FACTBOX: Facts about Gulf mobile operator Zain

(Reuters) - Kuwaiti telecom firm Zain (ZAIN.KW) said on Sunday that its shareholders were in talks to sell a stake in the group, but would not confirm a report they had agreed to sell 46 percent to Asian investors in a deal worth about $13.7 billion.

Following are some facts about Zain:

* Vivendi (VIV.PA), Europe's largest entertainment group Vivendi, on September1 ruled out reviving talks with Zain, Kuwait's biggest mobile operator.

* Zain's shareholders voted on Monday Aug, 31 to remove a cap on share ownershops at an extra-ordinary meeting. Both local and foreign investors can now own any amount of shares in the firm after the amendment, without limit.

* Barrak said at the end of August that Zain was in talks to sell a stake in its African operations and "all scenarios are possible."

* In August, two banking sources said Reliance Communications (RLCM.BO) started talks to buy Zain's African operations.

* Gulf Arab rival Etisalat ETEL.AD has said it was interested in taking a 51-percent stake in Zain at the right price, but said it had not made a formal offer.

* Zain has spent billions to expand in the Middle East and Africa and operates in 23 countries. Kuwait's sovereign wealth fund is Zain's biggest shareholder with a 24.6 percent stake. Family-owned conglomerate Kharafi Group is second behind the fund, with 13.7 percent.

* Zain reported revenue of 2 billion dinars ($6.96 billion) and net profit of 322 million dinars in 2008. Current liabilities stood at 1.5 billion dinars at the end of March.

* Until recently, Zain has only known a course of aggressive expansion with a focus on customer growth even when investments weigh on its bottom line. Last November, Chief Executive Saad al-Barrak said it would spend up to $4 billion to further expand, naming countries such as Zimbabwe and Mali as targets.

* In May, Zain announced a rare cut of 2,000 jobs of its 15,500 workforce, signaling that the expansion heydays might be over. Zain has spent more than $12 billion alone to expand in Africa since 2005.

(Compiled by Jason Benham; Editing by Thomas Atkins; editing by Karen Foster)