Comcast denies it has deal to buy NBC Universal Thu Oct 1, 2009 NEW YORK - Comcast Corp, the largest U.S. cable service provider, denied a Web report that it had struck a deal to buy media conglomerate NBC Universal for $35 billion.
"While we do not normally comment on M&A rumors, the report that Comcast has a deal to purchase NBC Universal is inaccurate," Comcast said in a statement.
But Comcast stopped short of quashing speculation it was interested in NBC Universal, which is owned 80 percent by General Electric Co and 20 percent by French media group Vivendi SA.
Asked if Comcast was looking at NBC Universal, a company official declined comment. A spokesman for Vivendi had no comment on the report but said the group had an annual window from mid-November to early-December to exercise a put option on its NBC Universal stake.
The situation unleashes a media frenzy each autumn over what Vivendi will do with its stake. It recently made a $2.9 billion offer for Brazil's GVT Holdings.
The Wrap.com reported late on Wednesday Comcast was in talks to buy NBC Universal from GE and said bankers for both sides met in New York on Tuesday to hammer out deal points.
The report said two individuals informed about the meeting said a deal had been completed at a purchase price of $35 billion.
Bloomberg, citing three people with knowledge of the discussions, reported Comcast was in talks with GE to buy a stake of about 50 percent in NBC Universal (NBCU).
The deal would partly depend on Vivendi making a decision to sell its NBCU holding, one of the sources told the news agency.
A spokesman for GE could not be reached for comment. NBC Universal declined comment.
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