Reed Elsevier could call off the sale of its B2B magazine division, Reed Business Information, after offers fell to $1bn – about half the original asking price.
According to Bloomberg, there are at least two bidders left in the running – Bain Capital and a consortium made up of TPG and DLJ Merchant Banking Partners.
If Reed chief executive Sir Crispin Davis decides to settle for one of the lower prices on the table, a sale could be wrapped up by Christmas, the report says.
He is understood to be keen to offload RBI before he retires in March.
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