* Kleins swapped Casas Bahia for 47 pct of Via Varejo unit
* Lawyer says audit reveals possible issue with swap ratio
Oct 15 (Reuters) - A minority partner in Pao de
Acucar's home appliance and online retail unit has
found possible problems with the terms of the 2010 merger that
helped turn the company into Brazil's biggest retailer and may
seek arbitration to settle the matter.
A lawyer for the Klein family, which founded the Casas Bahia
chain before merging it with Pao de Acucar's operations for a 47
percent stake in the unit now known as Via Varejo, said audits
have uncovered possible issues with the terms of the 2010 deal.
"If confirmed, it may have relevance in the exchange ratio
that was used," lawyer Ivo Waisberg told Reuters.
The legal maneuvering highlights lingering tensions between
the retailer's biggest shareholders. Their simmering distrust
threatened to break up the group earlier this year, before
Chairman Abilio Diniz handed control over to French retailer
Casino in June.
Waisberg said the Klein family had given Pao de Acucar 30
days to negotiate before going to arbitration. Representatives
for the retailer declined to comment.
Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/16/paodeacucar-viavarejo-idUSL1E8LG06W20121016
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