Some of the largest shareholders in Tribune Co. bought more stock in the third quarter, betting on a higher share price, as speculation swirls about the future of the media giant, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Two major investors, Chicago-based Ariel Capital Management and Rye, New York-based Gamco Investors, which currently own 19 million shares combined and have upped both of their stakes in the company by 5 percent and 1 percent, respectively, during the third quarter — in anticipation of a company breakup.

However, according to various reports, all of the potential suitors haven’t offered much more than the stock’s current trading price. Shares of Tribune slipped 40 cents to $32.06 on Tuesday but were up 16 cents to $32.32 early Wednesday. The stock is up 6 percent on the year.

Among the suitors that have either made bids or expressed interest are four private equity firms; Los Angeles billionaires Eli Broad, Ron Burkle and David Geffen; and the media companies Gannett Co., News Corp., Hearst Corp. and MediaNews Group Inc.

Reports also said that the Chandler family, the largest single shareholder in the Tribune Co. with a 20-percent stake and the founding family of the L.A. Times, is debating internally whether to take the opportunity to regain ownership of the Times.

But a Chandler-family source, the L.A. Times reported Tuesday, said the family is split about whether to support selling the company in a piecemeal fashion, selling entire company or making its own bid for the Times alone.