MLS said to be lead bidder for Osram Lighting

Chinese lighting company MLS Co is the frontrunner to buy Osram Licht AG's light bulb and LED-lamp business as the German company moves closer to finding a buyer more than a year after announcing plans to separate the division, according to people familiar with the matter.

Osram may choose a winner for the asset as soon as this month, said the people, who asked not to be identified because talks are private. MLS is attempting to buy Osram's asset as part of a consortium, and is in negotiations about topics including the structure of the deal and the company's intellectual property, said one of the people. The Chinese firm may pay less than 500 million euros ($558 million) for the investment, another person said.

Other bidders, including a private equity firm, are still interested and no final decisions have been made, they said. Osram is in discussions with various interested parties, a spokesman for the company said, declining further comment. A representative for MLS didn't immediately respond to a request for comment outside of normal business hours.