 Bloomberg -- EBay Inc. would prefer to keep a stake in the classified advertising business its selling, according to people familiar with the matter, lessening the chances Prosus NV will win the hotly-contested auction.The decision at a board meeting on Friday gives a surprise boost to a bid from Norwegian online marketplace Adevinta ASA, which offered a mix of cash and stock and would leave EBay with a significant stake in the combined business, the people said, asking not to be identified as discussions arent public. A combination of the classifieds unit with the listed Scandinavian firm would also allow EBay to benefit from any future increase in the shares, they said.A private equity consortium backed by Blackstone Group Inc., Permira and Hellman Friedman has separately been pursuing the unit and also offered to let EBay keep a minority stake, the people said.Until as recently as Friday, Naspers Ltd.-owned Prosus was considered to be in pole position after submitting the highest, all-cash offer for the entire unit, Bloomberg News reported. EBays classifieds business could fetch more than 8 billion in one of the largest auction processes this year, the people said at the time.Representatives for EBay and Prosus couldnt immediately be reached for comment. Representatives for Adevinta and the private equity firms declined to comment. EBay and its advisers are still debating the merits of the various offers and bidders could still make a last-ditch effort to tip the scales in their favor, the people said. The seller could make a formal decision on a exclusive partner in the coming days, the people said.The EBay classifieds portfolio includes online marketplaces separate from the companys eponymous auction platform. Its brands include Kijiji, commonly used in Canada and Italy, and Gumtree, a classifieds site popular in the U.K., Australia and South Africa. It also owns Bilbasen, a Danish online vehicle marketplace, and British car search website Motors.co.uk.EBay is selling the business in response to activist investors that want it to focus on its main online marketplace.Adevinta was spun off of Scandinavian media conglomerate Schibsted ASA last year with the goal of expanding in the global online classified market. The companys shares surged late last week after strong results.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.2020 Bloomberg L.P. 