en.Wedoany.com Reported - MTS announced the signing of transaction documents to sell a 49.9% stake in its tower infrastructure company, ООО «Башенная инфраструктурная компания» (BIK), to the closed-end mutual fund "Investments 18" (ЗПИФ «Инвестиции 18»), managed by Trust Management Company (УК «Доверительная»). Upon completion of the transaction, MTS will retain a 50.1% stake in BIK and maintain joint control over its core operations.
BIK is one of Russia's largest tower companies, with over 24,700 antenna mast structures (AMS). This share sale enables MTS to monetize its infrastructure assets, strengthen its financial position by deconsolidating over 80 billion rubles in debt, and attract 21.7 billion rubles in funds. The transaction terms stipulate that MTS will continue to lease BIK's infrastructure under long-term contracts at market conditions, and the parties have included a series of mutual options, including the possibility for MTS to repurchase the sold shares under certain circumstances.
"MTS has reached an agreement on one of the largest telecommunications infrastructure transactions in recent years—considering debt, the company's tower business is valued at over 125 billion rubles. This deal allows MTS to improve operational efficiency by strengthening its financial position and attracting substantial funds. At the same time, MTS retains control over BIK and has the opportunity to achieve a higher asset valuation when market conditions improve. The monetization strategy for tower infrastructure fully aligns with trends in both the Russian and global telecommunications markets. This transaction also reflects investor trust in MTS as BIK's core customer, strong interest, and the prospects for future value growth of one of the country's largest and most modern tower companies," said Inessa Galaktionova, CEO of MTS.
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