(Bloomberg) -- Greatview Aseptic Packaging Co.’s chairman is in talks with Chinese private equity firm Cloudview Capital about teaming up on a buyout offer for the dairy packaging company, people familiar with the matter said, potentially kicking off a bidding war.
Greatview Chairman Jeff Bi and Cloudview are in discussions with prospective financial advisers as they consider making a counterbid for Hong Kong-listed Greatview, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing a private matter. They’re also seeking to line up debt financing from banks for a transaction, the people said.
A potential offer would likely be at least 10% higher than the existing bid from Shenzhen-listed Shandong Newjf Technology Packaging Co., the people said. The suitor, known as Xinjufeng, offered in May to buy the remaining shares in Greatview that it doesn’t already own for HK$2.65 each, valuing the company at about HK$3.73 billion ($479 million).
Xinjufeng became Greatview’s largest shareholder after acquiring a 28% stake in the company last year from Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd. Bi strongly opposed the transaction at the time, citing “great concerns” shown by the company’s customers over a share sale to one of Greatview’s major competitors.
Greatview shares rose as much as 2.1% Friday afternoon following the Bloomberg News report on the talks. The shares have now gained 32% this year, closing at HK$2.45 Friday — the highest in about a month — and giving the company a market value of HK$3.45 billion.
Deliberations are ongoing and the parties could decide against pursuing a deal, the people said. A representative for Greatview didn’t have any immediate comment, while Cloudview declined to comment.
In August, Bi and Greatview co-founder Hong Gang sent a non-binding letter of interest to the company to say they were considering a potential counterbid. The two, who own a combined 15% of the company, called the Xinjufeng proposal an opportunistic hostile offer and a “cynical attempt” to disrupt Greatview’s operations, according to a filing at the time.
Greatview manufactures and sells paper packaging and filling machines to diary and non-carbonated soft drink producers, according to its website. It has production facilities in China and Germany. The company’s revenue in the first half of this year fell 14% to 1.63 billion yuan ($225 million) amid increasing competition and slowing growth in the dairy industry. Net income for the six months through June rose 15% to 114.8 million yuan.
Founded in 2011, Cloudview invests in mass consumption, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, health care and renewable energy. It has invested in chip company Wingtech Technology Co., digital media group Focus Media Information Technology Co., kitchen appliance maker Beijing Liven Technology Co. and drug developer Suzhou Ribo Life Science Co., according to its website.
Cloudview Chief Executive Officer Jinfeng Ben was previously a corporate banking executive at China Guangfa Bank Co. and Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc. Co-President Benson Lu earlier worked in Goldman Sachs Group Inc.’s special situations group, while Co-President Jifa Huang was part of Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd.’s investment banking team.
(Updates with share price reaction in fifth paragraph.)
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