The trio of businessmen Xavier Niel (Free), Matthieu Pigasse and Moez-Alexandre Zouari have presented an offer of one billion euros to raise the capital of the struggling distributor Casino, AFP learned from sources on Tuesday. close to the file, who confirm information from the media Challenges. In this investment, 300 million euros will be invested directly by the “3F” investment vehicle of the three businessmen and founders of Teract, details Challenges, the accuracy of which was confirmed to AFP by a source close to the case.
The rest will come “likely from other Casino investors, shareholders and creditors,” according to the Challenges article. Contacted by AFP, the Casino group declined to comment. On June 8, the three founders of the Teract distribution group had already indicated that they were working “to bring out a lasting industrial and financial solution for the Casino group”.
In a press release, they then explained that they wanted “a strengthening of the Casino group’s equity and, to the extent necessary, an adaptation of the existing debt to the group’s capacities and the preservation of its growth potential. »
Mutual agreement procedure
Casino is currently in conciliation proceedings for a period of four months in order to renegotiate its debt of 6.4 billion euros for Casino and around 3 billion for its parent company Rallye. This amicable procedure, which leaves the management of the group in charge (unlike a situation of receivership for example), should make it possible to conclude an agreement with the creditors with a view to restructuring the debt.
The mark of interest filed by the trio Niel, Pigasse, Zouari (a major franchisee of the Casino group) competes with the Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky, who intends to take control of Casino and who had proposed to certain creditors to draw a line under debt in exchange for either cash or equity or both. And this, up to approximately 40% of receivables.