Investors 'want break-up' of TNT, parent of Royal Mail rival TNT Post UK

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Noelle McElhatton

December 08, 2009

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Investors 'want break-up' of TNT, parent of Royal Mail rival TNT Post UK

LONDON - Jana Partners, a US hedge fund, has bought a 5 per cent stake in TNT, parent of TNT Post UK and TNT Doordrop Media, in a move that could presage the break-up of the Dutch postal services giant.

TNT Post UK: thought to be interested in Royal Mail stake

A Canadian asset management group, the Alberta Investment Management Company, was also revealed today to hold more than 5 per cent in TNT.

Financial commentators say both moves, revealed in filings to the Dutch stock exchange today, are designed to prompt a break-up or sale of the group.

Investors are calling for TNT's lucrative express division to be hived off from its troubled mail unit, .

Earlier this year TNT was identified as the most likely candidate to buy a stake in Royal Mail, had the Government's plans to part-privatise the UK postal carrier gone ahead.

US company BlackRock, an asset management company, also owns 5 per cent of TNT.

TNT has long been considered a takeover target, . US postal services companies UPS and FedEx, as well as Germany's DHL, were thought to be interested in acquiring the group last year.

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