Telecom Italia Writes Down Value of Submarine Cable Business Sparkle
By Elvira Pollina, Reuters
April 19, 2024
MILAN, April 19 (Reuters) – Telecom Italia (TIM) (TLIT.MI), opens new tab valued its submarine cable business Sparkle at 481 million euros ($521 million) as of Dec. 31, 2023, following an impairment of 107 million booked during the year, according to documents published on the telecoms group website.
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT
Italy's Treasury is looking to secure control of Sparkle, seen as strategic for the country as its network extends over 600,000 km and transmits information between countries in Europe, the Mediterranean and the Americas
CONTEXT
In February TIM rejected a Treasury bid for Sparkle. Sources said at the time TIM considered the Treasury offer, which valued the asset about 600 million euros plus some 150 million euros of variable components, as too low.
($1 = 0.9373 euros)
