Italian postal services giant, Poste Italiane, has solidified its position as the largest single shareholder in TIM after acquiring a 15% stake from French media conglomerate, Vivendi.
The deal, worth EUR 684 million, follows Poste Italiane’s earlier purchase of a 9.81% stake from state-owned lender, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP), signaling a new era for Italy’s leading telecom provider.
Once regulatory approvals are secured, Poste Italiane will control 24.81% of TIM’s ordinary shares and 17.81% of its total share capital. Vivendi’s stake will be reduced to 2.51% of ordinary shares and 1.8% of total share capital.
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Poste Italiane has positioned the acquisition as a long-term strategic investment, emphasizing its commitment to fostering synergies between the two companies and contributing to Italy’s telecom market consolidation.
“The transaction represents for Poste Italiane an investment of a strategic nature, carried out with the aim of playing a role as a long-term industrial shareholder, which can favor the creation of synergies between Poste Italiane and TIM, as well as bring added value for all stakeholders, as well as promoting the consolidation of the telecommunications market in Italy,” the company said in a statement.
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Vivendi’s decision to exit TIM has been long anticipated. The French conglomerate had recently reduced its stake below 20%, aligning with its objective to sell its holdings under favorable financial conditions. Market speculation had suggested that Poste Italiane was the leading contender for acquiring Vivendi’s shares, a prediction that has now come to fruition.
As TIM enters this new phase, industry observers will be watching closely to see how Poste Italiane navigates its role as the company’s most influential shareholder—and whether further market shifts lie ahead.
