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Australia's Perpetual says EQT's $1.78 billion bid not in best interests of shareholders - Finance news and analysis from Global Banking & Finance Review
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Australia's Perpetual says EQT's $1.78 billion bid not in best interests of shareholders

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on July 29, 2026

1 min read

· Last updated: July 29, 2026

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Perpetual Rejects EQT’s $1.78 Billion Bid, Grants Limited Due Diligence

Perpetual’s Response to EQT’s Takeover Proposal

July 29 (Reuters) - Australia's Perpetual said on Wednesday that EQT AB's latest A$2.55 billion ($1.78 billion) takeover proposal was not in the best interests of shareholders, but that it would grant the Swedish buyout firm limited due diligence access as it considers a possible improved offer.

Key Details of the EQT Bid

Here are some more details:

Offer Terms and Premium

• On Monday, EQT offered to pay A$22.50 per Perpetual share in the latest bid, higher than its two earlier offers and a 19% premium to the Perpetual stock's Friday close.

Progression of EQT’s Bids

• EQT has progressively sweetened its offer as it pursues the Australian wealth manager and trust business, with the latest proposal representing a roughly 4% increase from its initial approach.

Market and Company Reactions

• EQT did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment outside regular business hours.

Currency Conversion

($1 = 1.4339 Australian dollars)

Reporting Credits

(Reporting by Jasmeen Ara Shaikh in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)

Key Takeaways

  • EQT’s latest A$2.55 billion proposal marks its third bid this month, offering around a 19 % premium to Perpetual’s recent closing price
  • Perpetual previously rejected two earlier EQT offers (A$21.64 and A$22.07), citing inadequate valuation and highly conditional terms
  • Despite rejecting the latest bid, Perpetual is granting limited due diligence access as it remains open to an improved offer

Frequently Asked Questions

What is EQT's latest takeover offer for Perpetual?
EQT's latest offer is A$2.55 billion, or A$22.50 per Perpetual share, representing a 19% premium to the previous closing price.
How has Perpetual responded to EQT's proposal?
Perpetual stated the bid is not in the best interests of shareholders but will allow EQT limited due diligence for a possible revised offer.
What premium does EQT's latest offer represent?
The offer represents a 19% premium to Perpetual's Friday close and is about a 4% increase from EQT's initial proposal.
Has EQT responded to Perpetual's decision?
EQT did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment outside regular business hours.

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