CVC in Talks to Buy France's Smart-Card Connectors Maker Linxens

NEW YORK (The Deal) -- French private equity shop Astorg Partners is in exclusive negotiations to sell its smart-card connectors maker Linxens SAS to Luxembourg-based buyout heavyweight CVC Capital Partners Group, after four years of ownership. A joint announcement on Wednesday gave no valuation for the company, but the Wall Street Journal reported late Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter, that CVC had agreed to pay €1.5 billion ($1.67 billion) for the company. Astorg bought a 70% ...