Vivendi says no plan to sell NBCU stake this year

PARIS, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Vivendi (VIV.PA) will not sell its 20 percent stake in NBC Universal this year, an investment that gives it $400 million in annual dividend payments on average, Europe's largest entertainment group said on Wednesday.

"Vivendi does not plan to sell its NBC Universal stake this year," a Vivendi spokesman told Reuters.

Until 2016, every year from mid November to early December, Vivendi has an option to sell its stake to U.S. conglomerate General Electric (GE.N), NBC Universal's majority owner, or as part of a general public offering.

Since 2004, Vivendi has pocketed $1.8 billion in dividend payments from NBC Universal.

In Barcelona last month, Vivendi Chief Executive Jean-Bernard Levy said Vivendi did not consider itself "a long-term investor" in NBC Universal and he expected a decision on the matter in two to three weeks. (Reporting by Astrid Wendlandt; Editing by Jon Loades-Carter)