.

According to Slovenian press, non-obligatory bids for procurement of 48% of stocks of "Mercator" from majority owners of Brewer Laško and Infond Holding had been submitted by 10 to 15 buyers prior to the deadline, which expired on February 2nd.