Manuel Lao, former owner of the gaming group Cirsa, has purchased 5.39% of the Socimi’s share capital through the investment holding company Nortia. The executive is now Merlin’s second-largest shareholder, after Banco Santander, which owns 22.27%, and ahead of the funds managed by BlackRock, which own 3.99%.
At market closing prices on Monday night, Lao’s stake was valued at €170 million, since Merlin’s market capitalisation currently amounts to €3,150 million. On Monday, the real estate group saw its share price fall by 9.58% on the stock market; it has accumulated a decrease of 48% over the last month as a result of the uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
