News and data supplier Thomson Reuters has reportedly turned potential buyers out for his news service. Sources reported to the British business newspaper Financial Times (FT) that, among others, investor KKR, publisher Axel Springer and former editor-in-chief of Reuters News Mark Wood had expressed their interest.
According to the newspaper, there is currently no discussion with parties. In addition, there are various obstacles that make a deal impossible. Also Thomson Reuters chairman David Thomson and CEO Jim Smith would not be interested in selling the news service.
Thomson Reuters sold a majority stake last year in its financial data division Refinitiv, for $ 17 billion to investor Blackstone. Part of that deal was a capital injection of $ 325 million annually into Reuters News, under the condition of certain goals. A non-competition clause restricts Reuters from cooperating with Refinitiv’s competitors, which is detrimental to Reuters’ commercial opportunities.
The annual payment of $ 325 million is not enough to cover the full costs of the 2000-strong news service, but it does offer a constant source of income. With that, Reuters is better able to keep pace with the larger rival Bloomberg, according to the business newspaper.