Dec 2 (Reuters) - French market research firm Ipsos

said on Monday it was in talks with Kantar Media over

a potential acquisition of the London-based group, confirming a

Reuters report from Friday.

"There can be no certainty that any offer will be made, nor

as to the terms on which any such offer might be made," Ipsos

said in a statement.

Ipsos is preparing a binding offer to buy the TV ratings

data business from market research group Kantar, two people with

knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

Any deal involving Kantar could be worth more than 1 billion

euros ($1.05 billion), one of the sources said.

Kantar's largest shareholders are U.S. private equity firm

Bain Capital and advertising giant WPP ( WPP ), with

respective stakes of 60% and 40%.

"From WPP's ( WPP ) perspective, Kantar does not contribute to its

earnings as it is effectively held as an 'investment' rather

than an associate," Citi analysts said in a note, adding there

would be questions over shareholders' returns if a deal is

reached.

Shares in Ipsos, listed and headquartered in Paris, fell

more than 2% by 0815 GMT, touching their lowest price in more

than a year.

The French group, which provides consumer market research

services and has become a household name globally for its

opinion and election polls, has a market value of 1.9 billion

euros.

($1 = 0.9522 euros)