WPP Is Said to Weigh Options for 40% Stake in Bain’s Kantar
- Kantar could be valued about £7 billion in a transaction
- WPP sold a majority stake in Kantar to PE firm Bain in 2019
This article is for subscribers only.
WPP Plc is considering options to exit its 40% stake in market-research business Kantar as the British owner of advertising agencies seeks to raise cash and address a faltering share price, according to people familiar with the matter.
The London-based company is working with an adviser as it studies potential alternatives, including an outright sale of the holding that it retained after selling 60% of Kantar to buyout firm Bain Capital in 2019, the people said, asking not to be identified as the matter is private. A deal could given an equity value of about $3 billion to $4 billion for Kantar, which also has around $4 billion of debt, the people said.