012 Smile Telecom Ltd. could be about to change owners again.
Sources close to 012 Smile, which is controlled by Yosef Maiman, say that in recent weeks he has received offers to sell the company, and he is seriously considering them.
012 Smile is attracting the attention of both Partner Communications Co. Ltd. (Nasdaq: PTNR; TASE:Hot Cable Systems Media Ltd. (TASE: HOT), who would be eager to integrate them into their groups, but there are also companies who see 012 Smile as an entry platform to Israel's telecom market.
The fact that Maiman does not rule out selling 012 Smile means that the company could find itself being sold less than a year after it was acquired from Shaul Elovitch and was described then as "a strategic asset."
One year ago, Yosef Maiman acquired 012 Smile at a market value of NIS 1.2 billion. The capital market and business community found it difficult to understand why he had entered into the deal due to the changes in telecom market and the fact that 012 Smile is a company that does not belong to any of the blocs being formed.
Maiman's representatives explained that the deal was planned to expand Ampal-American Israel Corporation (Nasdaq: AMPL; TASE:AMPL) holdings into new areas.