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Prague-based Vesa Equity Investment has announced the acquisition of a 3.05 pct share in British supermarket chain Sainsbury’s, becoming its fourth largest shareholder.
Sainsbury’s is the second largest chain of supermarkets in the UK and employs more than 171,000 people.
The food retail distribution segment has been one of the key areas of interest for Vesa Equity Investment. We view Sainsbury’s as an attractive investment opportunity for the long-run even against the backdrop of the highly competitive UK grocery market.
Branislav Miškovič, the investment director of Vesa Equity Investment
Last year Vesa started buying shares in Casino Guichard-Perrachon (the owner of the Géant hypermarket chain, among others) and now owns a 5.24 pct stake in the group. In May 2020 it started buying into UK postal service Royal Mail and is now its largest shareholder with 13.1 pct, as well American retail chain Macy’s (since divested).
Vesa is owned by Czech investor Patrik Tkáč (47 pct), the co-founder and vice-president of J&T Finance Group, and Slovakian investor Daniel Křetínský (53 pct), the owner of EPH (the largest energy group in Central Europe) and the co-owner with J&T of Sparta Prague football club. The two men also own EP Global Commerce, which owns a 29.99 pct stake in German retail group Metro. On September 13th, EPGC launched a EUR 3.1 bln takeover bid for Metro.
