Overseas Funds Seek to Buy Stake in Aditya Birla Retail for $400-500 Million: Report

Mumbai: L Capital, Temasek Holdings and International Finance Corp are in advanced talks to buy a 30 per cent stake in the retail arm of Aditya Birla Group for about $400-500 million (Rs 2400-3000 crore at 1 dollar = 60 rupees), two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

The sources said the three private equity funds are looking to buy the stake in Aditya Birla Retail, which includes apparel maker Madura Fashion & Lifestyle, department store chain Pantaloons and supermarket chain More.

"The talks are quite advanced and are in the final lap," one of the sources said.

Aditya Birla Group will use the funds to expand its retail operations, the sources further said, declining to be named as the talks are still private.

Temasek and Aditya Birla Group declined to comment.

L Capital, the private equity arm of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA, and World Bank unit IFC were not immediately available for comment.

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