https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/inwit-investors-line-up-financing-possible-take-private-sources-say-2026-10-11/
INWIT investors line up financing for possible take-private, sources say
MILAN/LONDON, Oct 11 (Reuters) - The leading shareholders in INWIT (INWT.MI), opens new tab are arranging the financing for a potential take-private deal of Italy's largest mobile telecom towers company, two people close to the matter said, amid a contractual dispute, opens new tab between the masts firm and its two main customers.
French private equity firm Ardian and investment vehicle Oak Holdings 1, the latter backed by co-investors GIP, Vodafone (VOD.L), opens new tab and KKR (KKR.N), opens new tab, are exploring a bid to buy out minority shareholders in INWIT, the people said.
Ardian controls 32% of INWIT, while Oak Holdings controls 39%.
The investors are discussing the financing of the bid with banks, the people said, with one person adding that Abu Dhabi investment firm Mubadala is expected to take a stake in INWIT as part of the plan.
The people cautioned that deliberations are still ongoing.
Ardian, GIP, Vodafone (VOD.L), opens new tab, KKR (KKR.N), opens new tab and Mubadala declined to comment. GIP is part of US investment firm Blackrock (BLK.N), opens new tab.
An INWIT spokesperson said the company did not have any information on the matter.
INWIT, which listed in Milan in 2015, has been the subject of takeover speculation since a French media report in February that infrastructure fund Ardian and investment group Brookfield were interested in taking the Italian company private.
INWIT has since then become embroiled in a dispute with its two main customers, Telecom Italia (TIM) (TLIT.MI), opens new tab and Swisscom's Fastweb (SCMN.S), opens new tab, both of which have initiated procedures to terminate their respective contracts with INWIT as part of efforts to renegotiate them on more favourable terms.
INWIT's market value has fallen about 27% over the past year to $7.1 billion (€6.3 billion) as of Friday's close, according to LSEG data.