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Hahn & Co., a private equity firm, is selling its stake in SK Eco Prime. It was reported that the PEF company is unloading its entire stake for KRW 500 billion, or around $354.2 million.
Industry Insiders said last week that Hahn & Co. is working to hasten the sale of the biofuel maker. Its plan is to take on bids with limited competition from some big companies and investors that are in search of ESG investment opportunities.
For the sale, the PEF firm appointed Goldman Sachs as a lead underwriter. As per The Korea Economic Daily, Hahn & Company acquired SK Eco Prime in 2020 and the purchase price at that time was KRW382.5 billion. It funded the acquisition via its KRW3.8 trillion third blind pool fund. Prior to the purchase, the company was known as the SK Chemical Company and was rebranded to its current name after the completion of the deal.
SK Eco Prime is quite a profitable company as it produces 33% of South Korea's total biodiesel production. With this percentage, it was able to secure the largest market share in the biofuel industry in the country.
Aside from the fuel, it also makes bio-heavy oil which it distributes as well. This type of oil is mainly used for power generators. It is eco-friendly for its ability to reduce carbon dioxide emissions without the use of desulfurizer or any other similar equipment.
In any case, SK Eco Prime posted a total profit of KRW574.9 billion last year with KRW1.4 billion in operating losses. This showed better earnings figures compared to 2020, when it only earned KRW236.5 billion and recorded a total loss of KRW15.8 billion, and this was around the time when Hahn & Co. acquired it from the SK Group.
Hahn & Co is expected to sell SK Eco Prime to buyers by mentioning the soaring demand for biofuel and bio-heavy oils as many countries are working on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Meanwhile, Hahn & Co. will step up the sales procedures for SK Eco Prime since it needs a quick exit for the creation of its fourth blind pool fund.
Alexander Mils/Unsplash
