Buyout firm Permira and hedge fund Centaurus Capital are in talks with Atos Origin which may lead to an €58-per-share offer for the French IT company, Reuters said on Thursday, citing a source. The €4bn offer would be a 47 per cent premium to Atos’ closing price of €39.55. The talks are ongoing and may yet fall through, the source told Reuters, adding however that the discussions — while they have not yet led to a firm offer — “are serious.”
Atos shares shot up 24 per cent before they were swiftly suspended, pending the release of a statement, stock market operator Euronext said.