0831 GMT - Telefonica is unlikely to buy the remainder of Virgin Media O2--its 50:50 joint venture with Liberty Global--due to its balance sheet, ING analyst Jan Frederik Slijkerman writes in a note. The Spanish telecommunications company is considering the purchase of the remaining stake in the British mass media and telecommunications company to achieve full ownership, according to a Bloomberg report. However, "Telefonica's balance sheet already looks stretched," the analyst says. The group will likely rather sell its stake as it needs cash, he says. Shares are down 0.1% at 4.31 euros.( najat.kantouar@wsj.com)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 15, 2025 04:31 ET (08:31 GMT)

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