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☆ Volkswagen and more: Barclays names European 'conviction' stock ideas — and gives one 59% upside
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Ganesh Rao | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The Wall Street bank named the following five companies in its European "Conviction with Catalysts" list of stock ideas that offer strong upside potential. Enav Topping the list with the biggest upside potential is Enav , an air traffic controller company based in Italy. UCB Barclays believes Belgian biopharmaceutical company UCB can beat 2023 sales expectations thanks to its new psoriasis drug Bimzelx. Although the drug has struggled in the U.S. over side effect warnings, Barclays sees signs of healthy global demand. Volkswagen Barclays believes Volkswagen offers turnaround potential in 2024 after a disastrous 2023 and 2022.

Persons: Emmanuel Cau, Enav, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Barclays, UCB Barclays, Belgian, UCB, ABN Amro Dutch, ABN Amro, ABN, Vivendi, Volkswagen Barclays, Volkswagen Locations: Italy, U.S

☆ Telecom Italia CEO defends grid deal as top investor threatens legal challenge
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Telecom Italia (TIM) logo is seen displayed in this illustration taken, May 3, 2022. CEO Pietro Labriola's comments follow criticism from top shareholder Vivendi (VIV.PA), which has threatened a legal challenge to the plan to sell the grid, saying it considered the decision to proceed without a shareholder vote as "unlawful". "It is not possible under the Italian law to transfer such competence to the shareholders," the CEO added. According to Vivendi, the sale required an extraordinary shareholder vote because it would change TIM's corporate purpose and therefore required a change to the company bylaws. Labriola said the deal is "no more than the strict execution of the delayering (business) plan" unanimously approved in 2022.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Pietro Labriola's, Labriola, Agostino Nuzzolo, Elvira Pollina, Giulia Segreti, Jan Harvey Organizations: Telecom Italia, REUTERS, Rights, Telecom, KKR, Vivendi, TIM, Thomson Locations: Milan

☆ Telecom Italia core profit up 9% as grid share deal helps domestic sales
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

That is ahead of a 1.37 billion euro company-provided analyst consensus. Total domestic sales rose 2.2% in the quarter to 2.98 billion euros, also above forecasts. The company confirmed its 2023 financial targets, including a stabilisation of core earnings and service revenue in Italy. In the nine months, service revenue at TIM's domestic operations fell 1.3% to 7.9 billion euros. TIM's net financial debt stood at 26.3 billion euros as of Sept. 30, marginally up from the end of the previous quarter.

Persons: Stefano Rellandini, Giorgia, Pietro Labriola, Elvira Pollina, Valentina Za Organizations: Telecom Italia, REUTERS, Vivendi, Italy's, KKR, TIM, Thomson Locations: Rozzano, Milan, Italy, TIM's

☆ Telecom Italia gives green light to KKR's grid bid, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( Elvira Pollina | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Telecom Italia (TIM) logo is seen displayed in this illustration taken, May 3, 2022. The price tag can reach 22 billion euros when including some future payments were a long-awaited combination of TIM's grid with that of state-backed fibre optic rival Open Fiber materialise, the first two sources said. Italian infrastructure fund F2i is also preparing to take a stake in the grid to bring the holding in Italian hands to 30%-35%. With its 24% TIM stake, Vivendi has warned TIM's board it is ready to bring a legal challenge to the sale after criticising its approval process, documents seen by Reuters showed. ($1 = 0.9321 euros)Reporting by Elvira Pollina; Editing by Valentina ZaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Giorgia, Pietro Labriola's, Merlyn Advisors, Stefano Siragusa, Elvira Pollina, Valentina Za Organizations: Telecom Italia, REUTERS, Vivendi, Sunday, KKR, Reuters, TIM, Treasury, Thomson Locations: MILAN, London

