A joint Alcatel and Lucent press statement has confirmed that the companies are in discussions about “a merger of equals.”
The statement said, “We can confirm that Lucent and Alcatel are engaged in discussions about a potential merger of equals that is intended to be priced at market. There can be no assurances that any agreement will be reached or that a transaction will be consummated. We will have no further comment until an agreement is reached or the discussions are terminated.”
Although the statement descibes any merger as a “of equals”, recent financial results have been more positive for Alcatel than Lucent. In the mobile infrastructure and services market Alcatel appears to have a superior position, but there are many areas of similarity between the companies both in fixed, mobile and convergence markets.
Previous merger talks in 2001 were dropped, apparently because Lucent baulked at the deal looking more like a take over than a merger.
A merged company would have a market capitalisation of around $34 billion