Deutsche Bank Unit Ups Stake in Ceske Radio, Antenna Hungaria to Privatize

Michael Hedges September 23, 2004

Eastern European transmission service operators are attracting investors attention. Deutsche Bank unit Bivideon increased its stake in the Czech telecom. Reports say Antenna Hungaria will be privatized by the end of the year.

The Czech SPAD exchange ceased trading Ceske Radio stock 23 September, as expected, and will no longer include the stock in its PX-D index calculation. The company was frist traded publically in 1998.

Bivideon, a whole owned unit of Deutsche Bank, announced September 10 the purchase of an additional 22.3% share of Ceske Radiokomunikace, bringing its ownership to 94.2%.

Ceske Radio provides transmission facilities and services for Czech radio, television and mobile telephony. It was privatized in 2001. Bivideon is wholly owned by Czechvalue Investments Ltd., which is wholly owned by Deutsche Bank. Deutsche Banks interest is likely based on the 39% stake Ceske Radio owns in Czech mobile telephone operator T-Mobile.

The Budapest Business Journal reported Monday (13 September) the likely privatization of state-owned Antenna Hungaria, which also provides transmission facilities to broadcasters and holds a minority stake in Vodaphone Hungaria.

According to the article, the Hungarian government favors selling Antenna Hungaria to a private investor rather than offering the share on the public exchange. Vodaphone is one likely buyer. Ceske Radio expressed interested in buying the company in July. The state privatization agency is expected to launch the sale in April and a decision on the method is expected within a few weeks.

September 8 Antenna Hungaria was returned to the BUX index of the Budapest Stock Exchange. It had been dropped from in April after failing an inclusion review for the third time.