Li Ka-shing’s CK Hutchison calls off Italian telecoms joint venture with Sweden’s EQT
- ‘Conditions precedent to closing of the transaction were not satisfied,’ CK Hutchison says in filing to Hong Kong stock exchange
- The deal, which was announced last May, had set an enterprise value for the joint venture of US$3.7 billion
The Hong Kong conglomerate had planned to transfer its network equipment and wholesale mobile and fixed communications services business in its Italian mobile business Wind Tre to EQT Infrastructure.
However, the deal fell through as “the conditions precedent to closing of the deal were not satisfied,” CK Hutchison said in a filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange on Tuesday evening.
The two parties had previously agreed to extend finalising the deal in November.
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Announced last May, the deal envisaged EQT taking a 60 per cent stake in Wind Tre’s newly created network venture, comprising radio antennas, base stations and associated contracts. The deal had set an enterprise value for the joint venture company of €3.4 billion (US$3.7 billion).
EQT also confirmed the decision to scrap the deal.
The company “will continue to explore alternative infrastructure transactions, including with CK Hutchison should the appropriate opportunity arise,” EQT said in a statement.
