According to Bloomberg News, Bertelsmann SE & Co.’s interest in television business Groupe M6 was offered for 20 euros ($19) per share by French media tycoon Stephane Courbit and his investor partners.
The 48% stake is valued at about 1.22 billion euros by the offer, which represents a 39% premium to Friday’s closing price of 14.43 euros per share.
According to the article, which cited a source with knowledge of the situation, Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky also made a bid for the stake.
Reuters could not immediately reach Courbit for comment. RTL declined comment while M6 did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A group of prominent French businessmen, including billionaire Rodolphe Saade, Courbit of the TV production company Banijay, and financier Marc Ladreit de Lacharriere, were said to be in a strong position to close a sale, according to Reuters last week.
Italian broadcaster MediaForEurope , meanwhile, joined forces with French billionaire Xavier Niel to submit a non-binding offer for a controlling stake in M6, two sources familiar with the matter said on Friday.
In March 2021, when Bertelsmann confirmed talks to sell its stake, French media reported that RTL’s stake was worth 1.5 billion euros ($1.48 billion), valuing all of M6 at about 3 billion euros.
Initial cash offers for RTL’s 48.3% stake in M6 were expected by last Friday afternoon after a planned tie-up between the company and fellow French broadcaster TF1 collapsed the previous week.
