An investment advisory firm is taking legal action against UBS, claiming that the bank paid too little for the acquisition of its competitor, Credit Suisse. The deal saved the second-largest bank in Switzerland from bankruptcy in March, but according to Ethos Foundation, a proxy voting agency, the price paid was remarkably low compared to Credit Suisse’s market value just a few days earlier. Ethos Foundation joins LegalPass, a legal technology platform that had filed a similar complaint. The advisory firm claims to represent investors who own 3 percent of all Credit Suisse shares. Under the acquisition agreement, Credit Suisse shareholders received one UBS share for every 22.48 shares of Credit Suisse. This valued the struggling bank at 3 billion Swiss francs (3.1 billion euros), while just 48 hours earlier, it had a market value of 7 billion francs. Credit Suisse encountered difficulties as many clients withdrew their assets. The bank had been involved in a series of scandals in previous years, resulting in significant losses. The UBS takeover, prompted by the Swiss government, has sparked further controversy. Holders of a special type of bonds are seeking compensation because the value of those securities was entirely written off, which they believe was unjustified. These bonds, known as AT1 bonds, can be converted into shares to absorb losses.
