Vodafone Group PLC (LSE:VOD)’s approaches by prospective buyers of its Spanish wing could help highlight the flagging British telecommunications group’s value in the EU country, according to Deutsche Bank analysts.
According to Bloomberg, buyers are eyeing up a US$4bn (£3.2bn) valuation for Vodafone Spain, with insiders saying that Vodafone “would consider offers at the right price”, though a specific price tag was not put forward.
An attractive offer could bolster Vodafone’s ambition to sell off parts of the company in other jurisdictions including Germany and Italy at the behest of disgruntled shareholders
These plans have largely been unsuccessful, though the group has managed to dispose of its Hungary operations for €1.7bn (£1.5bn).
Deutsche Bank values Vodafone Spain higher than the report valuations from private equity investors, suggesting a fair estimation of US$7.6bn.
Vodafone might be tempted to seal a deal regardless; its Spain market share is shrinking in the face of competition from domestic carriers Telefonica and Masmovil Ibercom, and French group Orange.
Meanwhile, Vodafone shares are down more than 50% in five years (although they added around 2% following the Bloomberg report), while the group debt obligations have stretched to £40bn.