South African billionaire Dr. Christo Wiese has sold a stake worth R1 billion in Shoprite Holdings, reducing his shareholding in the retail giant.
- Wiese’s vehicle, Titan Fincap, sold 3.8 million shares at a price of R245 per share, suggesting a single buyer, likely an asset manager, was involved in the transaction.
- Despite the sale, Wiese still retains 59.279 million shares in Shoprite, which accounts for a 10.02% stake in the company.
- The Government Employees’ Pension Fund (GEPF) through the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) remains the largest shareholder in Shoprite, holding a 15.54% stake.
- The sale price of R245 per share represents a 28% increase from the 52-week low and an 8% decrease from the 52-week high of Shoprite’s stock.
- This is not the first time Wiese has divested from Shoprite. In 2019, his investment entity, Titan, sold 19 million shares in a transaction valued at R2.5 billion.
- Despite stepping down as chair in 2020, Wiese remains a non-executive director of Shoprite and holds significant control through his ownership of non-convertible deferred shares, which grant him 32.3% of the company’s voting rights.