EU merger probe raises stakes for AkzoNobel stock

Published on 10/08/2026 at 11:23 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

AkzoNobel stock was EUR 57.08 on October 8, 2026, down 1.40 percent from EUR 57.89. Deutsche Bank set a EUR 60.00 target.

Bauhaus-Poster mit Formen und Schriftzug CHEMIE für Akzo Nobel N.V — Geometrisches Bauhaus-Poster mit Sektor-Schriftzug CHEMIE repräsentiert Branche von Akzo Nobel N.V., ISIN NL0013267909, künstlerisch, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

AkzoNobel (ISIN NL0013267909) was trading at EUR 57.08 at Lang & Schwarz on October 8, 2026 at 11:15 a.m. CEST, down 1.40 percent versus the prior close of EUR 57.89. The stock is now 15.61 percent below its 52-week high of EUR 67.64. The main issue for the company is its proposed combination with Axalta.

EU review tests merger timeline

According to MLex on October 7, 2026, AkzoNobel and Axalta had met EU officials after mixed feedback from an initial investigation into their planned USD 25 billion merger. The concerns center on vehicle refinish products, leaving the companies to consider remedies if they want early approval.

The regulatory review matters because the merger is not a routine financing step. A remedy package could affect the assets, timing or economics of the proposed combination, while the companies have already committed management attention to the transaction.

Cash sale adds portfolio context

In a company release carried in an SEC filing dated October 5, 2026, AkzoNobel said it had agreed to sell its Southeast Asian Decorative Paints business to Nippon Paint for an enterprise value of USD 1.35 billion. The transaction covers seven countries, and expected net cash proceeds were stated at USD 1 billion after taxes and minority interests.

The sale is separate from the merger review but shows the portfolio changes running alongside it. Indonesia is expected to close in late 2026, while the remaining transactions are expected to close in mid-2027, subject to customary conditions and regulatory approvals.

Analyst target leaves limited upside

Markets Insider reported on October 6, 2026 that Deutsche Bank analyst Virginie Boucher-Ferte maintained a Hold rating and set a EUR 60.00 price target. At EUR 57.08, that target lies 5.12 percent above the Lang & Schwarz price.

The latest reported quarter also provides a measured operating backdrop. For the quarter ended June 30, 2026, AkzoNobel reported revenue of EUR 2.59 billion and net profit of EUR 139 million, compared with EUR 2.63 billion and EUR 124 million in the year-earlier quarter, according to Markets Insider.

Stock remains below its yearly high

AkzoNobel stock was trading at EUR 57.08 at Lang & Schwarz on October 8, 2026 at 11:15 a.m. CEST, down 1.40 percent versus the Lang & Schwarz prior close of EUR 57.89. The Euronext Amsterdam quotation was EUR 57.06 at 9:05 a.m. UTC on October 8, 2026, according to the primary-listing market data. The further course of trading is shown by the continuously updated real-time quote of AkzoNobel stock.