Verizon and AT&T are said to be working together in order to acquire and then break apart Vodafone, according to a rumor. After purchasing the British carrier, Verizon would in theory take control of Vodafone’s 45-percent share of Verizon Wireless, while AT&T would own all assets located outside of the United States, though the rumor already appears to have been dismissed.
A previous rumor reported that Verizon and Vodafone were in talks to “resolve” their ownership-relationship in Verizon Wireless, with options on the table ranging from a full merger of the two companies, and a part or full buy-out of Vodafone’s stake. A full buyout could cost Verizon as much as $115 billion.
Sources of a report by the Financial Times claim that the offer from AT&T and Verizon to take Vodafone would be at a 40-percent premium above Vodafone’s current price, and would give it an enterprise value of $245 billion. Though AT&T would not benefit from the US assets, Vodafone does have a number of holdings around the world, including most of Europe, and would give AT&T a large and new customer base to sell to on the continent.
Within hours of the original report going live, Dealreporter received word from their own source that Verizon is “not involved” in the reported bid. This has not stopped share prices for AT&T, Verizon, and Vodafone from rising on the speculation.
