COLOGNE, March 4 (Reuters) - German retailer Rewe will continue looking at opportunities to make acquisitions in 2009 and has already been approached by companies seeking to be bought, Rewe's Chief Executive Alain Caparros said on Wednesday.
'If there is a bargain under our nose, we will take a look at it,' Caparros said.
Norbert Fiebig, head of Rewe's tourism division, said Arcandor's Thomas Cook unit would be a good fit for Germany's third-biggest tour operator, but there were currently no talks to buy the company.
Thomas Cook is Europe's second-largest travel company, behind market leader TUI Travel
Rewe in 2008 posted an 11 percent gain in full-year sales to around 50 billion euros ($63.24 billion) on the back of the acquisition of 328 Plus discount supermarket stores.
This year would be very demanding, Caparros said. Nonetheless, the company planned to invest around 1.6 billion euros, excluding acquisitions.
(Reporting by Matthias Inverardi; Writing by Maria Sheahan) ($1=.7906 Euro) Keywords: REWE/ACQUISITIONS (maria.sheahan@thomsonreuters.com; +49 69 7565 1286; Reuters Messaging: maria.sheahan.thomsonreuters.com@thomsonreuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
'If there is a bargain under our nose, we will take a look at it,' Caparros said.
Norbert Fiebig, head of Rewe's tourism division, said Arcandor's Thomas Cook unit would be a good fit for Germany's third-biggest tour operator, but there were currently no talks to buy the company.
Thomas Cook is Europe's second-largest travel company, behind market leader TUI Travel
Rewe in 2008 posted an 11 percent gain in full-year sales to around 50 billion euros ($63.24 billion) on the back of the acquisition of 328 Plus discount supermarket stores.
This year would be very demanding, Caparros said. Nonetheless, the company planned to invest around 1.6 billion euros, excluding acquisitions.
(Reporting by Matthias Inverardi; Writing by Maria Sheahan) ($1=.7906 Euro) Keywords: REWE/ACQUISITIONS (maria.sheahan@thomsonreuters.com; +49 69 7565 1286; Reuters Messaging: maria.sheahan.thomsonreuters.com@thomsonreuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
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