Industry sources told Reuters that financial news provider Mergermarket had attracted a slew of private equity firms and Bloomberg News just days before its first-round bid deadline on October 7. 

British multinational publishing and education company Person Plc had put Mergermarket in July, citing its business irrelevance as reason for putting the subscription-based news provider on sale. Pearson had shifted its attention to expand in the digital services, education and emerging markets.

More than 50 potential bidders had received information about the sale. Almost half included leverage buyout firms, the sources said. The sources also added that the industry would see the Mergermarket sale as a competitive auction.

The sale of Mergermarket would fetch around GBP360 million or USD584.23 million, said sources. The sources based their calculation on the company's 10 to 13 multiple of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBIDTA) of GBP28 million.