F&C's second largest shareholder cool on BMO bid
By Chris Vellacott
LONDON, Jan 28 (Reuters) - The second largest shareholder in British fund firm F&C Asset Management (Other OTC: FCAFF - news) , which has agreed a takeover offer from Bank of Montreal (Toronto: BMO.TO - news) , has said it may support a rival bid if one emerges.
In a statement on Tuesday after Bank of Montreal and F&C announced a deal valuing the fund manager at around 708 million pounds ($1.2 billion), Standard Life Investments said the price "represents an attractive valuation from the standpoint of the Canadian bank."
"We intend to keep our options open should another suitor for F&C emerge," said David Cumming, Global Head of Equities at Standard Life Investments, which holds more than 10.2 percent of F&C.
The only other investor with a larger stake, Aviva Investors favours the deal, F&C said when it announced the deal.