KKR, TPG Eye AsiaInfo

KKR & Co. and TPG Capital are among those eyeing a potential big for U.S.-listed AsiaInfo-Linkage Inc., Reuters reported Tuesday. A deal for the China software and IT company could be worth more than $1 billion.

(Reuters) – Global private equity firms, including KKR & Co L.P. and TPG Capital , and strategic rivals, are lining up potential bids for U.S.-listed AsiaInfo-Linkage Inc, sources, who had direct knowledge of the matter, told Reuters, in a deal expected to be worth over $1 billion.

The China software and IT company received a buyout offer from CITIC Capital in January, financial details of which were not disclosed, and has since appointed Goldman Sachs as a special adviser.

At the time of the offer, AsiaInfo, whose clients include telecom giants China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom, had a market capitalisation of $714 million.

CITIC has now appointed Morgan Stanley as a buyside adviser, the sources said.

No bidding deadline has been set, said the sources, who declined to be named as they were not authorised to talk to the media.

KKR, TPG and Morgan Stanley declined to comment. AsiaInfo-Linkage could not be reached immediately for a comment.