May 8 (Reuters) - Japanese telecoms giant Nippon
Telegraph and Telephone ( NPPXF ) plans to launch a tender offer
worth up to 3 trillion yen ($20 billion) to buy the remaining
shares in NTT Data ( NTTDF ), the Nikkei newspaper reported on
Thursday.
NTT, Japan's largest telecommunications firm, owns 57.7% of
NTT Data ( NTTDF ), which provides information technology services and had
a market capitalisation of $29.5 billion at Wednesday's close of
trade.
Under the tender offer, which could be announced as soon as
Thursday, NTT would buy the remaining shares in NTT Data ( NTTDF ) at a
premium of 30% to 40%, Nikkei reported.
NTT in a statement said it plans to make a decision at a
board meeting on Thursday. NTT Data ( NTTDF ) also said it will hold a
board meeting.
Shares in NTT Data ( NTTDF ) were untraded with a glut of buy orders
in early Tokyo trade on Thursday.
NTT, a former state monopoly still part government-owned,
took mobile carrier NTT Docomo private in a 4 trillion yen deal
in 2020.
It 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 in Japan have
surged in recent years. With the NTT deal, a transaction would
bring an end to 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)