Maison Pommery shares rise on back of Henkel merger talks
Champagne house Maison Pommery & Associés saw its share rise after the news broke that it has entered into exclusive negotiations with Henkell International which could see the German-based company become the Maison’s majority shareholder.
The proposed partnership between the 190-year-old family-owned Champagne house and Henkell International, a subsidiary of Henkell Freixenet, would “create a global player in sparkling wine, benefiting from a portfolio of strong and complementary brands, as well as an international commercial presence,” the Champagne house said in a statement.
The exclusivity period will last for two months, the house confirmed, although there is “no guarantee at this stage that the ongoing negotiations will result in a transaction”.
Henkell Freixenet is the wine division of family business the Oetker Collection KG, and its brand including Sekt producer Henkell, Cava brand Freixenet, Italian Prosecco brand Mionetto, UK-based wine brand I Heart, and Champagne house Alfred Gratien.
At this stage, the discussions remain “subject to due diligence work, the parties’ agreement on the execution of contractual agreements and, where applicable, the obtaining of required authorisations and consultations,” the statement added.
Maison Pommery & Associés also confirmed it was postponing the publication of its annual results until the end of June, but said it would “continue its activities in the normal course of business, prioritizing operational continuity, support for its teams, preservation of the quality of its brands, and maintenance of strong relationships with its partners.”
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Share boost
In the meantime, the news boosted Pommery’s share price by 15% yesterday (3 June), according to French website Les Echoes Investir.
This comes after turnover at the group fell 10.2% to €304 million in 2024, on the back of shrinking Champagne sales across the market and lower yields across its vineyards in Champagne, Provence, Camargue and the Douro. EBITDA for 2024 was €49.3 million, it reported, while operating income fell by 8.4% to €35.7 million. Following the “particularly unfavourable year” in 2024, the first half results of 2025, issued in September 2025, saw relatively stability in revenue, falling 0.2% to €109.3m, while net income rose by €0.5m year-on-year, down from -€1.9m in H124 to -€1.4m in the first half of 2025. The first half of the year also saw it reach 57% of its international revenue and there was an increase in its sales volumes in the domestic market, which it said instilled “a recovery momentum in a market that is still slightly declining”.
There was also progress in its development of its premium brands, with Champagne Pommery up +4.7% in turnover after a good reception of its new prestige cuvées: Cuvée Louise Parcelles 2006, Grand Apanage “1874”, and Grand Cru Royal.
In September last year, the Champagne house (then known as Vranken-Pommery Monopole) entered exclusive talks to sell Heidsieck & Co Monopole to a subsidiary of Lanson-BCC, as part of a wider strategic refocus on its core brands, with the €50 million sale completed in January this year.
Maison Pommery & Associés’ brands include Vranken, Pommery & Greno, Heidsieck & Co Monopole, Charles Lafitte and Bissinger & Co champagnes; the Rozès and Sao Pédro port wines and the Terras do Grifo Douro wines; the Domaine Royal de Jarras and Pink Flamingo Camargue wines and the Château La Gordonne Provence wine; and a portfolio of Sparkling wines, the Louis Pommery California, Louis Pommery England, Brut de France and Pink Flamingo sparkling wines.
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