Vivendi & Telefónica Enter Exclusive Talks for GVT Acquisition

MADRID: After receiving binding offers from Spain's Telefónica and Italy's Telecom Italia to acquire GVT, Vivendi has decided to enter into exclusive negotiations with the Spanish telecommunications outfit.

The Telefónica bid represents a total value of 7.45 billion euros ($9.825 billion). This includes a cash offer of 4.66 billion euros ($6.15 billion) as well as a part in Telefónica Brasil shares (12 percent) of which about one third can be exchanged at Vivendi’s discretion for 5.7 percent of the share capital and 8.3 percent of the voting rights in Telecom Italia.

"Telefónica’s offer is considered particularly attractive, generating a capital gain of more than 3 billion euros ($3.95 billion)," Vivendi said in a statement. "The other conditions of the offer, limiting to a strict minimum the risk of executing the operation as well as Vivendi’s commitments after the sale, are totally in line with Vivendi’s objectives.

"The agreement between Telefónica and Vivendi would allow the development of joint projects in ​​content and media. In addition, if it so wish, Vivendi could become a shareholder in Telecom Italia by exchanging its Brazilian shares for Italian ones."

"The Telefónica offer best meets the group’s strategic and financial objectives," Vivendi continued. "Vivendi begins a new phase in its development to become an integrated industrial group focused on media and content. Its objective is to pursue its development through the organic growth of its subsidiaries and a close collaboration between them, which do not preclude the group from taking minority positions in allied companies to distribute content."