Blackstone, CVC Said to Make Bids for €6 Billion Cognita Schools

Blackstone Inc. and CVC Capital Partners Plc are among parties who have submitted initial bids for Cognita, one of the largest private-school operators in the UK, according to people familiar with the matter.

Buyout firms Permira and Cinven have also made non-binding offers for the school operator, which could be worth as much as €6 billion ($6.9 billion) in a deal, the people said. Veritas Capital has expressed interest as well, the people said. Cognita’s owners, led by Swiss investment firm Jacobs Holding, are interested in a transaction that would lead to joint control of the business with other private equity firms, the people said.