By Elvira Pollina
MILAN (Reuters) – MFE-MediaForEurope, the TV group controlled by Italy’s Berlusconi family, expects any potential tie-up with German rival ProSiebenSat.1 to add more than 200 million euros ($217 million) a year to operating profit, a source with knowledge of the matter said.
MFE is the single-biggest investor in ProSieben with a near 30% stake it started building in 2019 as part of plans to create a pan-European TV platform.
MFE included the 200 million euro estimate in plans discussed late last year and in early 2024 with lenders interested in financing a potential ProSieben bid worth up to 4 billion euros, the source said.
The size of the benefits would need updating if MFE decided to move ahead with an offer, but the figure shows the rationale behind a potential transaction.
MFE and ProSieben declined to comment.
Earlier this year, MFE stopped short of going ahead with a bid and sought to promote a spin-off of ProSieben’s online dating and e-commerce assets.
MFE’s near 30% holding in ProSieben is just below the threshold that would trigger a mandatory buyout offer under German rules.
Based on MFE’s calculations, the full benefits of a potential ProSieben tie-up could be achieved over four years provided that MFE owns 75% of ProSiebenSat, the source told Reuters on condition of anonymity as the information is confidential.
MFE is likely to wait for ProSieben’s full-year earnings in March to factor any progress by the German group on the planned disposal of its digital assets and its performance before deciding on its next steps, the source and another person familiar with the situation said.
Under another scenario MFE is evaluating, the Milan-listed group could put forward alternative candidates for ProSieben’s supervisory board seats that will be renewed at the German company’s annual shareholder meeting next year, including the chairman, the first source said.
This would give MFE more say in ProSieben’s decision on whether to renew the contract of CEO Bert Habets, which expires in November 2025, the first person added.
The 200 million euros created by the potential tie-up with the German media group would come from lower costs and higher revenue linked to the introduction of a centralised platform for advertising sales, the source said.
MFE’s deal with its Spanish TV business completed last year is estimated to produce benefits of about 55 million euros a year.
($1 = 0.9203 euros)
(Reporting by Elvira Pollina in Milan, and Klaus Lauer in Berlin, editing by Valentina Za and Jane Merriman)
