Repsol Gains on Report Total, Shell May Consider Making Bid

By Charles Penty and Brian McGee

Sept. 25 (Bloomberg) -- Repsol YPF SA rose in Madrid trading after Expansion said Total SA and Royal Dutch Shell Plc are studying the possibility of buying the Spanish oil company, citing unidentified people close to the conversations.

Repsol climbed as much as 56 cents, or 2.7 percent, to 20.99 euros, and traded at 20.63 euros as of 9:24 a.m. local time. Builder Sacyr Vallehermoso SA has said it may put its 20 percent stake in Madrid-based Repsol up for sale, which has spurred the interest of Total and Shell, the newspaper said.

A Repsol spokesman, who declined to be identified in line with company policy, said Repsol understands Sacyr doesn't wish to sell its stake. Total spokeswoman Lisa Wyler said she couldn't comment on the report. Shell couldn't immediately be reached.

Sacyr, Spain's fifth-biggest construction company, rose as much as 37 cents, or 3 percent, to 12.67 euros and last changed hands at 12.55 euros as of 9:25 a.m. in Madrid.

Sacyr's position is unchanged from Sept. 12, when the company said it was considering ``various alternatives'' for its Repsol holdings and other investments, the builder said in a regulatory filing today.

To contact the reporters on this story: Charles Penty in Madrid at cpenty@bloomberg.net; Brian McGee in Madrid at bmcgee3@bloomberg.net