Malone’s Liberty Global Studies Spinoff of Latin American Unit

Liberty Global Plc (LBTYA), billionaire John Malones international cable-TV company, is studying the spinoff of its Latin American businesses.

The company is unable to predict when and if such a transaction would occur, according to a filing today. The spinoff would include Libertys VTR Internet and wireless businesses in Chile and its 60 percent stake in Liberty Cablevision of Puerto Rico.

Liberty Global has shifted its attention to Europe, where Malone is stockpiling cable assets to create a regional powerhouse. The company bought U.K. pay-TV provider Virgin Media Inc. last year for about $16 billion, and people with knowledge of the matter said last week the company is putting the final touches on an acquisition of Dutch broadband carrier Ziggo NV.

Latin America makes up about 10 percent of Liberty Globals sales and about 6 percent of its subscribers.

VTR plans to offer $1.4 billion in bonds today as it separates its debt holdings from the European business, London-based Liberty said in the filing.

To contact the reporter on this story: Crayton Harrison in New York at tharrison5@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Nick Turner at nturner7@bloomberg.net

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Malone’s Liberty Global Studies Spinoff of Latin American Unit