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Sources say that Thyssenkrupp will consider spin-off of materials unit at summer shareholder meeting.

Two people familiar with the matter said that Thyssenkrupp may hold an extraordinary general meeting in the summer, to allow investors to vote on a possible spin-off of its materials trading division MX. The discussions?underscore Miguel Lopez's attempts to continue with the company overhaul to a holding company, despite recent setbacks after talks to sell Thyssenkrupp Steel to Jindal Steel failed.

Sources said that Thyssenkrupp's supervisory board, which is meeting on Wednesday, could decide to send official invitations to shareholders in the next month. This would mean an EGM might take place at the end of July or beginning of August.

The people who spoke to me said that no?firm decisions had been made, and the timeline could change.

MX, which employs over?15,000 employees and represents more than one-third of the?Thyssenkrupp sales, saw its adjusted operating 'profit? nearly triple in the second quarter to EUR81million ($94million) for a margin 2.6%.

MX's revenues for the quarter rose by 5%, to EUR3.19billion. In February, sources had said that MX’s performance in the second quarter would determine the division’s readiness to enter the capital market. They added that a spin-off could happen as early as this year.

Thyssenkrupp stated that it was "confident" MX would be successful on the capital markets, even in a challenging environment. They declined to comment about the timing.

The plans to separate MX are a response to the increasing consolidation of?the materials industry. Worthington Steel, a U.S. company, recently acquired smaller German 'rival Kloeckner & Co after combining Ryerson & Olympic Steel.

Thyssenkrupp has already spun off or listed its marine and hydrogen divisions under Lopez in an effort to simplify the conglomerate, which makes everything from autoparts to cement plants.

(source: Reuters)