Ardagh Holdings has been temporarily prevented from proceeding with the potential sale of all or part of its interests in Ardagh Metal Packaging following an order from a Luxembourg court.
Ardagh said a summary judge of the district court of Luxembourg issued the order following an ex parte application by certain minority holders of senior secured toggle notes due in 2027 issued by ARD Finance.
The court order currently prohibits Ardagh Holdings from proceeding with the sale process.
Ardagh said the order was made without the company having an opportunity to present its position. The group considers the application to be without merit and has applied for the order to be withdrawn.
The development follows Ardagh Holdings’ announcement in August that its board had instructed advisers to prepare for a potential sale of Ardagh Metal Packaging.
That process could involve the sale of some or all of Ardagh Holdings’ indirectly held equity interests in the beverage-can company to a third party. Ardagh had also outlined a possible structure under which it could first acquire the AMP shares it does not already control before pursuing a sale of the entire business.
No deadline was set for the sale process, and Ardagh has previously stressed that there is no assurance it will result in a transaction.
Ardagh Metal Packaging operates 23 production facilities across nine countries in Europe and the Americas. The business employs approximately 6,500 people and reported sales of $5.5 billion in 2025.
The company is a major supplier of aluminium beverage cans to global drinks brands, making the potential ownership change significant for the international metal packaging market.
