Agrokor to Buy Mercator in Largest Takeover in Balkans

Agrokor d.d., Croatia’s largest company, reached final agreement to buy a majority of Slovenian rival Mercator Poslovni Sistem, in a deal worth 1.3 billion euros ($1.8 billion), the largest takeover in the Balkans.

Nova Ljubljanska Banka d.d. and Nova Kreditna Banka Maribor d.d., both state-owned, are among 12 Slovenian investors to sell 53 percent in an accord set to close tomorrow, Pivovarna Lasko d.d., the Ljubljana-based company’s largest investor, also state-run, said in a statement. The agreement’s enterprise value includes debts and a rescheduling that comprises a 200 million-euro ($273 million) subordinated loan from Agrokor, Mercator said separately.