ADVERTISEMENT

Nexi Is Said to Pursue Nets in New Blockbuster Payments Play

Nets Said to Draw Takeover Interest From Nexi, Global Payments

Nexi SpA is already hunting for its next target after agreeing a milestone payments merger with Italian rival SIA SpA, as consolidation in the sector shows little sign of easing.

Milan-based Nexi made a non-binding bid for Denmark’s Nets A/S, people familiar with the matter said, asking not to be identified because the information is private. Nets’s private-equity owners invited a select group of potential buyers to submit offers and could enter advanced talks with a preferred bidder as soon as this month, one of the people said.

If Nexi were to buy Nets, it would extend its reach as a pan-European payments giant with operations spanning Italy, German-speaking countries and the Nordics. News of its approach follows Nexi’s agreement to buy SIA for 4.56 billion euros ($5.3 billion) to create one of Europe’s biggest payment providers.

Shares of Nexi have nearly doubled since the company completed its IPO in April last year. It’s expanding in a global payments industry that has been one of the most active for dealmaking in recent years.

The wave of consolidation started in the U.S., with Fiserv Inc. agreeing to take over First Data Corp. last year in a deal valued at $22 billion when it was announced. That deal was followed by Fidelity National Information Services Inc.’s acquisition of Worldpay Inc. for about $43 billion including debt and Global Payments Inc.’s $21.5 billion purchase of Total System Services Inc.

European Consolidation

European rivals have since tried to bulk up to remain competitive, with France’s Worldline SA’s agreeing in February to buy Ingenico Group SA. An acquisition of Nets would take out one of the last remaining independent payments companies focused on Europe.

Nexi could face competition in its pursuit of Nets from suitors including Global Payments, which has separately expressed interest, the people said. The owners of Nets are seeking a valuation of nearly $10 billion in any sale, the people said.

Any deal would add to the $64 billion of transactions targeting the European financial services industry this year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Transactions are up 46% from the same time last year.

No final decisions have been made, and there’s no certainty the deliberations will lead to a deal, the people said.

A group led by U.S. buyout firm Hellman & Friedman bought Nets for about 33 billion kroner ($5.2 billion) in a deal completed in 2018. Hellman & Friedman has grown the company through acquisitions and has also generated value from a disposal of certain assets to Mastercard.

Other shareholders of Nets include Advent International and Bain Capital, which are also major investors in Nexi. Spokespeople for Advent, Bain, Hellman & Friedman and Nexi declined to comment. A representative for Global Payments couldn’t immediately be reached outside regular U.S. business hours.

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.