Cadbury shareholders reject Kraft's initial takeover bid

A majority of shareholders of the British confectioner Cadbury Plc have rejected the initial hostile takeover bid from Kraft Foods Inc.

A majority of shareholders of the British confectioner Cadbury Plc have rejected the initial hostile takeover bid from Kraft Foods Inc.

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The American food major had made an over $ 10-billion acquisition bid, including both cash and stock, late last year. The Cadbury management had turned down the offer, saying it undervalued the company.

Kraft today said that only 1.52 per cent of Cadbury shareholders have accepted its takeover offer as on January 5, the day when the US firm raised the cash component of its bid.

"Kraft Foods had received valid acceptances of the offer in respect of a total of 20,917,708 Cadbury shares (including those represented by Cadbury ADS), representing approximately 1.52 per cent of the existing issued share capital of Cadbury," the US firm said in a statement.

Kraft had offered about three pounds and 0.26 new Kraft stocks for every Cadbury share. The firm has time till January 19 to make the final offer for the British confectioner.

According to the American company, the first closing date of the initial takeover offer was January 5. The same has now been extended to February 2 after the company raised the cash part of the offer.