Aegis Group, the world's largest independent buyer of advertising space, received a takeover bid from Paris-based Publicis Groupe, the world's fourth-largest ad company, and the bid values Aegis at $2.8 billion, writes Bloomberg.com (via MediaBuyerPlanner), citing a report in today's French daily Les Echos. Aegis's stock had its largest gain in more than 11 years.

Analysts said Omnicom Group might also be interested in making an offer.

Aegis is "a good business - it's king in France and that's in Publicis's own backyard," Lorna Tilbian at Numis Securities is quoted by Bloomberg as saying. "Publicis has done well in its acquisitions, buying Saatchi & Saatchi and Leo Burnett." Still, she said, French billionaire Vincent Bollore or Omnicom, the world's largest ad company, are more obvious bidders.

Publicis is preparing a friendly offer, Les Echos reported on its website, without citing a source, adding that Aegis's board was to discuss the bid today. Publicis has a 15 percent share of the media buying and planning market, so its need for a media-buying acquisition isn't as great as Omnicom's, SG Securities analyst Simon Baker said.

Aegis's sales have risen every year for more than a decade; it has been expanding mostly through acquisitions. The company reported a 5.7 percent gain in first half profit on higher sales in Asia; revenue rose 15 percent.

Previous stories:

- Carat Direct, Interactive Fuse into 'Carat Fusion'
- Aegis: Digital Media Surges, Online to Overtake Outdoor
- Aegis Buys Glue, Attaches Creative Shop to Isobar
- Aegis Claims Doubling of Online Revs
- Aegis's Isobar to Buy Molecular for $31.5 Million
- Major Agencies Finally Acquiring Mobile Ability
- Aegis Buys Creative Shop
- Aegis Lowers Adspend Growth Estimates
- Search Marketers Make Attractive Targets
- Isobar Picks up iProspect
- Aegis's 'Half Digital' Stat Hinges on Technicalities
- Optimistic Aegis Consolidates Digital Agencies