Carlyle, Warburg Pincus in lead to acquire DBRS

New York

A PRIVATE equity consortium of Carlyle Group LP and Warburg Pincus LLC is in advanced talks to acquire privately held credit rating agency DBRS Ltd for more than US$500 million, according to people familiar with the matter.

After final bids were submitted last week, Carlyle and Warburg Pincus have so far prevailed in the auction for DBRS, which also attracted Canadian private equity firm Birch Hill Equity Partners Management Inc, the people said on Friday.