BNP Paribas bondholders slam 3 bln euro offer
 
LONDON, Jan 27 (Reuters) - A group of BNP Paribas 
<BNPP.PA> bondholders has slammed an offer by the French bank to 
buy back 3 billion euros ($3.95 billion) of hybrid debt, saying 
the offer was too low and an attempt to bully investors to 
quicklyaccept. 
The group, which includes York Capital Management, Oceanwood 
Capital Management, Tree Top Asset Management and GLG Partners, 
claims to represent more than 43 percent of the instruments 
covered by the offer. 
Many European banks aretrying to boost capital by buying 
back debt at below its full value, and on Thursday BNP said it 
wanted to buy back 3 billion euros of hybrid equity linked 
securities, known as CASHES, at 45-47.5 percent of its par 
value. 
"We are disappointedthat you have presented your bond 
holders with an offer price that substantially fails to reflect 
the true value of the BNP credit and the strong structural 
features of this specific instrument," the bondholders said in a 
letter sent to the BNPParibas board, dated Jan. 26 and seen by 
Reuters. The letter is signed by nine firms, who say they 
represent 43 percent of the CASHES. 
BNP Paribas did not immediately return calls for comment. 
($1 = 0.7601 euros) 
 
(Reporting by Steve Slater and Tommy Wilkes) 
((steve.slater@thomsonreuters.com)(+44)(0)(20 7542 4367)) 
 
Keywords: BNPPARIBAS/BONDS 
 
 
 
17:08-27/01