☆ Telecom Italia approves KKR's $20 billion grid bid in blow for Vivendi
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( Elvira Pollina | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Telecom Italia (TIM) logo is seen displayed in this illustration taken, May 3, 2022. The board started a review of KKR's offer on Friday, approving it on Sunday, TIM said. The sale's 18.8 billion euro price tag, including debt, could reach 22 billion euros if certain conditions are met, TIM said. TIM said it would not put the board's decision to a shareholder vote, in a setback for leading shareholder VivendI (VIV.PA). Vivendi, which owns 24% of TIM, has been seeking a higher price and questioned the sustainability of the business left behind.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Giorgia, Pietro Labriola's, Labriola, Merlyn Advisors, Merlyn, Elvira Pollina, Valentina Za, Will Dunham Organizations: Telecom Italia, REUTERS, TIM, Vivendi, Sunday, KKR, European Union, Treasury, VivendI, Thomson Locations: Italy, MILAN, London

☆ Viaplay shares fall 18% after company seeks recapitalisation, postpones results
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

OSLO, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Shares in Swedish streaming company Viaplay (VPLAYb.ST) fell 18% on Tuesday after the company said it is in talks with three major shareholders as well as lenders and bondholders on a recapitalisation, and is in discussions to sell non-core operations. Viaplay said late on Monday that due to the talks, it would postpone its third-quarter earnings report to no later than Nov. 29, rather than the original plan of reporting on Tuesday. The company's shares hit an all-time low of 22.72 Swedish crowns on Tuesday, down 88% year-to-date. Viaplay did not name the shareholders, lenders and bondholders involved in the talks. Reporting by Terje Solsvik and Marta Frąckowiak Editing by Bill Berkrot and Susan FentonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Viaplay, Kepler, Kristoffer Carleskar, Jorgen Madsen Lindemann, Terje Solsvik, Marta Frąckowiak, Bill Berkrot, Susan Fenton Organizations: Thomson Locations: OSLO, Viaplay

☆ Explainer: What's at stake in Telecom Italia grid deal?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

TIM is selling NetCo, a venture comprising both TIM's domestic fixed-access network and international wholesale telecoms operator Sparkle. TIM's landline network covers nearly 89% of the country's households and its fibre cable stretches over 23 million kilometres across the country. Beyond TIM's grid, a second major network is being rolled out by Open Fiber, a company controlled by CDP and Australian investment group Macquarie. There had long been talks of trying to combine TIM's network with Open Fiber but competition concerns have hampered such a deal so far. With its 24% voting stake, Vivendi could throw a spanner in the works at any TIM shareholder meeting to vote on a deal or challenge it in the courts.

Persons: Yara, Pietro Labriola's, Giorgia, Elvira Pollina, Keith Weir, Anil D'Silva Organizations: REUTERS, KKR, Italian Treasury, Telecom Italia's, TIM, WHO, Vivendi, Treasury, Trade, Macquarie, Thomson Locations: Rome, Italy

REUTERS/Yara Nardi/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMILAN, Sept 20 (Reuters) - U.S. fund KKR and Italy's Treasury are set to ask Telecom Italia (TIM) for more time to arrange a joint bid for its landline grid, three sources close to the matter said. KKR (KKR.N) last month won the backing of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government, which authorised the Treasury to join its bid for an asset deemed of strategic national interest. The U.S. fund's preliminary bid valued the business -- dubbed NetCo -- at around 23 billion euros ($25 billion) including debt and taking into account a number of variables. The French group, which owns 24% of TIM, has so far shown little appetite for a deal under KKR's terms. The Treasury is evaluating the request, one of these people said, without adding further details.

Persons: Yara, Giorgia, Arnaud de Puyfontaine, Giancarlo Giorgetti, Elvira Pollina, Giuseppe Fonte, Alvise Armellini, Alexander Smith Organizations: REUTERS, KKR, Italy's Treasury, Telecom Italia, Treasury, TIM, NetCo, Reuters, Vivendi, Thomson Locations: Rome, Italy, U.S

☆ Pinault’s Hollywood foray is untimely distraction
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Pierre Briancon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Charles Platiau Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Sept 8 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The story of European business trying to mingle with Hollywood has often led to unhappy endings. The Pinault family, which controls $61 billion luxury group Kering (PRTP.PA), thinks it can buck the trend. Pinault may have overpaid for CAA, especially in the middle of a major strike of Hollywood writers and actors. The transaction, through holding company Artemis, adds Hollywood's premiere talent agency to Pinault’s family empire which spans fashion, wine and contemporary art. CAA was valued at $1.1 billion when TPG acquired a majority stake in 2014, four years after having originally invested in the talent agency.

