SEOUL (Reuters) - Samsung (LON:0593xq) C&T Corp (KS:028260), de facto holding firm of Samsung Group (SAGR.UL), said on Monday talks with Publicis Group SA (PA:PUBP) and other global ad agencies for strategic cooperation for its ad agency affiliate ended without any conclusion.
A Samsung C&T spokeswoman declined to comment on whether it and other Samsung Group affiliates were considering selling their shares in Cheil Worldwide (KS:030000) to Publicis or others. France-based Publicis said earlier this year it was in talks to acquire a stake in Cheil.
Local media reported that Samsung Group companies were looking to sell their collective 28.3 percent stake, worth 525.5 billion won ($447.8 million) based on Monday's closing price, to Publicis as South Korea's top family-run conglomerate looked to restructure its business portfolio and narrow its focus on core business areas such as technology.
Samsung C&T said it was not currently in talks with any parties. Cheil confirmed that Samsung C&T, Cheil's top shareholder with a 12.6 percent stake, ended talks with "global agencies" without a concrete result in a separate filing but did not comment further, including the names of the agencies Samsung C&T had held talks with.
Publicis could not be immediately reached for comment.