Referring to a deal that, as he said, could lead to the creation of a “global leading force” in secure identification solutions, payment cards, and trusted technology services, Austriacard Holdings chairman and CEO Manolis Kontos commented for the first time on the public offer submitted by Japanese Dai Nippon Printing (DNP) for the acquisition of the company.

At the start of the conference call with analysts regarding first-quarter 2026 results, Kontos clarified that management will not comment for the time being on valuation issues or express a position on whether shareholders should accept the public offer, until the official offer document for the acquisition process is published.

The head of Austriacard noted that DNP is a global technology and industrial group headquartered in Tokyo, with a history dating back to 1876, listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and employing approximately 36,000 people worldwide, with activities ranging from printing and smart cards to identification solutions, information security, and data protection.

As he mentioned, Austriacard and DNP have already signed a memorandum of understanding defining the strategic framework of the transaction and the cooperation between the two sides after its completion, while at the same time major shareholder Nikolaos Lykos, who owns approximately 74.6% of the company and participates in the supervisory board, has undertaken an irrevocable commitment to accept the public offer for his entire stake.

DNP announced that it intends to proceed with a voluntary public offer at €10 per share in cash, valuing the whole of Austriacard at approximately €364 million. According to management, the price represents a premium of more than 20% compared to the last closing share price before the announcement and around 45% versus the six-month weighted average.

Kontos argued that management sees the strategic logic of the transaction positively, stressing that “DNP’s global technological capabilities and long-term investment approach can support Austriacard’s next phase of growth,” while adding that “together the two companies will emerge as a clear global leader in secure identification solutions, payment cards, secure microchips, and trusted technology services.”

At the same time, he revealed that Austriacard no longer intends to propose, approve, or pay any dividend or other cash distribution before the completion of the public offer, including the €0.10 per share dividend for fiscal year 2025 that had previously been under consideration.

He also clarified that the next official step in the process will be the publication of the public offer document by DNP and then its evaluation by the competent Austrian takeover commission, after which Austriacard’s management and supervisory boards will publish their official positions in accordance with Austrian public takeover legislation.

In response to analysts’ questions regarding the process timetable, Kontos said that the public offer will follow the prescribed institutional takeover framework, noting that the initial acceptance period is estimated to last until mid-July 2026, subject to the required approvals and publication of the official offer document.

As he said, within approximately the next ten days the offer document is expected to be published, which will include more details regarding the individual stages and exact timetable of the transaction.

Closing the conference call, the head of Austriacard appeared optimistic about the smooth progress of the process, noting that the group estimates the transaction will be completed during the second half of 2026, with the final outcome also depending on the necessary regulatory approvals.