ECB approves MPS control bid for Intesa Sanpaolo stock

Published on 10/28/2026 at 10:27 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

ECB approval covers 3,037,594,735 MPS shares on October 27, 2026. Intesa Sanpaolo stock costs EUR 6.00 on October 28, 2026, 0.33 percent below Xetra close.

Regulatory step and offer scale

The authorization concerns an offer for up to 3,037,594,735 MPS shares.
The ECB also approved holdings exceeding 10.00 percent of consolidated own funds.
Intesa Sanpaolo stock trades at EUR 6.00 at 10:22 a.m. CEST at Lang & Schwarz on October 28, 2026, 0.33 percent below the Xetra close of October 27, 2026.

Intesa Sanpaolo, IT0000072618, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

Intesa Sanpaolo (ISIN IT0000072618) received prior regulatory authorization for control of Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, moving its planned tender and exchange offer closer to execution. The company said in a Intesa Sanpaolo release dated October 27, 2026, that the European Central Bank authorized the direct controlling stake in MPS and several related indirect holdings.

ECB approval clears a hurdle

The authorization covers MPS as well as indirect controlling interests in Wise Dialog Bank, Mediobanca, Mediobanca Premier and Compass Banca. The Bank of Italy also authorized several indirect holdings connected with the transaction, including stakes in Monte Paschi Fiduciaria, Spafid and Mediobanca SGR.

The release states that the ECB authorization includes holdings in MPS and its investee companies whose combined value exceeds 10.00 percent of Intesa Sanpaolo Banking Group consolidated own funds. That threshold shows the regulatory reach of the proposed transaction, but it does not mean that the acquisition has been completed.

What does the offer cover?

Intesa Sanpaolo's offer covers a maximum of 3,037,594,735 MPS shares, excluding 823,448 shares already held by the offeror. The number could rise by a maximum of 272,012,804 shares if the proposed Mediobanca merger into MPS becomes effective before the offer acceptance period closes, according to the company release.

The company said it will publish an offer document and an EU follow-on prospectus before the acceptance period begins. Shareholders will need to assess those documents separately from the regulatory authorization, which is a permission for control rather than a completed transfer of ownership.

Stock stays near EUR 6.00

For investors, the immediate market signal is restrained. At Lang & Schwarz, the stock was trading at EUR 6.00 on October 28, 2026, at 10:22 a.m. CEST, 0.33 percent below the Xetra close of October 27, 2026 at EUR 6.02. The next transaction-related date listed by Intesa Sanpaolo is November 3, 2026, according to its investor-relations calendar.

The further course of trading is shown by the continuously updated real-time quote of Intesa Sanpaolo stock.