In a surprising turn, South African shopping center developer Hyprop has launched an aggressive bid to break into the Romanian real estate market, setting the stage for a potential battle over MAS, a company behind some of Romania’s key malls and retail parks developed alongside Prime Kapital. The announcement comes just days after Prime Kapital Investments (PKI) revealed its own ambition to take full control of MAS. PKI’s offer, priced at €0.85 per share with a fixed budget cap or non-voting preference shares redeemable after five years, now faces unexpected competition. Hyprop is countering with a bid tied to the market price of MAS shares as of May 23, 2025 — a valuation it claims beats PKI’s offer and gives shareholders a more compelling exit. MAS had initially presented PKI’s offer to investors as the main path forward earlier in May. The stakes are high, and the market is watching closely. Questions now swirl over whether Hyprop can secure the funding it needs to drive its expansion into Romania — and whether MAS shareholders will resist PKI’s bid and side with the newcomer. With Romania’s retail property sector heating up, this surprise move from Hyprop injects a fresh wave of adrenaline into an already competitive market. Source: economica.net