Dutch Giant Exploring Harris Teeter Buyout

Sources tell Bloomberg that a Dutch supermarket operator has indicated a interest in acquiring Harris Teeter Supermarkets (NYSE:HTSI).

While no bid has yet been made, Royal Ahold has reportedly communicated its interest to JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM), which is advising Harris Teeter on a potential deal. Harris Teeter has a market value north of $2 billion.

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Earlier this month, Harris Teeter announced that it would explore the possibility of a sale after two unnamed private equity firms expressed an interest in buying the chain. Harris Teeter generated $4.54 billion in revenue last year from more than 200 supermarkets across eight southeastern states and Washington, D.C.

Royal Ahold owns the Stop & Shop supermarket chain in the U.S. A Rabobank analyst called the acquisition of Harris Teeter by the Dutch company a “likely deal.”

Other potential bidders for Harris Teeter include Kroger (NYSE:KR) and Publix.

Shares of Harris Teeter rose more than 1% in Friday morning trading.