HSBC Bank Malta to share confidential information with prospective buyers

In a company statement HSBC Bank Malta says it has set up a virtual data room to securely share information with its majority shareholder, that wants to sell, and prospective buyers

25 March 2025, 9:56am
by Kurt Sansone

2 min read

HSBC Malta has set up a virtual data room to share information about its operations with prospective buyers of the 70% stake held by its majority shareholder, HSBC Continental Europe

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HSBC Malta has set up a virtual data room to share information “securely and in confidence” about its operations as the bank’s potential sale enters a new phase.

In a company statement published on Tuesday, HSBC Malta said it is in the process of signing confidentiality agreements with a number of prospective offerors.

A confidentiality agreement has already been signed with HSBC Continental Europe, the majority shareholder that wants to sell its 70% stake in the Maltese operation.

What is significant about this statement is that the bank has used the words “prospective offerors”, indicating more than one interested party. So far, it is public knowledge that the Maltese bank APS is interested in acquiring this shareholding.

“HSBC Holdings plc has informed HSBC Malta that there is no preferred offeror and that the process remains at an early stage,” the bank statement reads.

The creation of the virtual data room and the signing of the confidential agreements will allow HSBC Bank Malta to furnish information in confidence so that prospective buyers can conduct due diligence on the bank.

The information will also be shared with its major shareholder, HSBC Continental Europe.

At an extraordinary general meeting of HSBC Bank Malta held on 13 February, shareholders approved an ordinary resolution relating to disclosure of information in connection with the potential sale.

Any potential transaction would require regulatory approval from both the MFSA and the European Central Bank, a process that would be expected to take several months from entry into any binding agreement.

The rest of HSBC’s shareholding is held by a multitude of minor shareholders.

In November last year, APS Bank confirmed it submitted a non-binding offer to HSBC Holdings to acquire the 70% stake it holds in the Malta branch. The offer was not disclosed.

Earlier this month, APS Bank reiterated its interest in scaling up its operations by acquiring HSBC, adding the process was ongoing.

Kurt Sansone is Executive Editor of MaltaToday. He was formerly deputy editor of MaltaTod...