Deutsche Bahn IPO facing delays, Schenker takeover-hungry
The partial privatization of German state-owned rail and logistics giant Deutsche Bahn, scheduled for 2009, will likely be delayed, Financial Times Deutschland reported.
The German coalition government has agreed to sell up to 49 percent of Deutsche Bahn, who’s transport and logistics division, DB Logistics, owns Schenker and BAX Global.
Delays to the government's privatization bill, which calls for Deutsche Bahn to continue managing the nation's rail tracks and stations for a minimum of 10 years and were due to be drafted by the end of March, will probably push that date back, the newspaper said.
Financial Times Deutschland also quoted Deutsche Bahn's board member Hans-Joerg Hager as saying that Schenker is planning acquisitions in the Iberian Peninsula, Italy and the United Kingdom, worth a total 1 billion euros ($1.3 billion).