Banco di Sicilia sells its 76.26% stake in IRFIS - Mediocredito della Sicilia to Banca Popolare di Vicenza

Banco di Sicilia, a company belonging to the UniCredit Group, has signed today an agreement with Banca Popolare di Vicenza S.c.p.a. for the disposal of its entire stake in IRFIS – Mediocredito della Sicilia S.p.A., a bank specialising in medium-long term loans to small and medium entities and headquartered in Palermo. The transaction, whose effectiveness is subject to Italian customary regulatory approvals, assumes the reduction of IRFIS shareholders’ equity to approximately € 45 mn (€ 107 mn as of 31/12/2007), through the distribution of an extraordinary dividend to the shareholders and the reallocation of a group of IRFIS’ employees into UniCredit Group, before the closing. The consideration for the 76.26% Banco di Sicilia’s stake in IRFIS is approximately equal to € 35 mn, in line with IRFIS shareholders’ equity post distribution of the extraordinary dividend. The remaining of IRFIS’ share capital is owned by the Regione Sicilia (21.00%) and other minority shareholders (2.74%). Mediobanca acted as financial advisor to Banca Popolare di Vicenza’s with Studio Legale Bonelli, Erede, Pappalardo acting as legal advisor.