May 8 (Reuters) - Japanese telecoms firm Nippon
Telegraph and Telephone ( NPPXF ) announced plans on Thursday to
take its subsidiary NTT Data ( NTTDF ) private by purchasing the
shares it does not already own for 2.37 trillion yen ($16.4
billion).
NTT said in a statement it would launch a tender offer for
NTT Data ( NTTDF ) at 4,000 yen per share, representing a 34% premium from
Wednesday's closing price.
NTT Data's ( NTTDF ) shares were untraded on Thursday due to a glut of
buy orders, ending at the daily-limit high of 3,492 yen,
following a Nikkei newspaper report about the plan.
NTT currently owns 57.7% of NTT Data ( NTTDF ), an information
technology services provider with a market capitalisation of
$29.5 billion at the close of trade on Wednesday.
NTT, a former state monopoly still part government-owned,
took mobile carrier NTT Docomo private in a 4 trillion yen deal
in 2020.
The telecoms company has partnered Toyota Motor ( TM ) to
develop a mobility platform and is also developing
next-generation light-based communications technology. NTT is
also a major operator of data centres.
Management buyouts and corporate acquisitions have surged in
Japan in recent years. With the NTT deal, a transaction would
conclude a prominent parent-child listing - a structure that
remains common in Japan.
Toyota ( TM ) Chairman Akio Toyoda has proposed acquiring supplier
Toyota Industries ( TYIDF ) in a potential 6 trillion yen deal,
media reported last month.
The founding family of Seven & i Holdings ( SVNDF ) attempted
a buyout of the 7-Eleven convenience store owner but failed to
secure funding. Canada's Alimentation Couche-Tard ( ANCTF ) has
offered $47 billion for the retailer.
($1 = 143.3800 yen)