French payment terminal vendor Ingenico says it has received a takeover offer worth around EUR1.44 billion from an undisclosed bidder.
In a brief statement, the company reveals that the non-binding offer for 100% of its stock at EUR28 a share came on 14 December.
The offer is subject to board approval and "ongoing discussions may or may not lead to a transaction".
Trading in Ingenico shares has been suspended and the firm says it will issue a new statement before trading on Euronext Paris resumes on Monday.
Shares in Ingenico closed yesterday at EUR26.54 and rose steadily today to a high of EUR27.66 before the suspension.
Last month American rival VeriFone signed a $485 million, all-stock, definitive agreement to buy another player Hypercom, giving it a strong presence in Ingenico's home European market.
The French firm made its own unsuccessful, unsolicited $332 million bid for Hypercom in 2008, contingent on the US vendor dropping its own proposal to acquire a card payments business from Thales.