Rightmove PLC (LSE:RMV) has attracted the interest of Australia's REA Group Limited (ASX:REA), which said today that it is "considering" making a cash-and-shares offer for the online property platform.
However, the Aussie-listed group said it has not approached, nor had any discussions with Rightmove about this yet.
In a stock market statement, REA stated that its board believes that there are "clear similarities between REA and Rightmove" in terms of their core residential property business.
REA, which is 61%-owned by Rupert Murdoch's NewsCorp, has several leading residential property bands Down Under, led by its realestate.com website, as well as other brands operating in India and other Asian markets as well as in the US, including realtor.com.
"REA sees a transformational opportunity to apply its globally leading capabilities and expertise to enhance customer and consumer value across the combined portfolio and to create a global and diversified digital property company, with number 1 positions in Australia and the UK."
Competition has been hotting up in the UK for Rightmove as late last year its local rival, OnTheMarket, was snapped up by US online real estate giant CoStar.