Douglas and Fosun to bid for French perfume chain Nocibé

PARIS, France - French perfume and cosmetics retailer Nocibe has received expressions of interest from German perfume-to-books retailer Douglas Holding and from French private equity firm LBO France in an alliance with Chinese conglomerate Fosun, French daily Le Figaro said.

The seller, British private equity group Charterhouse, has pushed back the deadline to enter firm offers to the end of June, the paper said. An LBO France spokesman declined to comment on the report.

The paper said that a succesful bid by Douglas Holding would make Nocibe the second-biggest perfume chain in France, behind LVMH-owned Sephora and ahead of Marionnaud.

No agreement has been signed between LBO France and Fosun, which is studying the potential of Nocibe in China, the paper said.

Fosun is also preparing a bid for French tourism group Club Mediterranee in alliance with AXA Private Equity .