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BT Group shares slumped as much as 8% on a report that Sky would invest in Virgin Media O2’s broadband plans.
BT Group
BT.A,
fell as the Sunday Telegraph said Sky is closing on on a deal to back the fiber rollout, a threat to BT’s Openreach.
Virgin Media O2 is a venture between Liberty Global
LBTYA,
and Telefonica
TEF,
and Sky is owned by Comcast
CMCSA,
Analysts at UBS say a fiber JV/cable wholesale combined could add more than £300 million of EBITDA to VMO2 and was worth more than $3.5/Liberty Global share. The same analysis said BT could lose over £600 million of “very high margin” revenue or some 30 pence per BT share.
Sky currently spends some £760 million per year on broadband wholesale fees.
Broader European stock markets saw little movement in afternoon trade. The Stoxx Europe 600
SXXP,
edged up 0.1% to 453.22.
U.K. supermarket chains including J Sainsbury
SBRY,
rose after the weekend auction for Wm. Morrison
MRW,
which saw Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, submit the winning bid with a 287 pence per share, or £7.1 billion offer.