Persons: Francois, Henri Pinault, Kering, Charles Platiau, Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, François, Ari Emanuel’s, Artemis ’, Gucci, Alessandro Michele, Pinault, Jean, Kering’s, Valentino, Brad Pitt, Salma Hayek, Lisa Jucca, Streisand Neto Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Hollywood, Universal Studios, Creative Artists Agency, CAA, Gucci, TPG, Endeavor, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, bask

☆ French lawmakers raise strategic concerns over Atos sale to Kretinsky
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The logo of Atos is seen on a company building in Nantes, France, March 11, 2022. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe/File PhotoPARIS, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Talks to sell parts of French company Atos (ATOS.PA) to Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky are raising concerns among some French lawmakers, who say the deal risks undermining the independence of France's nuclear deterrence. Lawmakers cannot block a sale of a French company, only the government can if it considers there is a strategic reason for doing so. The lawmakers questioned why an alternative French buyer, a consortium of French companies Astek and ChapsVision, who were reported in French media to have been interested, were not given more consideration. A source close to Astek said Atos's cybersecurity business also hosted other sensitive assets crucial to French intelligence interests.

Persons: Stephane Mahe, Daniel Kretinsky, Atos, Thursday's, Figaro, Cedric Perrin, Kretinsky, Perrin, Astek, Atos's, Michel Rose, Mathieu Rosemain, Sharon Singleton Organizations: REUTERS, Les, Kretinsky, Casino, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Nantes, France, Czech, Europe

☆ Telecom Italia's quarterly core profit rises as domestic revenues edge up
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

which was above a company-provided analyst consensus of 1.3 billion euros. TIM's net financial debt rose to 26.1 billion euros ($28.57 billion) as of June 30 from 24.6 billion euros in the same period last year. The company confirmed its financial targets for 2023, including a stabilisation of service revenue and core earnings at the domestic level. The government has special vetting powers on any deal involving TIM's grid and wants to join KKR's bid to keep a strategic oversight on Italy's main telecommunications infrastructure. The grid sale has faced heavy reservations from TIM's top investor, Vivendi (VIV.PA), which is demanding a higher valuation to back a deal.

Persons: Yara, Pietro Labriola, Giorgia, Elvira Pollina, Urvi, Chris Reese, Leslie Adler Organizations: REUTERS, Telecom Italia, KKR, TIM, U.S, TIM's, Vivendi, Thomson Locations: Rome, Italy, Milan, Bengaluru

The talks, announced with Kretinsky's EP Equity Investment (EPEI) vehicle, come on top of a 900 million-euro share-sale plan, aimed at further shoring up Atos' balance sheet, the company said. The expected sale would bring in 100 million euros in cash and cut 1.9 billion euros worth of liabilities from the tech company's balance sheet, Atos said. It gives an enterprise value of 2 billion euros to the sold division, named Tech Foundations. Tech Foundations, whose activities generated 4.5 billion euros of revenue last year, offers infrastructure management services. Following the sale of the tech unit, Atos will still rename as Eviden.

Persons: Daniel Kretinsky, Atos, Nathalie Senechault, Paul Saleh, Mathieu Rosemain, Sudip Kar, Edmund Klamann, Sharon Singleton Organizations: PARIS, Kretinsky's, Equity Investment, Tech Foundations, Tech, Casino, Thomson Locations: Czech, Paris, French, France

Atos also said on Tuesday that it plans a 900 million-euro share sale to further shore up its balance sheet. The company said 180 million euros of the shares in the capital raise would be reserved for EPEI, giving it a 7.5% stake in Eviden. The sale of the remaining 720 million euros of new shares will be underwritten by BNP Paribas and JP Morgan, the company said. The expected sale would bring in 100 million euros in cash and cut 1.9 billion euros worth of liabilities from the tech company's balance sheet, Atos said. The sale gives an enterprise value of 2 billion euros to the sold division, which generated 4.5 billion euros of core revenue last year and employs 52,000 people.

