BlackRock Inc., one of the world's leading providers of investment, advisory, and risk management solutions, has been actively trading shares in Carlsberg A/S over the last three months, engaging in multiple buying and selling activities.
The multinational brewer, headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, issued separate statements on 3.7.2023 and 6.9.2023, indicating that BlackRock initially decreased its holding to 5.01% of the share capital in Carlsberg A/S and later to 4.93%. However, on 8.9.2023, just two days later, Carlsberg announced that BlackRock had increased both their direct and indirect holdings of Carlsberg shares again to 5.09%. On 25.9.2023, BlackRock sold shares once again, ultimately holding only 4.93% of the share capital in Carlsberg A/S. The latest news regarding this matter came today when BlackRock increased its stake to 5.01% of the share capital in Carlsberg A/S.
It appears that BlackRock is capitalizing on the volatile trading environment and market turbulence that followed the seizure of Baltika Group. In July, the Kremlin placed the Russian operations of the Danish brewing group Carlsberg and the French food-products corporation Danone under state administration and assumed control over the stake of Russia's operations of both Western companies. (inside.beer, 16.7.2023)
This announcement added additional pressure to the Carlsberg stock, which lost nearly one-fourth of its value since mid-May.
As of December 31, 2021, the Carlsberg Foundation was the company's largest shareholder, holding 30% of the share capital and 76% of the votes. Additionally, Massachusetts Financial Services Company and BlackRock had holdings of Carlsberg shares that exceeded 5% of the share capital. At the end of 2022, Carlsberg had approximately 57,000 registered shareholders.
