Since the end of September, the Persson family has been steadily increasing their stake in H&M, purchasing nearly 19 million shares for approximately 3.1 billion SEK. This move has solidified their position as the largest shareholder in the fashion giant, with almost 994 million shares now under their control, valued at over 155 billion SEK. This represents a whopping 61.70% of the capital and 81.64% of the voting rights within the company.
Many analysts have been speculating about the possibility of a potential buyout, with some dubbing it the “world’s slowest takeover.” Both Carnegie’s fund manager, Simon Blecher, and ABG analyst, Fredrik Ivarsson, believe that a buyout from the stock exchange could happen in the next five to six years.
Ivarsson stated in September, “If H&M’s stock price continues to rise in line with earnings growth, and the pace of acquisitions is maintained, the Persson family could reach around 90% of the share capital by around 2030.”
The table below outlines the Persson family’s significant stock purchases in H&M over the years:
– 2010: 1,504,483,318 SEK
– 2011: 3,057,748,628 SEK
– 2016: 3,595,528,130 SEK
– 2017: 18,590,701,470 SEK
– 2018: 11,158,512,670 SEK
– 2019: 3,332,868,495 SEK
– 2020: 4,195,385,535 SEK
– 2021: 3,300,395,368 SEK
– 2022: 5,769,463,043 SEK
– 2023: 8,056,514,257 SEK
– 2024: 8,838,048,456 SEK
The Persson family’s strategic accumulation of H&M shares has positioned them as key players in the company’s future trajectory. With their continued investment and potential for majority ownership, the fashion industry could see a significant shift in power dynamics over the coming years. Stay tuned as the Persson family’s influence on H&M continues to unfold.