Guardian Media Group and Apax are planning a £150m sell-off of Emap's car valuations business CAP.
But according to a report today in The Guardian they have ruled out a sale of the B2B publishing division – which includes Titles such as Construction News, Broadcast and Drapers.
Speculation has been mounting in recent weeks that Emap – the B2B publishing business Emap bought by Guardian Media Group and private equity group Apax for £1.1bn in 2007 – was set to be broken up.
GMG owns 30 per cent whereas Apax owns 70 per cent of Emap. Both companies are currently looking a long way away from recouping that investment.
There have been various media reports that Emap has been in discussions to sell over its trade titles in recent weeks.
Following chief executive David Gilbertson's exit last May, Duncan Painter took over the top job at Emap from BSkyB in November.
Announcing his plans for the company in an all-staff at the time – he gave no hint that a break-up was on the cards in the near future.
He said: 'At the core of every great company like Apple, WPP, Armani, GE etc is one fundamental and core ingredient. It exists in them all and is a very strong part of their DNA. It is the desire to GROW. Growth is the oxygen of great companies…
'I feel very confident from all the people I have met to date, that as a team we will look back in three years' time realising what a great company we have created together."
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