Citi Mexico suitor Mifel enlists Apollo, ADIA to fund bid -sources By Reuters

By Pablo Mayo Cerqueiro and David French

LONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) – Mexico’s Banca Mifel has lined up buyers together with Apollo International Administration (NYSE:) and the Abu Dhabi Funding Authority (ADIA) to fund a bid for Citigroup (NYSE:) Inc’s Mexican retail financial institution, two sources accustomed to the matter advised Reuters.

The debt financing might appeal to extra buyers to hitch in Mifel’s bid to purchase Citibanamex, though there’s sufficient funding already in place to totally assist Mifel’s proposal, one of many sources mentioned.

The competitors to purchase one among Mexico’s greatest banks has narrowed to 2 bidders, with smaller rival Mifel, led by Daniel Becker, battling billionaire German Larrea’s conglomerate Grupo Mexico. One other contender, billionaire Carlos Slim’s Grupo Financiero Inbursa, withdrew from the race on Wednesday.

The 2 remaining bidders at the moment are conducting additional due diligence on the enterprise, also called Banamex, the sources mentioned. The U.S. banking large is offloading the unit as a part of Chief Govt Officer Jane Fraser’s efforts to promote some worldwide operations and simplify the agency.

The potential acquisition would rework Mifel. Banamex is Mexico’s fourth largest financial institution by property with a 11.9% market share, whereas Mifel holds lower than 1% of the market, based on the newest information from the nation’s Nationwide Banking and Securities Fee.

Earlier than the information of the backers emerged, some analysts had questioned whether or not Mifel, regardless of having personal fairness fund Introduction Worldwide as a minority shareholder, might compete for Banamex, given the deep pockets of different suitors. Larrea’s private web price is estimated at $23 billion, based on Forbes.

Citigroup, Apollo, ADIA and Introduction declined to remark. Representatives from Mifel and Grupo Mexico didn’t instantly reply to emails and cellphone calls requesting remark.