Czech investment fund Penta Investment, which owns the betting company Fortuna, has entered talks to acquire A&D Pharma, the largest pharma group in Romania, according to market sources cited by Ziarul Financiar. The transaction is estimated at EUR 300-400 million.

The Czech group also tried to acquire A&D Pharma more than five years ago, but the deal failed.

A&D Pharma is controlled by Walid Abboud, Roger Akoury, Ludovic Robert and Michel Eid. The group includes the pharmacy chain Sensiblu. It also ranks first in the local pharma distribution market via Mediplus Exim.

The retail and distribution businesses have a cumulated turnover of EUR 1.3 billion and a gross profit of RON 152 million (EUR 33.1 million). The two companies report their results separately, but there are also intra-group transactions, so it is difficult to make an estimate of the total value of the business.

editor@romania-insider.com