Polycom to discuss PE offer in challenge to Mitel

(Reuters) - Video conferencing equipment maker Polycom Inc said on Monday it received a revised proposal from a private equity firm that could be "superior" to Mitel Networks Corp's offer. Polycom's shares rose 4.2 percent to $11.56 in after-market trading. Polycom, which agreed to be bought by Canada's Mitel for about $1.96 billion in April, said it intends to engage in discussions with the private equity firm, identified as Sponsor 1. Under the revised proposal, Polycom stockholders would receive a cash dividend of $11 per share and the private equity firm would purchase $650 million in shares of a new convertible preferred stock of Polycom. After the proposed deal, Sponsor 1 would own 56 percent of Polycom's outstanding equity on an as-converted basis. Under Mitel's offer, Polycom stockholders will get $3.12 in cash and 1.31 Mitel shares for each of their shares. Hedge fund Elliott Management, which holds a 6.6 percent stake in Polycom and a 9.7 percent stake in Mitel, has been pushing the companies to merge since October. Mitel said in a statement on Monday that its acquisition offers superior and greater upside to Polycom. Sponsor 1, which has been in merger talks with Polycom since 2015, sent Polycom a revised proposal in May. (Reporting by Kshitiz Goliya in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)