FRANKFURT, Oct 24 (Reuters) - The administrator of Karstadt, a unit of insolvent German retailer Arcandor, is still confident that an investor will buy the department store chain as a whole, according to an interview for weekly magazine Focus.
'It is possible that a new owner will be found,' Rolf Weidmann was quoted by the magazine as saying in a preview of the full interview to be published on Monday.
He said he was optimistic that a contract could be signed in the second quarter of 2010, adding that the department stores were currently profitable, according to the magazine.
Arcandor filed for insolvency in June after the German government rejected its calls for state aid, making the company the country's biggest non-bank casualty of the financial market crisis.
German shopping centre developer and operator Management fuer Immobilien (Mfi) said at the time it planned to bid for around 20 of the Karstadt department stores. Arcandor rival Metro had also said it was interested in taking over 60 Karstadt stores.
(Reporting by Maria Sheahan; editing by Patrick Graham) Keywords: ARCANDOR/KARSTADT/ (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.
'It is possible that a new owner will be found,' Rolf Weidmann was quoted by the magazine as saying in a preview of the full interview to be published on Monday.
He said he was optimistic that a contract could be signed in the second quarter of 2010, adding that the department stores were currently profitable, according to the magazine.
Arcandor filed for insolvency in June after the German government rejected its calls for state aid, making the company the country's biggest non-bank casualty of the financial market crisis.
German shopping centre developer and operator Management fuer Immobilien (Mfi) said at the time it planned to bid for around 20 of the Karstadt department stores. Arcandor rival Metro had also said it was interested in taking over 60 Karstadt stores.
(Reporting by Maria Sheahan; editing by Patrick Graham) Keywords: ARCANDOR/KARSTADT/ (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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