VNU Opens Books to Bidders

VNU, owner of ACNielsen and Nielsen Media Research, is to give potential private equity bidders limited access to its books, according to reports in the Financial Times last week. Shares in the company rose by more than 4% following the FT report.

VNU announced in December that it was evaluating approaches from potential buyers (www.mrweb.com/drno/news4942.htm ). Sources now state that at least two groups of private equity firms are considering takeover bids.

Reports suggest that VNU is allowing access to its books on condition that the firms indicate by the end of January whether or not they are likely to make a bid.

VNU shares have increased by more than 18% from the middle of last year, when it was in talks to acquire US research firm IMS Health. The deal was abandoned in November, following opposition by shareholders.

VNU is online at www.vnu.com.

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

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