SoftwareOne weigh deal for Crayon as Apax closes in, Bloomberg News reports (updated)

SoftwareOne Holding AG

14/09/2024 24:57

(Adds SoftwareOne, Apax declining to comment in paragraph 3)
       Sept 13 (Reuters) - Swiss technology firm SoftwareOne
Holding  SWON.S  is exploring a potential merger with smaller
Norwegian competitor Crayon Group Holding  CRAYN.OL , Bloomberg
News reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.
    Apax Partners, the leading bidder for SoftwareOne, is
discussing with the company's major shareholders various
structures to take both SoftwareOne and Crayon private and
combine their businesses, according to the report.
    SoftwareOne and Apax declined to comment on the report.
Crayon did not immediately respond to a request for comment on
the report. 
    Last month, SoftwareOne said the discussions with potential
buyers were progressing after it reported a slowdown in revenue
growth and adjusted its full-year outlook downwards.
    Reuters reported in July, citing two sources, that Apax
Partners, Bain Capital and CVC  CVC.AS  were each exploring
potential bids for the Swiss technology firm. 
    SoftwareOne's board was ousted in April after it rejected a
2.9 billion Swiss franc ($3.27 billion) takeover offer by Bain.
    

 (Reporting by Nilutpal Timsina in Bengaluru; Editing by Alan
Barona and Will Dunham)
 ((Nilutpal.Timsina@thomsonreuters.com; +91 86382 04706))