[February 21, 2014]MEXICO CITY (Reuters) — Mexican
billionaire Carlos Slim, who already controls America Movil,
tightened his grip slightly on Latin America's biggest phone
company, according to a U.S. regulatory filing on Thursday that
shows two companies controlled by Slim bought more shares.
The purchases, made in November and December last year, come on top
of a massive buyback effort by America Movil, whose share price has
been under pressure since Mexico's government last year passed a
reform plan that seeks to curb the company's dominance.
Slim's real estate company Inmobiliaria Carso and his bank Grupo
Financiero Inbursa spent $212.5 million and $34.7 million purchasing
187.11 million and 30.98 million shares respectively in America
Movil, a document sent to the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission showed.
Slim, his three sons, three daughters and their controlled companies
and foundations now own about 47.6 percent of America Movil's
outstanding shares, up from 47.3 percent when the group made their
last filing in November, according to a Reuters calculation.
The stake directly held by Slim has not changed from 4,950,586,338
million shares or 7.1 percent based on America Movil's total shares
outstanding on Thursday, the filing showed.
The filing also shows that one of Slim's daughters, Maria Soumaya,
sold 100,000 shares on December 30.
America Movil shares have fallen more than 10 percent this year, in
spite of the company's continued buyback plan.
