2011 March 7
LVMH Buys Controlling Share in Bulgari
(NEW YORK) LVMH has added Bulgari to its glittering spate of high-end jewelry brands, in a deal worth a reported 3.7 billion euros. As part of the notably peaceful negotations, LVMH is set to purchase the Bulgari family’s controlling 50.4 percent stake in Bulgari S.p.A, in exchange for 16.5 million LVMH shares. For the 127-year-old Italian jewelry house, the big-ticket swap of shares also involves two seats on LVMH's board and a plum role as the second-largest family shareholder in the powerhouse luxury conglomerate, which owns more than 60 brands running the gamut of pedigreed names from couture to champagne. Francesco Trapani, Bulgari's chief executive officer, is slated for a senior role at LVMH as a result of the deal. Since this morning's announcement, Bulgari's stock price for the remaining shares, offered as part of a tender offer by LVMH, spiked 59 percent, to 12.10 euros per share.
Bulgari traces its roots back to 19th century Greece, when company founder Sotirio Boulgaris opened a metalsmith's shop on the island of Corfu with his parents before relocating to Rome in 1870 and romanized the family name to its current spelling in 1880. The brand's ethos shifted from silver to upscale, precious stones in 1905, and the second generation assumed leadership of the company in 1932. After reflecting Parisian jewelry trends such as Art Deco design until the 1960s, Bulgari developed a distinct style recognized by hallmarks such as smooth, domed cabochon cut trumping the classic faceted diamondwork. The brand then designed an influx of watches in the 1970s, followed by slow times in the next decade and a veritable comeback in the '90s via expansion including a lucrative and constantly multiplying foray in the fragrance realm. In 1995, Bulgari S.p.A. went public in the Milan market.
The latest chapter in Bulgari's history of its acquisition by LVMH unfolds on the success of the company's revenue of approximately one billion euros in 2010, up 15 percent from the prior year. LVMH chief executive officer Bernard Arnault, known for his formidable businss prowess and bargaining tactics, considers the Bulgari clan to be "entrepreneurs that know and excel in all aspects of the business."
ALEXANDRA ILYASHOV
Bulgari traces its roots back to 19th century Greece, when company founder Sotirio Boulgaris opened a metalsmith's shop on the island of Corfu with his parents before relocating to Rome in 1870 and romanized the family name to its current spelling in 1880. The brand's ethos shifted from silver to upscale, precious stones in 1905, and the second generation assumed leadership of the company in 1932. After reflecting Parisian jewelry trends such as Art Deco design until the 1960s, Bulgari developed a distinct style recognized by hallmarks such as smooth, domed cabochon cut trumping the classic faceted diamondwork. The brand then designed an influx of watches in the 1970s, followed by slow times in the next decade and a veritable comeback in the '90s via expansion including a lucrative and constantly multiplying foray in the fragrance realm. In 1995, Bulgari S.p.A. went public in the Milan market.
The latest chapter in Bulgari's history of its acquisition by LVMH unfolds on the success of the company's revenue of approximately one billion euros in 2010, up 15 percent from the prior year. LVMH chief executive officer Bernard Arnault, known for his formidable businss prowess and bargaining tactics, considers the Bulgari clan to be "entrepreneurs that know and excel in all aspects of the business."
ALEXANDRA ILYASHOV
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