SalMar on Wednesday said it has received additional pre-acceptances for its offer to acquire NTS, pushing the number to more than 50 percent of the shares and giving it control of the group in the lengthy takeover battle.
The Norwegian salmon farming giant submitted a bid to acquire NTS for NOK 120 (€11.90/$13.50) per share, on Feb. 14, valuing NTS at around NOK 15.1 billion (€1.5 billion/$1.7 billion).
At the time of that offer, SalMar had already received advance acceptances of 23.6 percent of the shares.
On Wednesday, investors Nils Williksen, TerBoLi Invest and Rodo Invest, which together own around 26.5 percent of the outstanding shares in NTS, accepted SalMar's offer.
The acceptance of the offer gives SalMar commitments around 50.1 percent of the shares.
Nils Martin Williksen said SalMar's offer "represents a very good industrial solution," adding that it would also be a benefit the local communities where NTS operates.
Terje Bondo, who owns TerBoLi Invest, hailed Salmar's track record for local development and profitability.
"We are confident that they will be a good partner to further develop this in a good way, and secure life on the quayside and lights in the homes."
