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American investment company KKR & Company is considering a takeover bid for the roughly US$5 billion (HK$38.8 billion) semiconductor and electronics equipment maker ASMPT (0522), people familiar with the matter said, a move that would follow previous acquisition attempts from other bidders.

The US alternative asset manager has made a non-binding, preliminary approach to take Hong Kong-listed ASMPT private, the people said.

Considerations are at an early stage and may not lead to a transaction, they said. ASMPT may also attract interest from other buyout firms, one of them said.

ASMPT shares jumped as much as 11.4 percent, the biggest intraday gain since June last year, after the Bloomberg News report.

ASM International, a Dutch semiconductor equipment maker which holds a roughly 25 percent stake in ASMPT, has in the past been pushed by activist investors to sell its stake.

ASMPT has attracted takeover interest in the past, including from other investment firms and industry players in Asia.

Founded in 1975, ASMPT is a major provider of technology and equipment used to manufacture of chips for everything from phones to cars, to websites. It has almost 11,000 employees and operates in more than 30 countries.

A representative for KKR declined to comment, while ASMPT and ASMI didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

KKR plans bid for ASMPT