LVMH raises Hermes stake above 20 percent

Dec 21 - French luxury goods group LVMH said on Tuesday it had raised its stake in leather bag maker Hermes above 20 percent.

LVMH, led by billionaire businessman Bernard Arnault, said in a statement it now owned 21,338,675 Hermes shares, which according to Reuters data gives LVMH a stake of just over 20.21 percent.

LVMH rattled Hermes in October when it revealed it had taken a surprise 17.1 percent stake in its smaller peer, and it later said it wanted to buy more shares.

Hermes and LVMH were not immediately available to comment on the new development.

The family shareholders of Hermes have said they consider Arnault's move unwelcome and have called for him to withdraw from Hermes' capital.

(Reporting by Dominique Vidalon; Editing by Greg Mahlich)