Private equity firms Apollo Global Management LLC, Carlyle Group LP and Lone Star Funds are among the first-round bidders for a full buyout of U.K.-based Arriva PLC, Bloomberg News reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
The European transport business of Germany's state-owned rail operator Deutsche Bahn AG reportedly could bring in about €3.5 billion to €4 billion in a sale.
Arriva's competitors Go-Ahead Group PLC, Stagecoach Group PLC and Transdev also offered to buy parts of the business, while French national train operator SNCF's Keolis SA unit also expressed initial interest, the people reportedly said. One of the sources added that ComfortDelGro Corp. Ltd., the Singapore-based owner of British bus operator Metroline Ltd., also bid for certain of Arriva's assets.
The deadline for the first round of bidding is scheduled for Aug. 15. Deutsche Bahn is evaluating a sale for Arriva or an IPO in Amsterdam, Bloomberg noted.
Representatives for Apollo, Carlyle, Deutsche Bahn, Lone Star, Stagecoach and Transdev did not comment, while ComfortDelGro could not be reached for comment immediately. Neither representatives for Go-Ahead nor Keolis responded to requests for comment, according to Bloomberg.
