Eidos Partners is pleased to announce the listing of Valentino Fashion Group (“VFG”) on the Italian Stock Exchange.

The listing of VFG is the final step in the de-merger of Marzotto’s fashion business activities (mainly consisting in Valentino, Marlboro Classics and M Missoni, as well as the majority shareholding in Hugo Boss) approved by Marzotto’s EGM on April 19.
As a result of the transaction, Marzotto shareholders have been assigned shares in Valentino Fashion Group, in the same proportion as the stake they held in the share capital of Marzotto.

This transaction has been rewarded by the market with a 35% plus increase in Marzotto’s share price since the Board of Directors’ approval of the de-merger plan (March 14). In early trading on 1st July, VFG was capitalized in excess of Euro 1,430m and Marzotto in excess of Euro 170m.

Eidos Partners acted as advisor to Marzotto as regards its demerger and as advisor to Valentino Fashion Group as regards its listing.

Valentino Fashion Group (www.valentino.com) is a leading player in the luxury/fashion business with pro-forma sales of Euro 1,551m and pro-forma EBITDA of Euro 235m in 2004. VFG’s brand portfolio includes: Valentino, Hugo Boss, Marlboro Classics, M-Missoni, Uomolebole and Principe. In 2004, products sold under these brands reached a market value, at retail prices, of approx. Euro 4bn.

Eidos Partners (www.eidospartners.com) is an independent investment bank focused on the design, definition and realization of mergers, acquisitions and disposals of companies, on quotations on the stock exchange and on corporate financial restructurings. Eidos Partners’ mission is to provide the highest-quality financial and strategic advice to Italian companies and to other international companies and entities operating in Italy. Eidos Partners enjoys outstanding access to companies and investors throughout the world as a result of its relationship with the Close Brothers Group.