Gerard Kleisterlee, chairman of Vodafone, had revealed that it will "seriously consider any offer for its stake in its US joint venture Verizon Wireless," says a Reuters report. Vodafone is the second largest mobile phone operator in the world and currently holds a 45% stake in Verizon, the biggest mobile phone operator worldwide. However, Kleisterlee had also said in the company's annual meeting in London that only "proposals that generate more value for shareholders" will be entertained.
Verizon Communications, Vodafone's U.S. partner, has been vocal about its desire to buy out its British counterpart in a deal that is estimated to be at $120 billion. If the transaction pushes through, it is going to go into the books as one of the biggest deals of all time. Nothing has changed after the meeting in London, however. Andy Halford, the finance director of Vodafone, has said that: "The discussions we have are about the business primarily, and the business continues to do very, very well."
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