FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Kingfisher (>> Kingfisher plc) is exiting its investment in German home improvement store operator Hornbach (>> Hornbach Holding AG), which will increase the free float of its listed preference shares to 100 percent, the Hornbach family said in a statement on Tuesday.

Kingfisher sold its 17.4 percent stake in Hornbach's preference shares to an international circle of institutional investors, it said.

Separately, the British retailer is selling the 25 percent plus 2 shares in Hornbach's unlisted ordinary shares it owns to the Hornbach family.

(Reporting by Kirsti Knolle; Editing by Maria Sheahan)

Stocks treated in this article : Hornbach Holding AG, Kingfisher plc