The Grifols family is working with Brookfield to explore a takeover bid for the company in an effort to delist it from the stock market.

Family shareholders Grifoli and background Brookfield They are exploring the possibility of launching a joint takeover bid (takeover offer) to acquire the entire equity of the blood products maker and proceed with the delisting of the company from the stock exchange.

In a statement for National Securities Market Commission (CNMV), the company explained this Monday that the board of directors met yesterday in an extraordinary meeting and received a request from family shareholders and Brookfield for access to information necessary to begin the “due diligence” process towards a possible takeover bid.

The Board was advised that the purpose of the operation would be to “delist the company” if the takeover bid was ultimately successful.

The Catalan multinational’s market value is around 5,500 million euros, a figure that does not take into account the company’s large debt, which at the end of the first quarter of 2024 amounted to 9,811 million euros, according to the criteria of the loan agreement Grifols has with its creditors.

In its statement, the transnational corporation assures that, as of today, “it is completely unaware of the conditions under which, if applicable, the operation could be carried out.”

Given this situation, the CNMV has “prudently and immediately” suspended the listing of Grifols “while relevant information regarding the aforementioned entity is being disseminated.”

Shares closed up 4.17% on Friday at €8.99.

Last Friday, Grifols shares closed up 4.17% to 8.99 euros.

If the takeover is successful, the Grifols family could end the stock market roller coaster it has been on since the Gotham City bear fund released a report alleging accounting manipulation early last January.

The Gotham attack also prompted the CNMV to launch an investigation and make a number of rebukes and recommendations to the multinational corporation when reporting its findings, although it found no significant errors in its reports.

Despite a partial recovery from the initial share price drop and the completion of the sale of a 20% stake in Shanghai Raas for 1.680 million, the company, based in Sant Cugat del Vallès (Barcelona) is not yet free from financial tension.

The family and directors control 30% of Grifols.

The Grifols founding family, together with a group of directors, controls around 30% of the company, with other major shareholders including Capital Fund, BlackRock, Europacific and Rokos Global.

Since May last year, the reins of the multinational company have been in the hands of a new CEO. Nacho Abiawhich made financial balance a priority.

Abia’s rise to the top of the multinational coincided with the departure of members of the founding family from senior positions in the company.

Canadian multinational Brookfiled, which the Grifols family is preparing a possible takeover bid for, is one of the world’s largest funds with $200 billion in assets under management, focused on real estate, renewable energy, infrastructure and private equity.