Blackstone Seeks Tech. Partners For Dell Deal

The Blackstone Group is in talks with several technology companies about joining its buyout bid for Dell Inc., while a major Dell shareholder said it supports Blackstone's potential offer—or that of Carl Icahn—over the $24.4 billion deal from company founder Michael Dell and Silver Lake Partners.

It is unclear which technology firms Blackstone is negotiating with, but any that would join would likely have a role in both Dell's strategic direction and the deal's financing, The Wall Street Journal reports. Among the financing options on the table are equity stakes, debt or a combination of the two.

Blackstone remains in talks with Michael Dell about joining the bid.

Blackstone is also still in talks with Southeastern Asset Management, which owns 8.4% of Dell. Southeastern is likely to back either the Blackstone or Icahn offers, it indicated this week.

Southeastern said Tuesday that it views both "proposals as superior primarily because each offers shareholders the opportunity to remain owners of Dell while also offering a higher cash price to owners who choose to exit their investment."

Both the Blackstone or Icahn deals would allow investors to join the deal, whereas the offer from Michael Dell and Silver Lake would take Dell private.