• Atos says also received a second offer for part of the unit
• Says Tech Foundations sale taking "more time than planned"
• Says Daniel Kretinsky's EPEI now will not take stake in Eviden
• Atos aiming to reduce debt
• Atos shares up 2% after spiking more than 10%

Jan 3 (Reuters) - French IT company Atos (ATOS.PA) said on Wednesday Airbus (AIR.PA) had made an indicative offer of 1.5 billion to 1.8 billion euros ($1.64 billion-$1.97 billion) for Atos' big data & security (BDS) unit, briefly sending its shares up more than 10%.

Atos said it would open due diligence talks with the world's biggest planemaker regarding the sale, one of a series of negotiations the company is involved in aimed at helping it reduce debt.

Atos has faced a series of setbacks that have pummelled its shares for more than a year.

An Airbus spokesperson confirmed in an e-mailed statement sent to Reuters, echoing an earlier report, that it had submitted a non-binding proposal.

"The acquisition of BDS could significantly accelerate the digital transformation of Airbus, enhance the company’s defence and security portfolio with strong capabilities in cyber, advanced computing and artificial intelligence," Airbus said.

Atos said it had also received a second offer for part of the unit, but did not name the potential buyer.

Separately, Atos Chief Financial Officer Paul Saleh said exclusive negotiations with Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky's EPEI on the sale of its Tech Foundations unit are taking "more time than planned", with no certainty of an agreement being reached.

"Discussions continue around the price to be paid, the structure of the transaction and the transfer of a very large proportion of Tech Foundations liabilities," the company said in a press release.

Initially Tech Foundations was to be sold to EPEI for 2 billion euros, with EPEI getting a 7.5% stake in Eviden for 180 million euros in the framework of a 900-million-euro capital increase.

Atos said it now plans to reduce the capital increase, resulting in Kretinsky not taking a stake in Eviden at all.

Atos added that it is in discussions with banks to maintain financing and obtain refinancing.

It said in the first quarter of 2024 it will assess whether these measures are sufficient to cover financing maturities and cash requirements on a long-term basis.

The group is planning two six-month extensions to a 1.5 billion euro loan, with the first effective from January 29.

($1 = 0.9128 euros)

https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/atos-open-due-diligence-phase-talks-with-airbus-sale-bds-unit-2024-01-03/