Market Chatter -- Corporate finance press digest

LONDON, June 15 (Reuters) - The following corporate finance-related stories involving U.S. and European companies were reported by media:

* Lovefilm, the British mail order DVD rental company, is in talks with private equity firms including KKR and Silver Lake Partners about buying out existing shareholders and providing support for expansion, the Financial Times reported on Monday, citing people with direct knowledge of the strategy.

* Bain Capital and PAI Partners have both made offers for about 30 percent of Italian eyewear maker Safilo Group (SFLG.MI) and the potential deal might also include an option to acquire a majority holding at a later date, the FT reported, citing a person close to the talks.

* Winkworth, the London estate agency, plans to float on the Alternative Investment Market in the autumn, the Times reported, citing managing director Dominic Agace.

* Anheuser-Busch Inbev (ABI.BR), the world's largest brewer, is considering divesting its central European operations involving 11 breweries in seven countries, Belgian newspaper Le Soir reported on Saturday. [ID:nLD295200]

* Spain's Santander (SAN.MC) is targeting bank acquisitions in the United States in the next five years, according to its Chief Executive, who was quoted in Spanish financial daily Expansion on Saturday. [ID:nLD272774]

* Egypt's market regulator is reviewing a complaint submitted by France Telecom (FTE.PA) about the rejection of its bid for buying out minority shareholdings in Mobinil (EMOB.CA), the daily Al Masry Al Youm said on Sunday. [ID:nLE654407]

* Irish bottle-making company Ardagh Glass [ARDGR.UL] will try to sell 300 million euros ($422 million) in new bonds this week to repay bank debt, the Financial Times reported on Monday, without citing a source. [ID:nLE198779]

* Verbund, Austria's biggest utility, is ready to raise its stake in Sorgenia, the energy unit of CIR (CIRX.MI), to 45 percent in an operation that is expected in the coming weeks, Corriere della Sera's insert CorrierEconomia reported, citing unnamed sources.

* Aerospace company Finmeccanica (SIFI.MI) has no plans for acquisitions because it wants to control its debt, Chief Executive Pier Francesco Guarguaglini said in an interview with Il Sole 24 Ore. [ID:nLF270895]

* Italian rival Granarolo tried in the past to start talks on a possible tie-up but the approach was rejected by Parmalat (PLT.MI), Granarolo's former chairman said in an interview published on Sunday by Il Sole 24 Ore, adding at the moment he was no longer thinking about it and that plans for a bourse listing remained.

* Television production company Endemol is in talks to join a consortium planning to invest in Irish sports broadcaster Setanta, the Sunday Telegraph newspaper reported without citing sources. [ID:nLE65109]

* A former chief executive of mining company BHP Billiton (BLT.L), Paul Anderson, has been shortlisted to chair energy firm BP (BP.L), British newspapers reported on Monday. [ID:nLF210533]

* Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY.L) is to take a 450 million pound ($742.7 million) hit on loans it made to pubs group Admiral Taverns, the Sunday Times reported without citing sources. [ID:nLE11931]

* Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS.L) has re-jigged CEO Stephen Hester's incentive package after investors said it was not generous enough, the Sunday Telegraph reported without citing sources. [ID:nLE49468]

* The British government is considering options for nationalised lender Northern Rock, including a sale of the bank to Richard Branson's Virgin Group, the Sunday Express reported, citing unnamed sources. [ID:nLE34317]

* Vedanta Resources (VED.L) will increase the note portion of its offer to take copper giant Asarco out of bankruptcy, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday. [nN14147911] * The Association of British Insurers is expected to issue a red-top alert on Cable & Wireless's (CW.L) plans to extend one long term incentive plan and establish a follow on scheme to retain top executives ahead of the company's AGM, the Financial Times said. * One of the City's most successful fund managers, Andy Brough, has acquired a near 30 percent stake in the fund manager Liontrust (LIO.L) through his Schroders' investment funds, the Independent said on Monday.

* China's state oil group Sinopec has made a 4.8 billion pound ($7.92 billion) bid for the London-listed oil exploration group Addax Petroleum AXC.L, the Sunday Times reported. [ID:nLE677035]

* India's wind turbine maker Suzlon Energy (SUZL.BO) is considering the sale of part or all of its stake in London-listed Hansen Transmissions (HSNT.L) in a bid to repay part of its debt, The Economic Times of India reported on Monday, citing people close to the development. [ID:nDEL427724}

(Compiled by Quentin Webb; Editing by Hans Peters)