Lev Leviev is continuing to diversify his portfolio, which is presently concentrated in his diamond business and Africa-Israel Investments Ltd. (TASE:AFIL; Pink Sheets:AFIVY). Sources inform ''Globes'' that he wants to acquire BMW importer Kamor Ltd. (TASE: KMOR), controlled by president and CEO Danny Brenner, and is currently considering how to do so.
Besides the planned acquisition of Kamor, Leviev recently bought 20% of Fox-Weizel Ltd. (TASE: FOX) for NIS 100 million. He considered joining Cerberus Capital Management LP-Gabriel Capital Management consortium, which is trying to organize a controlling core for Bank Leumi (TASE: LUMI), but dropped the idea.
Leviev has also invested several million dollars in start-up MobilEye Vision Technologies Ltd., which is developing a specialized processor for preventing road accidents.
As part of his effort to acquire Kamor, Leviev has bought a few million shekels worth of shares in the company on the TASE in recent weeks, and he now owns 1-2%. The purchases were made through Apex-Mutavim Investments Ltd. Leviev is now considering buying Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd.’s (IAI) 7.4% stake in Kamor for NIS 30 million, and he might also buy shares directly from Brenner, who controls Kamor through Agri Invest Ltd. (TASE:AGRI).
Brenner has bought 7% of Kamor for NIS 23 million in recent days from Gazit Ltd. (TASE: GZIT), controlled by chairman Chaim Katzman and Dori Segal. It cannot be ruled out that Brenner will sell these shares to Leviev, who, as mentioned, wants to invest in Kamor.
In recent years, Kamor has used its BMW import business as a foundation for diversifying its activities, especially overseas. The company began marketing BMW cars in Bulgaria last year. In the coming years, it is expected to begin marketing the Chinese-built Chery car in other Balkan countries. Kamor has also built up a shipping arm, Kamor Shipping Services Ltd. (KSS) over the past few years, and recently announced massive investments in real estate, mainly in Europe.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on July 6, 2006
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