CK Hutchison unit to exit VodafoneThree stake in £4.3 billion deal

Published Tue, May 5, 2026 · 01:10 PM

[BENGALURU] Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison said on Tuesday (May 5) that its telecoms unit has agreed to a buyout of its 49 per cent stake in UK mobile operator VodafoneThree, for £4.3 billion (S$7.4 billion).

The stake is held by CK Hutchison Group Telecom Holdings (CKHGT), a unit of the Hong Kong conglomerate. VodafoneThree is currently owned 51 per cent by Vodafone Group and 49 per cent by CKHGT.

CK Hutchison said that the deal would allow it to monetise its investment at an attractive valuation and generate substantial cash proceeds for the group.

The transaction, subject to regulatory approvals, will see CKHGT receive cash proceeds from the cancellation of its VodafoneThree shares.

VodafoneThree is the UK mobile telecommunications business formed from the merger of Vodafone’s and CK Hutchison’s operations, and is one of the largest mobile operators in the UK by subscriber numbers.

The conglomerate, controlled by Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing, has separately been caught in a diplomatic back-and-forth after US President Donald Trump objected to Chinese ownership of ports along the strategically important Panama Canal. REUTERS