Thyssenkrupp shareholders said to be skeptical of Tata Steel deal

Thyssenkrupp AG’s top shareholders are skeptical about the company’s plan to combine European steel operations with Tata Steel Ltd, and have discussed voting against the proposal at a board meeting as early as next week, according to people familiar with the matter.

The shareholders, which include Cevian Capital and the Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach-Stiftung foundation, are pressuring management to improve the deal after a slump in profits at the Tata division made it less attractive for Thyssenkrupp. Even though management is working to negotiate changes, some shareholders are concerned that the tweaks will only look good on the surface and not be substantial enough, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing confidential matters.

The discussions are ongoing, and it’s not clear how the investors will eventually vote. Talks over the final terms of the steel joint venture are entering a final stretch and the outcome will be decisive for Thyssenkrupp’s Chief Executive Officer Heinrich Hiesinger, who has pegged the future of the company on the deal.

While Thyssenkrupp doesn’t have to put the joint venture decision to a shareholder vote, the foundation, which has two representatives on the supervisory board, and Cevian, with one seat on the committee, can exert influence over the transaction. Thyssenkrupp’s supervisory board is to meet as early as next week to vote on the deal.

The board has hired JPMorgan Chase & Co. for a fairness opinion, and Thyssenkrupp hired Rothschild & Co., Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Deutsche Bank AG as advisers, said the people.

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