Market Chatter-Corporate finance press digest (updated)

GVK Power & Infrastructure

03/03/2014 05:54

(Adds items on Tiger Airways and Sbarro) March 3 (Reuters) - The following corporate finance-related stories were reported by media:  * Comcast  CMCSA.O  is considering spinning off the 3 million subscribers it has offered to divest as part of its proposed $45.2 billion takeover of Time Warner Cable  TWC.N , into a publicly traded company, according to sources familiar with the matter.  ID:nL1N0LX2MY  * TGI Fridays, the global casual dining restaurant chain known for its red-striped canopies and memorabilia-rich decor, is in advanced talks to sell itself to buyout firm TriArtisan Capital Partners, people familiar with the matter said on Friday.  ID:nL1N0LX1VK  * Goldman Sachs  GS.N  has made a bet on Africa's booming mobile phone industry, joining a nearly $500m capital raising by Lagos-based IHS Towers, the continent's largest mobile infrastructure company, the Financial Times reported, citing two people familiar with the deal. (http://link.reuters.com/dym37v) * Singapore's Tiger Airways Ltd  TAHL.SI  aims to sell or close its Indonesian joint venture unless there are signs of it turning around this year, people familiar with the matter said. ID:nL3N0M0180  * Veteran food industry investor C. Dean Metropoulos is seeking a new owner for Pabst Brewing Co, best known for blue collar-turned-hipster favorite Pabst Blue Ribbon label, people familiar with the matter said.  ID:nL1N0LY0F7  * Sbarro  SBARO.UL , the Italian restaurant chain that's a fixture in mall food courts, is preparing a bankruptcy filing following a nine-month review of its operations, the Bloomberg News reported, citing people familiar with the situation. (http://link.reuters.com/qan37v) * Venture capital fund Sequoia Capital is looking at exiting its seven-year-old investment in GVK Group's  GVKP.NS  GVK Biosciences, an Indian biotech research and development outsourcing company, the Economic Times reported, citing three people with knowledge of the development. (http://r.reuters.com/rum37v) * Uniqlo parent Fast Retailing Co Ltd  9983.T  and South Korean fashion conglomerate E.Land Group are separately exploring a deal for large U.S. apparel chain J.Crew Group Inc, people familiar with the matter said.  ID:nL1N0LX2H5  * Comcast Corp is near a deal to acquire FreeWheel Media Inc, a web-video company for about $320 million, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a person familiar with the matter. (http://link.reuters.com/zum37v) * European private-equity firm CVC Capital Partners has raised around $214 million by further selling down its stake in Indonesian retailer Matahari Department Store  LPPF.JK , the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. (http://link.reuters.com/cym37v) For the deals of the day click on  DEALS/  For the Morning News Call-EMEA newsletter click on EMEA/MNC  (Compiled by Aastha Agnihotri in Bangalore) ((aastha.agnihotri@thomsonreuters.com)(within UK +44 20 7542 1810)(outside UK +91 806 749 7920)(Reuters Messaging: aastha.agnihotri.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)) Keywords: MARKET CHATTER/