Kansas City Southern jumps after WSJ says PE firms discussing bid

Shares of Kansas City Southern (KSU) jumped after the Wall Street Journal reported that Blackstone Group (BX) and Global Infrastructure Partners are considering a takeover bid for the railroad operator that could be worth more than $21B. The private equity firms are speaking to banks including Citigroup (C) about financing, Cara Lombardo and Miriam Gottfried report, citing people familiar with the matter. However, the roughly $15B equity check that could be required for a deal "would pose significant hurdles" for Blackstone and GIP, they add. The bid being discussed would likely include about $6.5B worth of debt financing, sources told the Journal. Shares of Kansas City Southern are up 14% to $178.85 following the report.