Tesco May Abandon Dunnhumby Data Sale



Tesco May Abandon Dunnhumby Data Sale



UNITED KINGDOM - With only one bidder remaining for its data branch Dunnhumby, Tesco may be scrapping the idea of a sale all together in a matter of days, sources say.

Tesco CEO Dave Lewis is expected to hold talks with colleagues and advisers later this week, Sky News reports, and will discuss the decision to proceed with a sale of Dunnhumby, which utilizes data gathered from the supermarket giant's Clubcard loyalty scheme.

Tesco

Company insiders told the publication while no decision has yet been made the Dunnhumby's sale, Lewis has expressed he was more than ready to reach an ultimate verdict on the matter so he can refocus on how else to transform the company.

Price expectations for Dunnhumby have dropped from $3 billion to $1 billion since the sale was announced, and the number of potential bidders has dropped by a substantial number. Currently, the Financial Times names the one remaining bidder as British advertising and PR firm WPP, but it doesn't seem like Tesco execs are yet sold on forking over the business. 

Sky News reports that it may be possible that WPP would opt for a partnership agreement with Tesco rather than a complete acquisition. 

Dunnhumby collects data to help better sell produce for retailers.

Earlier this month, Tesco announced the sale of Homeplus, its business in South Korea, for over $6 billion to MBK Partners-led consortium, with the retailer netting over $5 billion after taxes and transaction costs.

Currently, Tesco’s debt has reached over $33 billion, according to The Wall Street Journal, but this latest deal, as well as a potential deal for Dunnhumby could be vital for Tesco’s revitalization plans. 

Stay tuned as AndNowUKnow continues to update you on this developing story.

Tesco