Under the plan, Vivendi's top investor Vincent Bollore would sell all Editis shares he would receive after the transaction, which would consist of a simultaneous distribution of the publishing unit's shares to Vivendi shareholders and its listing. Vivendi wants to sell Editis to secure the takeover of French media group Lagardere. Vivendi's sales totaled 2.58 billion euros ($2.54 billion) in the third quarter, against 2.48 billion euros in the same quarter last year. Vivendi added however that growth at Havas was offset by a slowdown in its pay-TV unit Canal+. Canal+ revenues in the quarter dropped 4.9% at constant currencies and like-for-like, to 1.42 billion euros.

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