MADRID, April 14 (Reuters) – Ibercaja remains committed to listing its shares by the end of 2022 and will resume preparations when market conditions improve, executives from the Spanish mid-sized lender said on Wednesday.
“I’m optimistic there will be opportunities to go public,” Ibercaja Chairman Jose Luis Aguirre said.
Chief Executive Officer Victor Iglesias also said its new strategic plan did not envisage entering into any consolidation deal in Spain and the bank aimed to remain independent.
In March of 2020, the Spanish government extended the deadline for former savings banks such as Ibercaja to go public until 2022, as part of a set of coronavirus relief measures.
Former savings banks, including Ibercaja, which had 58.4 billion euros in assets as of December 2020, are required by law to go public or raise money to cut stakes held by foundations under the terms of a Spanish bank bailout after the financial crisis. (Reporting by Jesus Aguado, editing by Andrei Khalip)
