More than one company is interested in buying the division, contractor reveals
Shares in Carillion rose by 8% today after the troubled contractor confirmed it has received 鈥渃redible鈥� interest in its UK healthcare division, which it wants to sell as part of its attempt to restructure the business.
In a statement today, the firm said it had 鈥渞eceived proposals from more than one credible counterparty for a possible acquisition of that business鈥�.
Healthcare specialist Serco, which employs more than 5,000 people and works for a number of NHS Trusts including Barts, Norfolk and Norwich 鈥� whose university hospital was built by the then Laing Construction and one of the first PFI hospitals to open 鈥� and East Kent has been named as a potential suitor.
At the end of September, the contractor announced a first half pre-tax loss of 拢1.15bn, after making nearly 拢1bn-worth of provisions on a number of construction contracts.
It also said it would be taking a further 拢200m hit on a 鈥渟mall number鈥� of support service contracts.
At the time, Carillion said it would be seeking to raise cash by selling off what it called 鈥渘on-core operations鈥�, including its UK healthcare arm, and that talks with potential buyers were 鈥渙ngoing鈥�.
Today鈥檚 announcement did not include mention of its Canadian operation, which it also wants to sell, and which generates turnover in the region of 拢600m.
Carillion has said it hoped to raise 拢300m from the sale of both divisions.
Shares in Carillion were trading at 47p today, having fallen to an historic low of 42p last month in the wake of the news about its financial position.
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