By Mike Stone and Soyoung Kim
NEW YORK (Reuters) - B/E Aerospace (O:BEAV), which made a surprise announcement of reviewing strategic alternatives on Sunday, is actively engaging in early stage conversations with potential buyers but is not in advanced talks with any company, according to people familiar with the matter.
The Florida-based aircraft seat maker and parts distributor is preparing to invite bids for its two separate businesses and working on detailed financial information to send to potentially interested parties in the near term, the people said.
On Sunday, the company cancelled an investor presentation set for Monday and disclosed that it had hired Citibank (N:C) to review strategic alternatives, moves widely seen as signalling it had already received an approach or was in detailed talks with a potential buyer of all or part of the business.
The move surprised investors, coming after the company said in April that it was working on acquisitions of its own. It prompted a 9.2 percent jump in the shares on Monday and spurred speculation about a range of potential suitors, from Airbus (PA:AIR) and Boeing Co (N:BA) to United Technologies Corp (N:UTX) and General Electric
B/E Aerospace shares were up 1.5 percent in mid-day trading on Tuesday, at $98.68.
According to the people familiar with the matter the company has not been negotiating any deal recently, though it has had informal conversations with interested parties over the years.
The people asked not to be named because the matter is not public. Representatives for B/E Aerospace declined to comment.
B/E Aerospace, with a market value of $10.2 billion, is a major maker of seats and other interior products for commercial and business jets. It also has a business that distributes fasteners and replacement parts to the aerospace industry.
Given the disparate business lines, B/E will explore the prospect of finding two separate buyers for the cabin interiors business and the distribution unit, people familiar with the matter said.
(Reporting by Mike Stone and Soyoung Kim in New York; Editing by Alwyn Scott and Andrew Hay)