• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, March 19, 2019

A day after announcing it has consolidated all of its operations under a unified Kantar brand, Reuters is reporting that talks have accelerated with suitors to sell a majority stake of WPP’s media and marketing research holdings.

“A series of buyout funds including U.S. firms Advent and Blackstone are in talks with advertising group WPP to explore bids for a majority stake in its data analytics unit Kantar,” Reuters reported early this morning, citing four unnamed sources it said were “familiar with the matter.”

The news service said WPP sent confidential “information packs” to suitors this week and that Goldman Sachs is leading the sale, which is expected to yield upwards of $4.7 billion.

Non-binding offers are expected next month.

The sale comes as chief Kantar rival Nielsen also is exploring its strategic options, including the sale of all of part of its research holdings, and private equity firms also are considered likely suitors.