Atos SE completed the sale of a stake of about 13.1% in French payments processor Worldline SA for about €1.5 billion.

The IT company sold about 23.9 million Worldline shares at €61.50 per share to qualified investors through a private placement by way of an accelerated bookbuilt offer. The shares are expected to be settled on or around Feb. 6. Atos plans to use the placement's proceeds to pay down debt and for general corporate purposes.

Bpifrance Participations SA purchased 4.0 million Worldline shares, or about 2.2% of the latter's share capital, in the placement.

Atos has been working to reduce its shareholding in Worldline since 2014. Following the latest stake sale, Atos will retain ownership of about 7.0 million shares or a stake of about 3.8% in Worldline.

Atos' shares in Worldline will remain covered by an existing lock-up, in line with a previous placement completed in November 2019. Swiss stock exchange operator SIX Group AG, which will remain as Worldline's biggest shareholder, agreed to extend the lock-up period to April 24.

Atos also reiterated its support for Worldline's recently announced acquisition of Ingenico Group SA. The company committed to voting all of its Worldline shares in favor of the deal during the Worldline's shareholders' meeting.