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Olje- og energidepartementet ga tirsdag kveld Merrill Lynch i oppdrag å selge 100 millioner aksjer i Statoil ASA gjennom en bookbuildingprosess med garantert minstepris. Salget ble rettet mot institusjonelle investorer i Norge og i utlandet.

Salget er nå avsluttet. De institusjonelle investorene har betalt 106,10 kroner pr. aksje. Statens inntekt fra salget er 10.605 millioner kroner.

Olje- og energiminister Thorhild Widvey sier i en kommentar :
"Jeg er godt fornøyd med gjennomføringen av dette aksjesalget, som har gitt en tilfredsstillende pris til staten. Dette salget legger grunnlaget for økt likviditet i Statoilaksjen. Staten eier etter dette 71,7 pst. av Statoil. Vi planlegger nå et aksjesalg til privatpersoner til samme pris som den de institusjonelle investorene betalte."

Salget til institusjonelle investorer vil bli fulgt av et salg av inntil 17,65 millioner aksjer til privatpersoner i Norge og EØS-området, til 106,10 kroner pr. aksje, dvs. til samme pris som til institusjonene.

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