MILAN (Reuters) - Private equity vehicle Mercury UK said on Tuesday it would sell 8.8% of Italian payments group Nexi (MI:NEXII) through an accelerated bookbuilding procedure.
The transaction comes as Nexi advances in talks with rival SIA over a potential merger to create an Italian champion in the fast-growing payments sector.
Mercury UK currently holds around 52.12% of Nexi, according to the company website, after a similar 7.7% stake placement in January.
Mercury UK is owned by private equity firms Bain Capital, Advent International and Clessidra.
Barclays (LON:BARC), Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) and HSBC are acting as joint global coordinators and joint bookrunner for the offering of Nexi shares. Rothschild is Mercury UK's sole financial adviser.