Pearson May Sell Interactive Data Corp. Stake

Interactive Data Corporation

By Mark Sweney: Pearson (NYSE: PSO), the publishing and education group that owns the Financial Times, has confirmed that it is reviewing the future of its $1.5 billion (£920 million) stake in the financial information group Interactive Data Corporation.

Its stake, 61 percent of a business valued at $2.4 billion, was acquired in 2000. One option that Pearson is considering is a sale of the business.

“Following recent press reports, Pearson and Interactive Data Corporation are today confirming that the board of Interactive Data is currently undertaking a preliminary review of strategic alternatives for the company,” said a spokesman for Pearson.

“Pearson and Interactive Data can give no assurance on the potential outcome or timing of this review process, and do not intend to make any further statements unless and until it becomes appropriate to do so”.

One report says that IDC, which has been looked at by private equity groups in the past, would be a good fit for financial data groups including Bloomberg, Thomson Reuters (NYSE: TRI) and McGraw-Hill.

This article originally appeared in © Guardian News & Media Ltd..

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