Bidder

A firm or person that wants to buy a firm or security. The New York Times Financial Glossary

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bid bid ² verb bid _PTandPP bidding _PRESPART [intransitive, transitive]

1. FINANCE to offer to pay a particular price for something such as goods, property, or bonds:

bid (something) for something

• He bid £69,000 at Sotheby's for an 18th century wine glass.

2. FINANCE to offer to buy a large number of shares in a company and so take over the company:

bid (something) for something

• The company is bidding 910p a share for control of AB Ports, in a deal worth an estimated £2.8 billion.

3. COMMERCE to offer to do work or provide services for a fixed price, in competition with others:

bid (something) for something

• Investors have bid a record amount of cash for Venezuela's oil operating licences.

• The government has invited companies to bid for gas exploration rights in the west of the country.

— bidder noun [countable] :

• bidders for the franchises

— bidding noun [uncountable] :

• The painting made $14 million in frenzied bidding at Christie's.

bid something → up phrasal verb [transitive] FINANCE

if people bid up a price, they cause it to increase because of the competition between them in bidding:

• Investors have bid up the company's shares about 25%, despite disappointing operating results.

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bidder UK US /ˈbɪdə^r/ noun [C]

► a company or person that offers to pay a particular amount of money to buy something: bidder for sth »

Nestle has been cited as a potential bidder for these businesses.

► a company or organization that offers to do work for a particular price: bidder for/on sth »

There have been several bidders on this project.

● the highest bidder — Cf. the highest bidder

● the lowest bidder — Cf. the lowest bidder