Persons: Daniel Kretinsky, Atos, JP Morgan, Nathalie Senechault, Paul Saleh, Mathieu Rosemain, Sudip Kar, Edmund Klamann, Sharon Singleton Organizations: PARIS, Casino, Tech Foundations, Equity Investment, BNP, Thomson Locations: Czech, Europe, France, Eviden

☆ ICICI Bank is dealmaking from a place of strength
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The $80 billion ICICI Bank (ICBK.NS) is weighing up a delisting of its broking firm ICICI Securities (ICCI.NS), the news prompted a 10% rally in the shares of the $2.4 billion unit. This time the country’s second largest private sector lender is dealmaking from a position of strength. It was one among a flurry of subsidiary IPOs that battered lenders including State Bank of India (SBI.NS) undertook to generate cash. ICICI Bank was particularly vulnerable, with then CEO Chanda Kochhar battling allegations of dodgy lending to the Videocon group. ICICI Securities trades at roughly 18 times trailing earnings but went public at more than twice that valuation, Centrum Broking calculated at the time.

Persons: Chanda Kochhar, Sandeep Bakhshi, Shritama Bose, Blackstone, Aston Martin, Una Galani, Thomas Shum Organizations: Reuters, ICICI Bank, ICICI Securities, State Bank of India, Twitter, Siemens, Telecom Italia, Vivendi, Thomson Locations: MUMBAI, Canada

☆ Blackstone deal is a bright spot in gloomy sector
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEW YORK, June 26 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The U.S. commercial real estate industry is mired in gloom, but some pockets are still sunny. The portfolio includes 14 million square feet of industrial properties in cities like Atlanta, Phoenix and Dallas, and the deal is premised in part on rising rents. According to the two companies, the net operating income generated by the warehouses is 4% of the acquisition price. Meanwhile, listed real estate investment trusts which own industrial warehouses trade at a narrowing discount to net asset value, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. In a gloomy sector, so-called big boxes are a bright spot.

Persons: Steve Schwarzman, Avison Young, Jennifer Saba, Aston Martin, Peter Thal Larsen, Oliver Taslic Organizations: YORK, Reuters, U.S, P Global Market Intelligence, Twitter, Siemens, Telecom Italia, Vivendi, Thomson Locations: Atlanta, Phoenix, Dallas, Canada

☆ Aston Martin pulls out of slow lane in EV race
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, June 26 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Aston Martin Lagonda’s (AML.L) route to viability is a brain-teaser worthy of Q, James Bond’s quartermaster famous for turning everyday objects into whizzy tools. The 2.6 billion pound carmaker’s latest deal with $11 billion Lucid (LCID.O) shows the marque made famous by the fictional spy is, however, making progress. The deal with Lucid – majority-owned by the PIF, handily enough – will make Aston’s ambition to roll out its first electric vehicle by 2025 more credible. The deal sent Aston shares up over 9% in early Monday trading. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: Aston Martin Lagonda’s, Q, James Bond’s, Aston, Lawrence, –, Mercedes, Neil Unmack, George Hay, Oliver Taslic Organizations: Reuters, Jefferies, Public Investment Fund, Porsche, Mercedes, Benz, U.S, Aston, Twitter, Canada, Siemens, Telecom Italia, Vivendi, Thomson

☆ French Sunday newspaper on strike over fears of far-right turn
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-25 | by ( Michel Rose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The newspaper’s owner, French media group Lagardere (LAGA.PA), on Friday named Geoffroy Lejeune as JDD's new editor-in-chief, succeeding Jerome Begle who left for Paris Match. Lejeune is the former head of magazine Valeurs Actuelles, which has courted controversy with anti-immigrant covers and was fined for racist insult in 2022. The company already owns news channel CNews, which has taken a conservative turn since Bollore took control. In a statement, Arnaud Lagardere said Geoffroy Lejeune was a "raw talent of journalism" that he could not pass up. "Under Geoffroy Lejeune, Valeurs Actuelles spread hateful attacks and fake news.

