Buyout Deals

Shares of Alitalia SpA, the Italian airline, rose sharply today in Europe amid speculation that an Italian-led consortium was preparing to make a bid, according to AFX, a news service owned by Thomson Corp. (publisher of PE Week Wire). Interested parties cited in the report include Management & Capitali SpA, a private equity firm owned by Carlo De Benedetti. The Italian government appears willing to sell its entire stake in the airline. www.managementecapitali.it

The Taittinger family is preparing to buy back a 37% stake in a champagne business that it sold to buyout shop Starwood Capital Group in July 2005, according to French newspaper Les Echos. The Taittinger family is among the country’s largest producers of champagne. www.starwoodcapital.com

Taiwan plans to take a closer look at private equity deals in which firms acquire more than 25% of a controlling stake in both publicly-traded companies and companies that need a government franchise, such as telecom carriers, banks, radio and TV companies, Taiwan Economic News reports. According to Shih Yen-shiang, vice minister of economics, the government plans to look at such factors as whether the companies would be taken private, and whether the transactions are short-term or long-term investments. In November, The Carlyle Group proposed acquiring Taiwan's Advanced Semiconductor Engineering in a $5.46 billion transaction. www.carlyle.group

Belgian private equity shop GIMV plans to hold exclusive talks with Navios Maritime Holdings Inc. regarding the sale of its 24% stake in shipping company Kleimar NV, according to AFX, a news service owned by Thomson Corp. (publisher of PE Week Wire). Navios is also trying to acquire the remaining 76% of the company held by Sea-Invest Group and management. Kleimar manages a fleet of 30 to 35 ocean-going vessels used to transport coal and iron. www.gimv.com www.sea-invest.be