Leonard Green, CVC Said Poised For BJ’s Bid

Buyout firms Leonard Green & Partners LP and CVC Capital Partners could make a joint buyout offer for BJ’s Wholesale Club Inc. USA!! , valuing the third-largest U.S. wholesale club retailer at about $2.8 billion, sister news service Reuters reported, citing the New York Post. The paper also said that Apollo Global Management LLC and Bain Capital had pulled out of the race.

In April, a source told Reuters that Apollo might be interested in BJ’s Wholesale as the retailer could fit well with its Smart & Final chain.

Leonard Green and CVC Capital Partners did not immediately respond to requests seeking comment. In March, Leonard Green said it was evaluating whether to buy BJ’s and had entered into a confidentiality agreement with the company.

In February, BJ’s Wholesale decided to explore a sale and other alternatives, after reports late last year suggested that Leonard Green had offered to buy the chain.

(Renju Jose is a Bangalore-based correspondent for Reuters news service.)