French stock market drops after election surprise; Britvic agrees to improved Carlsberg offer – business live

Shares in pub company Marston’s have surged by 20% after it agreed for Carlsberg to buy out its part of a brewing joint venture for £206m.

The deal means that Marston’s will abandon its roots as a brewer – previously known as Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries – stretching back to 1875. Carlsberg will take complete control of ales including Hobgoblin, Brakspear, Pedigree and Wainwright.

Marston’s first gave up 60% of the brewing business to Carlsberg in 2020, part of a broader consolidation in the brewing industry that saw the biggest brewers take over smaller companies.

The latest deal, a buyout of the remaining 40% of the joint venture, means Marston’s will be left running its estate of about 1,370 pubs. The pubs are mainly located in suburbs around the UK.

Marston’s said the deal would cut its annual interest bill by £18m.

Justin Platt, Marston’s chief executive, said:

Our core capability and key opportunity to unlock value for shareholders is in driving a focused and successful pub business.

This deal further strengthens our balance sheet, significantly reducing our debt by over £200m. In addition, CMBC remain valued strategic partners and we continue to benefit from our ongoing long-term brand distribution agreement with them. Crucially, it allows us to become a pure play hospitality business and focus on what we do best – namely, giving our guests amazing pub experiences.

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France’s left-wing coalition came first in the second round of its parliamentary election in a shock result that keeps the far-right out of power. Investors are bracing for uncertainty as they wait to see whether the left can work with President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist Together alliance.

France’s benchmark stock index, the Cac 40, dropped by 0.5% in the opening trades on Monday morning.

The euro dipped as currency markets opened on Sunday evening, dropping as low as $1.08 against the US dollar. However, it recovered most of its losses on Monday morning as investors weighted up the prospect of a period of political gridlock as the left-wing New Popular Front tries to work with Together.

France’s Cac 40 stock market index was due to drop by 0.6% when stock markets open on Monday morning.

Holger Schmieding, an economist at Berenberg, an investment bank, said the election would spell the end for Macron’s investor-friendly reforms. He said:

The political forces that joined forces to prevent an RN government have little else in common. Their views on migration, social and cultural issues, fiscal policy and the need for pro-growth reforms are often diametrically opposed. Forming a government will not be easy. Times are tough, emotions are running high – and France has no tradition of forging coalitions between parties of very different political persuasions.

Britvic agrees to sweetened Carlsberg offer

On UK stock markets, FTSE 250 drinks maker Britvic has agreed to a takeover by Danish brewer Carlsberg after a sweetened deal valued the Fruit Shoot maker at £3.3bn.

Britvic shareholders will be entitled to receive £13.15 per share, versus a close of £12.10 on Friday and 36% above the £9.70 price on 19 June, when news of the takeover got out.

The company, which also makes the J2O juice drink and Robinson’s squash, had initially rejected a £3.1bn offer on 21 June.

Britvic’s directors will unanimously vote in favour of the acquisition, the company said on Monday morning in a statement to the stock market. It will be only the latest in a series of foreign takeovers of prominent British companies.

Carlsberg’s executives and bankers have been busy: they have also bought out the share of UK company Marston’s in a brewery joint venture. More details of that deal to come.