A consortium including some of the world's biggest private equity groups made a non-binding offer for VNU yesterday, valuing the troubled Dutch business information company at up to €7.3bn ($8.8bn).

The €28 to €28.50 a share bid from a group comprising Blackstone, Carlyle, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, Permira, Hellman & Friedman, Alpinvest and Thomas H. Lee, is pitched close to VNU's share price. Analysts said it might not impress some investors.