Persons: Geoffroy Lejeune, Jerome Begle, Lejeune, Vincent Bollore, Bollore, Rima Abdul Malak, Arnaud Lagardere, Valeurs, Michel Rose, Juliette Jabkhiro, Emelia Sithole Organizations: Sunday, Paris Match, European Commission, Lagardere, Vivendi, U.S, Fox, Twitter, Thomson

☆ Siemens Energy’s green windfall fades over horizon
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, June 23 (Reuters Breakingviews) - It would be logical to assume that wind turbine manufacturers would be the first to benefit from the many government incentives designed to combat climate change. The German company issued late on Thursday a major profit warning, and scrapped its profit guidance this year. Siemens Energy’s stock dropped by more than 30% on Friday morning, wiping some 5.5 billion euros off the company’s market price. After Friday’s hit, Siemens Energy is trading at 0.4 times sales, way below rival Vestas Wind Systems’ (VWS.CO) multiple of 1.7. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: Christian Bruch, Friday’s, Karen Kwok, Pierre Briancon, Oliver Taslic Organizations: Reuters, Siemens Energy, Siemens, Systems, Twitter, Telecom Italia, Vivendi, Intel, Thomson

☆ Canada is calling Meta’s bluff
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

If Australia is any guide, Meta’s intended blackout will likely be short-lived. Meta has insisted it is unfair to expect the company to pay publishers when it drives traffic to their websites. Lawmakers are pushing for similar rules in Meta’s home state of California and in the U.S. Congress. Meta says it makes 40% of its revenue, which was $117 billion last year, in the U.S. and lists Australia and Canada among its most significant regions. If Canada calls Meta’s bluff, the tech giant may just as easily fold against Uncle Sam.

Persons: Meta, Mark Zuckerberg’s, Uncle Sam, Anita Ramaswamy, Jennifer Saba, Katrina Hamlin Organizations: YORK, Reuters, Facebook, Google, U.S . Congress, Meta, Twitter, Siemens, Telecom Italia, Vivendi, Intel, Thomson Locations: Canada, Australia, California, U.S

☆ Telecom Italia grid talks leave Vivendi in a bind
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, June 23 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Telecom Italia (TLIT.MI) is moving ahead with the long-awaited sale of its grid. The 5.5 billion euro Italian group has entered exclusive talks with private equity powerhouse KKR (KKR.N), and wants a binding offer by Sept. 30. Vivendi however is valuing the NetCo at 31 billion euros. A 26 billion euro price tag would imply an EV/EBITDA multiple of 14 times. That’s almost three times that of Vodafone (VOD.L) or Telefonica (TEF.MC), assuming the grid’s EBITDA at 1.8 billion euros, according to Barclays estimates.

Persons: Pietro Labriola, Il Messaggero, That’s, – Labriola, Pamela Barbaglia, Pierre Briancon, Oliver Taslic Organizations: Reuters, Telecom, KKR, Vivendi, hardball, Telecom Italia’s, Vodafone, Telefonica, Barclays, Twitter, Intel, Thomson Locations: Rome, York, French

KKR's approach incorporates a value for TIM's fixed landline network that could top 23 billion euros ($25 billion). TIM plans to analyse in depth the terms to be proposed by KKR, one of the sources said. Having already invested 1.8 billion euros in the grid, KKR has bid for a controlling stake in a unit comprising TIM's entire domestic fixed access network and submarine cable business Sparkle. KKR is also ready to let TIM retain a stake in its landline network. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's administration will have a say on any deal as Rome can use its "golden powers" rules to set conditions or block bids for strategic assets such as TIM's network.

