Amadeus in new bid talks

Two venture capital companies are reportedly in advanced talks to take over the travel reservation business Amadeus in a deal that could be worth some GBP3 billion. According to the Daily Telegraph, Cinven and BC Partners have teamed up on a joint bid after both making separate approached for the Spanish-based company. The newspaper’s sources, however, reportedly warned that there was “no guarantee” that a deal would be completed. Amadeus is currently owned by three main shareholders – Lufthansa, Air France and Iberia – with the remainder of shares currently held by large financial institutions. The Telegraph says it is “not clear” what proportion of their respective stakes the three carriers intend to keep. Shares in the company dropped by around one per cent on the news. Report by Tim Gillett, News From Abroad Ltd