Vivendi has received four expressions of interest for its 53 percent stake in Maroc Telecom, for which it hopes to raise at least EUR 5.5 billion, Reuters reports citing two people familiar with the matter. Qatar Telecom, Etisalat and Saudi Telecom, as well as South Africa's MTN have spoken to Vivendi's bankers about acquiring the stake in Morocco's biggest operator. There is no official deadline set for offers, but Vivendi hopes to sign a deal before the end of the first quarter of 2013, one of the people told Reuters. Maroc Telecom is Vivendi's second largest contributor to earnings but its growth has slowed in recent years under tough competition in its domestic market. Vivendi is seeking to sell assets to cut debt and revive its flagging share price. The kingdom of Morocco, which owns a 30 percent stake, would need to approve any sale. Qtel is seen as the best-placed potential bidder because it has the funds to back the acquisition and internal agreement on the strategic rationale, said one of the sources.
