Spanish pharma company Grifols’ shares up on Brookfield talk

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MADRID (Reuters) -Shares in Spanish pharmaceutical company Grifols rose on Wednesday after Canadian fund Brookfield said it was talking with shareholders, following a report from website El Confidencial that it was considering a new takeover attempt.

In a filing to the Madrid stock market regulator, Brookfield, however, said that it was not in talks with the company’s board over a potential takeover bid.

Grifols shares were up 4.4% at 8.49 euros ($9.18) after gaining 12% earlier in the day. The blue-chip IBEX35 index was down 0.1%.

In its stock market filing, Brookfield said it maintained “a general dialogue with Grifols’ reference shareholders” without being more specific.

El Confidencial had said the Canadian fund was in talks with the Grifols family, the company’s largest shareholder, and was considering making an offer valuing the company at 7 billion euros ($7.55 billion).

A non-binding offer that valued Grifols at 6.45 billion euros was withdrawn by Brookfield in November after Grifols management rejected it as too low and recommended shareholders keep their shares.

Despite the Brookfield denial of a takeover bid, El Confidencial’s citing of an offer significantly higher than the value offered in November fuelled speculation on Grifols’ shares. They are still below the 10.50 euros per share implied by the original Brookfield offer.

Grifols’ board also said on Wednesday it was not discussing a possible bid by Brookfield.

The Grifols family, which is represented on the board, declined to comment.

($1 = 0.9246 euros)

(Reporting by Inti Landauro and Andres GonzalezEditing by David Goodman, Louise Heavens and Barbara Lewis)