British retailer GUS PLC finally revealed Tuesday it plans to separate Experian Group, which is led by Don Robert in Costa Mesa, in the next six to 12 months.
GUS plans to spin off Experian as a publicly traded company listed on the London Stock Exchange.
It’s unclear if an independent Experian, a credit scoring company, will be headquartered in Orange County, its North American headquarters.
The other potential location is in Nottingham, England, where the company oversees the rest of its global operations.
An official with Experian in Costa Mesa declined to comment and referred questions to an outside public relations firm in England.
Some observers have said the country where Experian’s stock is listed is where the company would be based.
Experian’s management team is set to stay intact, according to GUS. Robert has led all of Experian’s operations since last March.
Under the plan, GUS’ Argos Retail Group, which includes a general merchandiser and home remodeling chain in Britain, also is set to trade separately.
GUS said last year it planned to separate Experian but gave no timeline or details on how it would make such a move.
Under the new plan, which is still subject to shareholder approval, GUS will issue new shares to existing GUS shareholders and new investors.
GUS estimates the issue of new Experian shares will comprise 10% to 15% of Experian’s market value.
The value of the company as a publicly traded business could be hefty. Company officials reportedly put the value of the firm at $7 billion to $11 billion.
Earlier this month, GUS turned down a $12.3 billion offer for Experian, according to a report in the Daily Telegraph.
The bidders included Thomas H. Lee Partners LP and Bain Capital LLC, both of Boston.
