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Abu Dhabi's TAQA verifies Naturgy shareholder talks as thinks about takeover quote

Abu Dhabi's TAQA remains in talks with the 3 biggest investors of Spanish energy company Naturgy with a view to a possible takeover bid, it stated on Wednesday.

With a market price of $22 billion on Tuesday, a takeover of Naturgy would be the biggest by a sovereign wealth fund, Diego Lopez of fund tracker Worldwide SWF stated.

TAQA, a power and water energy established in 2005, would acquire Spain's largest gas company, together with agreements with Algeria and also a long-lasting contract to import some 3 billion cubic metres (bcm) of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) every year.

TAQA said it is in talks with personal equity firms CVC and GIP, each owning more than 20% of Naturgy with a combined worth of some $9 billion, to buy their stakes.

CVC and GIP are both leaning towards selling their stakes, 2 people with understanding of the scenario told , speaking on condition of privacy. Both funds decreased to comment.

TAQA likewise said it was speaking with Naturgy's biggest investor, Criteria, which owns a 26.7% stake about a possible collaboration contract.

It also stated there was no guarantee a deal would happen and, if it were to, under what terms. It added it had actually not approached Naturgy directly.

Naturgy's shares were up nearly 6% by 1115 GMT.

GOVERNMENT ROLE

Spanish guidelines require a mandatory tender deal when a purchaser wants to get more than 30% of an openly traded company.

They also require any deal to be approved by the Spanish federal government.

Relationships in between Madrid and Abu Dhabi were reinforced 2 years back, when the two governments agreed to develop a. strategic collaboration.

Speaking to reporters in Washington on Wednesday, Economy. Minister Carlos Cuerpo stated the federal government will examine the. potential operation when and if such materialises, decreasing to. anticipate the result.

He stated Spanish guidelines for acquisitions by foreign firms. allowed to attain a perfect balance in between securing our. companies, our strategic interests and attracting direct foreign. financial investment.

Naturgy declined to comment, as did Australian fund IFM,. which holds a 15% stake in Naturgy. Requirements likewise decreased to. remark beyond a declaration on Tuesday in which it stated it remained in. conversations with a financier group.

The gas company accounted for 57% of Naturgy's core. incomes last year. However, it is also broadening its renewable. energy operations that reached around 6.5 GW of set up. capability at the end of last year.

Located at the crossroads of the U.S., Europe and North. Africa, and boasting the European Union's largest variety of. import terminals, Spain has ended up being a local center for LNG.

TAQA runs in about 10 other nations besides the United. Arab Emirates.

A system of Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund, ADQ owns simply. over 90% of the business. Gas represented over half of TAQA's. production mix in 2015.

(source: Reuters)