Buyout firms weigh Informa counter-bid: report

LONDON (Reuters) - Private equity firms Permira, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Blackstone are weighing a bid for UK events organizer and publisher Informa (INF.L), which earlier this month said it had received a 2.15 billion pound ($4.3 billion) approach, the Sunday Telegraph reported.

The newspaper said dealmakers from KKR, Blackstone (BX.N) and Permira talked openly at a function held by investor Alpinvest Partners last week about how they could come up with an offer to trump the approach made by rival buyout firms.

Providence Equity LLP, The Carlyle Group and Hellman & Friedman made a bid proposal of 506 pence a share on June 26, Informa said on July 2.

Informa shares closed at 417.5 pence on Friday, well below the proposed takeout price because many investors doubt whether a deal would succeed in the current tight credit markets.

No one was available for comment at Blackstone, KKR or Permira.

(Reporting by Tom Bergin; Editing by Quentin Bryar)