Why Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. Fell 26% in May

Areas in red are now served by the new Coca-Cola European Partners business. Image source: Coca-Cola European Partners

What: Shares of Coca-Cola Enterprises fell 26% in May 2016, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence

So what: As announced

The big drop was not a result of a business disaster or other bad news. Instead, it reflected the drastic change to the new, combined company's ownership structure. Shareholders from the Coca-Cola Enterprises side now own 48% of the merged business. Coca-Cola Iberian Partners shareholders held on to 34% of the new unit's shares, and Coca-Cola itself grabbed 18% of the final structure due to its 100% ownership of Coca-ColaErfrischungsgetranke (gesundheit!).

Now what: Coca-Cola Enterprises owners also got a one-time $14.50 cash payment per share out of this deal, financed by new debt papers. Coca-Cola European Partners is expected to see annual sales near $12.6 billion, generating about $2.6 billion in EBITDA earnings.

Despite a 52% dilution hit, CCE share prices only dropped 26% when the final switch was thrown. Investors see fresh value being created here, as Coca-Cola works to consolidate its global distribution networks.

Coca-Cola European Partners is now the largest independent Coke distributor in the world, serving some 300 million consumers across Western Europe.

The article Why Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. Fell 26% in May

Anders Bylundfree for 30 daysWe Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insightsdisclosure policy

Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy