Vonovia does not give up at Deutsche Wohnen even after the failure of the takeover offer for the Berlin rival.

The Bochum housing giant sent a clear signal that it could make another attempt at Deutsche Wohnen.

With further share purchases and purchase agreements, Vonovia secured almost 30 percent of the shares on the day of the failure, according to a voting rights notification on Wednesday.

The largest private apartment rental company in Germany would only have to acquire another 1,000 shares in order to cross the threshold at which it would immediately have to submit a new purchase offer to the other Deutsche Wohnen shareholders.

29.999 percent

The € 18 billion offer for Deutsche Wohnen finally failed on Monday because only 47.6 percent instead of the required 50 percent of Deutsche Wohnen shareholders had offered their papers. Vonovia boss Rolf Buch had kept all options open in an interview with the Reuters news agency: “We can't do anything, we can buy, we can sell.” Now he has decided on the offensive variant.

A Vonovia spokeswoman kept quiet about the intentions: “We are still keeping all options open.” In any case, the share purchases showed that the price of 52 euros per share that was prepared to pay in the failed offer was appropriate.

Vonovia is in a "stable situation with no pressure to act".

Reuters had already reported on Monday, citing insiders, that Vonovia was determined to make a third attempt to take over the rival within a few weeks.

The Deutsche Wohnen shareholders are apparently relying on at least a slight increase in the offer.

For the first time since the beginning of June, the share listed in the leading index Dax rose above the 52 euro mark on Wednesday.

In the late morning it was 52.24 euros.

Vonovia stepped on the spot with 56.04 euros.

The package of Deutsche Wohnen shares that Vonovia has meanwhile secured is worth more than 5.6 billion euros. Even before and during the acceptance period, Vonovia had risen to become the largest shareholder with 18.4 percent and secured a further 3.5 percent through options. Vonovia now holds 22.3 percent directly and a further 7.7 percent via two conditional purchase agreements with Deutsche Wohnen shareholders - making a total of 29.999 percent of the voting rights.