Citi to sell Bellsystem stake to Bain for $1 bln

TOKYO (Reuters) - Citigroup Inc said on Sunday it has agreed to sell its stake in Japanese telemarketer Bellsystem24 to U.S. private equity firm Bain Capital for 93.5 billion yen ($1 billion).

Bain has been widely expected to buy Bellsystem24 after securing exclusive negotiation rights earlier this month.

Sources had told Reuters last week that Bain was close to finalising a roughly 100 billion yen deal for the company, marking the largest buyout by a foreign private equity firm in Japan in nearly two years.

Bain has beaten off rivals Permira and a team of CVC Capital and Blackstone, which had also made offers in the final round of bidding for Bellsystem24.

Citigroup put Bellsystem24 up for sale as part of a global effort to raise cash and replenish its capital. It has already raised more than $7 billion by selling other assets in Japan including a broker, a trust bank and a fund management arm.

Citigroup said in an emailed statement that it had agreed to sell its 93.5 percent stake in Bellsystem24 for 93.5 billion yen in cash in a tender offer to be launched by a firm owned by funds advised by Bain Capital.

The tender offer will likely start on or before Nov. 20 and be completed on Dec. 30, Citigroup said.

The U.S. bank said the deal was not expected to have a material impact on its net income or capital ratios.

The sale of Bellsystem24 initially drew strong interest from a number of private equity firms including Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co, which teamed up with trading house Itochu Corp before dropping out of the race.