(Reuters) – Atos shares rise on the stock market on Friday after reports that the group is in “advanced” talks with Airbus, with the aircraft manufacturer showing signs of interest in Atos’ cybersecurity division with a view to its takeover.
On the Paris Stock Exchange, Atos shares soared 16.78% to 7.608 euros at 12:03 GMT on Friday, while the SBF 120 gained 0.62% at the same time.
A source confirmed information reported by Le Figaro on Thursday, according to which Airbus is again interested in purchasing the Big Data and Security (BDS) division of Atos. The world’s leading aircraft manufacturer decided last March to put an end to its plan to acquire a 29.9% stake in Atos’ future digital and cybersecurity business.
However, even as Airbus withdrew from the deal, Guillaume Faury, the group’s chief executive, said at the time that it remained open to a strategic partnership with Atos.
Atos announced last year its planned spin-off aimed at separating and combining the coveted Big Data and Security (BDS) division and other assets into an entity called Evidian.
The Evidian entity has already whetted the appetites of several players, including Thales and the Onepoint group.
Airbus did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Atos declined to comment.
Taking into account Friday’s increase, Atos shares have lost 15.34% since the start of the year.
(Written by Augustin Turpin, with contributions from Dagmarah Mackos and Michal Aleksandrowicz, edited by Jean-Stéphane Brosse and Tangi Salaün)
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