Czech finance advances, from Ferretti to Csg
From public offerings of foreign companies to the Czechoslovak Group's IPO on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange, Czech dynamism outside the country's borders increases
The Czech Republic's economy is leaving behind the Covid annus horribilis and is moving at a steady pace towards an improvement in indicators. This was also certified by The Economist, which in its ranking of the economies that have managed inflationary pressures, employment challenges and market confidence best over the past year, gave the country a leap from eighteenth to sixth place. The country had a GDP growth rate of 2.8% in the third quarter of 2025 and is expected to have ended the year at +2.5%; it has an estimated inflation rate of 2.5% for 2025, expected to fall to 2.2% this year; it has a stable unemployment rate at 4.6%; and as far as finance is concerned, it boasts a 45% increase in the Px index of the Prague Stock Exchange.
A positive environment that continues to attract investments from abroad as well. One figure above all: in 2024 the country recorded 9.88 billion in exports to the US against 6 billion in imports. And foreign corporations are also betting on the Czech market, which offers an openness to trade and investment, a stable institutional framework and a well-educated population,' according to the OECD report. Thus, for example, Toyota has decided to expand production at its plant in Kolín and prepare it for the production of electric cars with an investment of over 800 million and a total impact, including indirect and induced effects, exceeding 1.6 billion dollars.
Ops on foreign companies
From a country in which to invest to the home of investors conquering corporations and brands abroad. Most recently, news of the public takeover bid launched by Czech entrepreneur Daniel Kretinsky, owner of the utility Eph, on French multinational retailer Fnac Darty, at a price of EUR 36 per share, was unanimously welcomed by the company's board.
Less fortunate, on the other hand, the partial takeover bid launched by Kkcg Maritime on up to 52,132,861 shares of Ferretti, with the aim of increasing its stake from 14.5% to 29.9% of the company's share capital. Ferretti International Holding, Ferretti Group's controlling shareholder, in fact announced that it "does not accept, nor has any intention of accepting" the conditional partial tender offer promoted by Kkcg. The investment in Ferretti, the Chinese partner controlled by Weichai explained, is considered to be 'strategic and long-term in nature. Consistent with this approach, FIH has, from time to time, increased its shareholding in the company' and 'may continue to evaluate further increases in its shareholding in the company'. A closed door, therefore, in the face of the Czech group's proposal.
The Czechoslovak Group IPO
Not only M&A for Czech companies abroad. Financial centres more advanced than the domestic one also represent an opportunity to raise capital for future growth. This is the case of Czechoslovak Group, a leading defence group based in Prague, which made its debut on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange last week. It is the second listing on Euronext in 2026 and the world's largest ever IPO in the defence sector, both in terms of amount raised and market capitalisation. The IPO raised a total of EUR 3.8 billion for a group valuation of EUR 25 billion. The share price started at EUR 25 and is now trading above EUR 33.
