News wire — Brazilian utility giant Eletrobras has filed for a secondary sale of up to 130 million preferred shares it owns in power transmission firm Isa Cteep, it said in a securities filing on Friday.
Eletrobras, which currently owns 35.74% of Isa Cteep, said the operation would initially comprise 60 million shares but might be increased to as many as 130 million depending on demand.
The move is in line with Eletrobras’ plans to simplify its portfolio and sell minority, non-core stakes in other companies. Last year, it launched a bid to sell its stake in Cteep but ended up withdrawing it.
It was able to resume the process this year after getting a waiver from bondholders.
The transaction could total more than 3.5 billion reais ($645.02 million), taking into account Isa Cteep’s closing price of 27.10 reais per share on Thursday, if the issue is fully sold.
The share offering is being managed by Citigroup, Itau BBA and XP, Eletrobras said, with pricing expected on July 18.
Isa Cteep executives have previously said a share sale by Eletrobras would be welcomed, as it would tend to bump up the price of the company’s shares and allow for more liquidity.
($1 = 5.4262 reais)
Reporting by Leticia Fucuchima, Paula Arend Laier and Luana Maria Benedito; Editing by Gabriel Araujo and Helen Popper – Reuters
