Шведские Либералы торгуют святым

[JiltedGen]

http://online.wsj.com/article

A change in the government of Sweden could uncork one of the liquor industry's hottest brands: Absolut vodka.

The center-right opposition party defeated Sweden's ruling Social Democrats, and in its first week in office, it is talking about selling off and privatizing many state-owned companies, the crown jewel of which is Vin & Sprit AB, owner of Absolut.

The vodka brand would be one of the biggest trophies to come on the market in the liquor industry. Absolut is the world's third-largest premium liquor by volume, after Smirnoff vodka and Bacardi rum. Vin & Sprit could be valued at €4.3 billion ($5.5 billion), analysts say.

The government has a list of 57 companies valued at about 200 billion Swedish kronor, or about $30 billion, and might choose to first sell stakes in other state-owned companies, according to people familiar with its thinking. Complicating any decision is the fact that the new government is an alliance of various parties that will each have a say.