Spire Healthcare to extend deadline for takeover talks - report

(Sharecast News) - Private hospital operator Spire Healthcare is reportedly set to extend a deadline for takeover talks involving private equity firms Bridgepoint and Triton, among others. Spire confirmed last month that the two PE firms were among the parties in discussions with the company about a potential takeover offer.

According to Sky News on Wednesday, Spire is likely to request to the UK takeover regulator that an existing deadline of this weekend for firm bids should be pushed into next month.

Sources told Sky that an extension to the 21 February deadline for offers is not yet guaranteed to happen but it is under active discussion between Spire's board and the company's advisers.

Spire did not provide any financial details in its announcement in January, but Sky suggested at the time that a deal could be worth as much as £1.5bn.

At 1140 GMT, the shares were up 2.2% at 207p.