Italy’s state lender CDP submits new non-binding offer for Atlantia’s motorway unit

MILAN (Reuters) – A consortium led by Italy’s state lender Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) has sent Atlantia a new non-binding offer to buy its 88% stake in toll-road unit Autostrade per l’Italia, CDP said in a statement on Wednesday.

The consortium, which includes Macquarie and Blackstone (NYSE:BX), will proceed swiftly with its due diligence but needs further in-depth analysis to be able to present a binding offer, CDP added.

Infrastructure group Atlantia has said CDP has until July to present an offer to buy its motorway assets, but a government source last week expressed confidence that the two parties will be able to make a deal by mid-January.

A deal between the two parties would put an end to a dispute sparked by the 2018 collapse of a motorway bridge operated by Autostrade that killed 43 people.