KOBALT FOR SALE?

Chatter (and press) about a possible Kobalt sale is ramping up, and many in the biz wonder what's next from the House of Ahdritz. The company more or less confirmed that it has been and remains open to such a transaction, though how that would work has been the subject of much speculation—as is the price, with some in the biz describing the $1 billion postulated as high, suggesting a range of $500m-750m.

Could a major pubco get into the game for the sake of the potential marketshare gains bestowed by Kobalt's mountain of admin deals? Or is a play from a consortium of hedge-fund players or even public investors (in a stealthy alternative to a risky IPO) more likely? Stay tuned.