French information technology company Atos SE AEXAF revealed receipt of two letters indicating non-binding interest in its BDS (Big Data & Security) business, one of which relates only to part of BDS's perimeter.
The company said it will open a due diligence phase with Airbus SE EADSY EADSF, whose indicative offer of an enterprise value of €1.5 billion-€1.8 billion relates to the entire BDS perimeter.
Atos confirmed its engagement in preliminary discussions with Airbus and the initiation of a due diligence phase.
The potential deal, which includes debt, could value BDS at up to €1.8 billion ($1.97 billion), marking a significant expansion in Airbus's defense and security capabilities, reported the Wall Street Journal.
Following a failed attempt nearly a year ago to acquire a minority stake in Atos's division housing BDS, Airbus has now made a nonbinding indicative offer for the entire unit.
The addition of BDS would bring advanced capabilities in cybersecurity, computing, and artificial intelligence to Airbus.
The sale is part of Atos's broader strategy to reduce debt and realign its business. The company confirmed exclusive negotiations with EPEI on the sale of Tech Foundations are continuing.
Atos has not ruled out selling additional assets, especially if the deal with EPEI does not proceed.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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