Criteria Clarifies No Talks on Naturgy Stake Amid Interest
MADRID (Reuters) - Spanish holding company Criteria said on Thursday it was not at present in negotiations with any potential investor regarding its stake in the energy utility Naturgy.
The statement comes after Bloomberg News reported on Monday that Abu Dhabi's TAQA had approached Naturgy's largest shareholder, Criteria, to revive an offer for a stake in the Spanish utility.
Criteria, which holds a 26.7% stake in Naturgy, said in a filing to the stock market supervisor that it "is not currently in negotiations with any potential investment group regarding its stake in Naturgy Energy Group".
Bloomberg said on Monday the UAE's minister of investment and TAQA chairman, Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi, had travelled to Spain to meet with a Criteria executive to discuss a potential deal.
Last year, TAQA was eyeing Criteria's stake for a possible partnership agreement but failed to reach a deal.
Shares in Naturgy were up 0.5% in late afternoon trading while Spain's blue-chip index Ibex-35 was flat.
(Reporting by Jesús Aguado; editing by Inti Landauro)
