HAMBURG (dpa-AFX) - The wind and solar park operator Encavis has confirmed talks about a possible takeover by the US financial investor KKR. The MDax company announced on Wednesday evening that it had been in contact with KKR regarding interest in a possible transaction. However, the talks are still at a very early stage. There is no guarantee that a possible transaction will be proposed or carried out, it added.

The Bloomberg news agency had previously reported that KKR was interested in buying the company. The transaction could be worth more than two billion euros. Encavis shares rose by a good 18 percent in regular trading. It also settled at this level after the close.

The share price has more than halved since a long-term high in January 2021. The losses are part of a sector-wide decline in the renewable energy sector. High interest rates are making investments in larger projects more expensive, while costs are also rising due to inflation.

According to analysts at Berenberg, Encavis' operating results have also recently been impacted by falling energy prices. The company owns more than 80 wind farms and more than 200 solar parks in Europe./jha/tih