Europe’s largest defense firm, BAE Systems Plc, said on Friday it wants to sell its 20-percent stake in top airliner maker Airbus to EADS, which could give it at least $5 billion for acquisitions in the United States.
“Discussions are at an early stage and a further announcement will be made if and when appropriate,” BAE said in a statement to the London Stock Exchange. BAE has an option to sell its stake in Airbus to EADS, the Franco-German-Spanish firm which owns the remaining 80 percent.