Persons: Pietro Labriola's, Giancarlo Giorgetti, Giorgia Meloni's, Giuseppe Fonte, Elvira Pollina, Valentina Za, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: KKR, TIM, Telecom Italia, Macquarie, Reuters, Vivendi, Treasury, Thomson Locations: ROME, Rome

☆ Telecom Italia CEO confident grid sale will go well
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ROME, June 15 (Reuters) - Telecom Italia's (TLIT.MI) (TIM) plan to sell its prized landline grid asset to reduce debt "should and can go well", CEO Pietro Labriola said on Thursday, as sources said bids have not met top shareholder Vivendi's (VIV.PA) expectations. U.S. fund KKR (KKR.N) and a rival consortium comprising state lender CDP and Australian fund Macquarie (MQG.AX) presented revised bids for the grid last week. Two sources with knowledge of the matter have told Reuters that KKR's offer is the most generous at around 23 billion euros ($24.93 billion) overall, still short of the more than 30 billion euros sources close to Vivendi have said it wants. Labriola said there was also a back-up plan to improve TIM's prospects, should the asset sale not be possible. TIM's financial debt stood at almost 26 billion euros at the end of the first quarter of 2023.

Persons: Pietro Labriola, Labriola, Alvise Armellini, Gavin Jones, Elaine Hardcastle Organizations: Telecom, KKR, Macquarie, Reuters, Vivendi, Thomson Locations: Rome

☆ EU regulators checking if Vivendi jumped gun in Lagardere acquisition
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, June 15 (Reuters) - EU antitrust regulators are checking whether French media conglomerate Vivendi (VIV.PA) closed its acquisition of French publisher Lagardere (LAGA.PA) before securing regulatory approval, the European Commission said on Thursday. Such so-called gun jumping can result in fines of up to 10% of a company's group aggregate turnover. The EU executive said it was alerted by media reports but has not opened a formal investigation yet. "The Commission was made aware of allegations of gun jumping, which have been reported in the press. The Commission can confirm that it is looking into the matter," the EU executive said in an email.

Persons: Lagardere, Foo Yun Chee, Mathieu Rosemain, Jan Harvey Organizations: Vivendi, European Commission, EU, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, EU, Paris

MILAN, June 14 (Reuters) - Merger and acquisition speculation has lifted shares in MFE (MFEB.MI), the late Silvio Berlusconi's TV business, following his death, but a number of obstacles stand in the way of any rapid deal. With a 19.8% MFE stake, Vivendi (VIV.PA) is widely seen as the natural buyer for MFE. This week's rally has lifted the market value of the whole of MFE to 1.8 billion euros. Any accord between Vivendi and Fininvest would require overcoming the deep distrust between the two groups after years of courtroom battles sparked by a failed 2016 TV deal. Like Fininvest, Vivendi faces a loss on any potential sale of its MFE stake given the gap between book and market prices.

Persons: Silvio Berlusconi's, Vincent Bollore, Urbano, Pier Silvio Berlusconi, Fininvest, MFE, Emilio Parodi, Valentina Za, Barbara Lewis Organizations: MILAN, Vivendi, Reuters, della Sera, U.S, Warner Bros ., VIVENDI, FININVEST, Fininvest, MFE, Thomson Locations: MFE, Urbano Cairo, Germany's ProSiebenSat, Italy, Spain, Rome, Netherlands

MILAN, June 10 (Reuters) - U.S. fund KKR (KKR.N) strengthened its lead in the race to secure the landline grid of Telecom Italia (TIM) (TLIT.MI) when it offered to raise its bid by up to or over 2 billion euros ($2.2 billion), two people with knowledge of the matter said. The value of KKR's offer could top 23 billion euros overall, widening the gap with a rival proposal by a consortium comprising Italian state lender CDP and Australian fund Macquarie (MQG.AX). The improved offer would still be short of a valuation of more than 30 billion euros for the grid sought by TIM's top shareholder Vivendi (VIV.PA). Sources had previously told Reuters that both Labriola and some leading Italian officials already saw KKR as the strongest bidder prior to Friday's proposal. TIM's board meets to review the proposals on June 19 and is expected to take a decision on June 22.

Persons: Pietro Labriola's, Labriola, KKR, Macquarie, Akriti Sharma, Elvira Pollina, Marguerita Choy, Leslie Adler Organizations: MILAN, KKR, Telecom Italia, Macquarie, Vivendi, Reuters, TIM, Thomson Locations: ServCo, NetCo, Bengaluru, Milan

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