(Adds Esselunga, Deutsche Private Equity, EasyJet, TIG Advisors, Sports Direct , First Sensor, Veritas Capital, Abu Dhabi National Hotels, ASG Technologies, Orascom Investment Holding, Alitalia)
Oct 31 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 2000 GMT on Wednesday.
** State-appointed administrators at Alitalia said they had received two binding offers for the Italian airline and one non-binding expression of interest. The majority owners of Italian supermarket chain Esselunga are seeking to team up with long-term investors to take full control of the business and squeeze out two of the family heirs, three sources familiar with the matter said. Budget airline EasyJet EZJ.L said it had submitted a revised expression of interest for a restructured Alitalia, in response to the new Italian government's ongoing sales process. ** TIG Advisors said it has bought a piece of Canadian mortgage investor Romspen Investment Corporation, marking the first time it has taken a stake in another hedge fund. Sports Direct SPD.L , the sportswear group controlled by billionaire Mike Ashley, said it had paid 8 million pounds ($10.2 million) to buy Evans Cycles after it fell into administration. Deutsche Private Equity (DPE) said it is considering selling its 36 percent stake in First Sensor AG SISG.DE , which makes electronic sensors used in the industrial, medical and automotive sectors. Private equity firm Veritas Capital has teamed up with hedge fund Elliott Management Corp in a bid to buy U.S. healthcare software maker Athenahealth inc ATHN.O , and is close to sealing an agreement, a person familiar with the matter said. Abu Dhabi National Hotels (ADNH) ADNH.AD is in talks to buy some hotel buildings from Dubai's Emaar Properties EMAR.DU , two sources familiar with the matter said, as Emaar increasingly focuses on its core businesses. Hedge fund Elliott Management Corp.'s software company ASG Technologies said it was offering to buy Mitek Systems Inc MITK.O for $10 a share after the provider of financial technology to banks rejected an earlier takeover approach. Egypt-based Orascom Investment Holding OIH.CA said it expected to acquire 30 percent of Sarwa Capital's SRWA.CA shares in November. Commonwealth Bank of Australia CBA.AX will sell its asset management arm to Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group 8306.T for $2.9 billion in a surprise sale, the latest business to be sold by an Australian financial giant amid unprecedented regulatory scrutiny. ** Australia's AMP Ltd AMP.AX defended the valuation and sale of its life insurance arm after a large shareholder threatened to campaign for a board spill over the price it agreed for the business last week. ** British gaming and betting company William Hill Plc WMH.L said that it offered to buy Sweden-based gaming company Mr Green & Co AB MRG.ST for 2.82 billion Swedish Crowns($307.40 million), looking to expand and diversify into more European markets. ** Britain's competition watchdog cleared exchange group CME's CME.O 3.9 billion pound ($4.96 billion) deal to buy Michael Spencer's NEX NXGN.L trading platform. ** Intu Properties Plc INTUP.L said it had given a consortium led by deputy chairman John Whittaker until Nov. 15 to make a firm offer or walk away from a bid for the shopping center owner. Private equity firm Apollo Global Management LLC APO.N is in advanced negotiations to acquire U.S. aluminum products maker Arconic Inc ARNC.N for more than $11 billion, people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. Italian publisher GEDI GEDI.MI is thinking of buying Telecom Italia's TLIT.MI 70 percent stake in Persidera to take full control of the broadcasting unit before selling most of it on, sources close to the matter said on Tuesday. Newell Brands Inc NWL.N is nearing a deal to sell Jostens, a U.S. manufacturer of memorabilia such as class rings and yearbooks, to private equity firm Platinum Equity LLC for around $1.3 billion, two people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. [nL2N1XA27A} ** Printing services firm Quad/Graphics Inc QUAD.N said it would buy peer LSC Communications LKSD.N in an all-stock deal valued at about $1.4 billion. ** Austria's oil and gas group OMV OMVV.VI is on the lookout for attractive buys to strengthen its downstream business in line with its strategy to grow in low-cost regions, its chief executive said. ** TP ICAP TCAPI.L , the world's largest interdealer broker, is in advanced talks to buy U.S.-based Axiom Commodity Group, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters. ** Canada's Barrick Gold ABX.TO has sought to woo Randgold Resources RRS.L shareholders with sweetened dividend terms to mollify investors unhappy with its nil-premium takeover offer for the Africa-focused mining company.