The Bookseller.com

9th January 2009

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Reed hopes of private equity B2B deal raised

11.04.08

Private equity is "intently interested" in buying Reed Elsevier's business-to-business arm, contrary to reports of "cooling interest", according to Credit Suisse quoted in the Independent.

The publisher announced its intention to sell its Reed Business Information division alongside its preliminary results earlier this year. While recent market talk has suggested that the private equity groups which were considered the most likely buyers of the business have lost interest, Credit Suisse believes that the prospects for divestment have been painted in "an unduly negative light".

"Private equity are known to have considerable tangible interest in B2B," a broker told the newspaper. "Private equity were behind five of the last seven major B2B proposed transactions in the last two years."

Independent

Financial reed elsevier