Satyam sees interest from about 8 suitors: sources
Satyam sees interest from about 8 suitors: sources
Mumbai: About eight potential bidders have registered with Satyam Computer Services to buy a 51% stake in the fraud-hit Indian outsourcer, two investment banking sources said on Friday.
“There has been at least 5-8 bids. We expect a much smaller number to proceed to the next stage of putting in a financial bid," one banker with knowledge of the deal said.
He declined to be named as he is not authorised to speak to the media.
Satyam was plunged into a crisis in January after its founder quit as chairman revealing profits were falsified for years. The company is now overseen by a government appointed board, which has begun the process of inducting a strategic investor.
Also Read | The Satyam Fiasco (Full Coverage)
The last day for registering expression of interest was Thursday, and the bidders will need to show the ability to invest Rs1,500 crore ($290 million) by 20 March.
Engineering and construction firm Larsen & Toubro, which owns a 12% stake in Satyam, diversified Spice Group, IT services firm Tech Mahindra and Nasdaq-listed iGate have all expressed interest.
The bankers declined to reveal the names of the other bidders. Final bids are expected to come in at between Rs40-50 a share but the price could change depending on the disclosures, they said.
By 0850 GMT, shares in Satyam were down 4% at Rs45.30 valuing the firm at about $600 million.
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