KKR Is Said to Emerge as Frontrunner to Buy Japan’s Taiyo (1)

KKR & Co. has emerged as the frontrunner to acquire Japanese chemical manufacturer Taiyo Holdings Co., people familiar with the matter said.

The US alternative asset manager is the likeliest buyer ahead of other private equity rivals, according to the people, who asked to not be identified because the information isn’t public. KKR’s proposal is likely to be lower than the current share price, some of the people said.

Taiyo reversed earlier gains, dropping as much as 9.3% in Tokyo. That was the steepest intraday slump since August 2024. Still, the shares have surged almost 130% this year, giving ...