Commerzbank announces rejection of ‘hostile approach’ from UniCredit

Commerzbank (CRZBY) said it has rejected UniCredit’s (UNCRY) “hostile approach.” Commerzbank “has tried to engage constructively with UniCredit but no concrete combination plan for a mutually agreeable value-accretive transaction nor any reliable indications for a commensurate control premium from UniCredit have been put forward,” the bank said in a statement. It added, “Commerzbank’s standalone Momentum strategy is working. The Bank delivered its best operating result in its history in the financial year 2025, with operating profit up 18% to EUR 4.5 billion and all self-imposed growth targets met or exceeded – without dismantling its international footprint and without the execution risks inherent in a cross-border banking merger.”