Aermont submits highest offer for data centre operator Nabiax, sources say

By Andres Gonzalez and Amy-Jo Crowley

LONDON, Nov 1 (Reuters) - European asset manager Aermont Capital has submitted the highest binding offer for Spanish data centre operator Nabiax, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Shareholder Asterion Industrial Partners and telecoms operator Telefonica TEF.MC received binding offers this week as part of an ongoing sale process, said the people who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Goldman Sachs Infrastructure and Igneo are also among final bidders, the sources said.

Spokespeople for Telefonica, Asterion, Goldman Sachs, Aermont and Igneo declined to comment.

The AI boom has driven demand for data centres, leading to increased investment and deal activity. In September, Amazon Web Services said it planned to spend 8 billion pounds ($10.33 billion) in the United Kingdom over the next five years to build, operate and maintain data centres.

There is no certainty a deal with Aermont will materialise and other bidders remain in the process, the two people said. It is expected that a winner will be announced as soon as next week.

The sellers are hoping to achieve a valuation of around 1 billion euros ($1.09 billion), the people said.

Asterion, which owns 80% of Nabiax, engaged bankers at BBVA and Citigroup to gauge interest in its holding last year, Reuters reported. Telefonica may also sell its 20% stake as part of the deal, sources have said.

Singaporean-listed real estate company Keppel Corporation KPLM.SI bought a 50% stake in Aermont last year as part of a deal to buy out the remaining stake in the first half of 2028.

Asterion formed Nabiax in 2019 through the acquisition of 11 data centres from Telefonica across Spain and Latin America. It sold its Latin American operations to British infrastructure fund Actis last year, with a view to focusing on its home market.

($1 = 0.7745 pounds)

($1 = 0.9206 euros)

(Reporting by Andres Gonzalez, editing by Barbara Lewis)

((andres.gonzalez@thomsonreuters.com; +44 (0) 7551 790019; Reuters Messaging: andres.gonzalez.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))