Dabah considers bid for Children's Place

SECAUCUS, N.J. The Children's Place former ceo Ezra Dabah announced on Thursday that he could make a bid to buy the company for $24 per share, which would send its shares up 18% in pre-market trading.

Dabah said he had received interest from private equity firm Golden Gate Capital to participate in the deal. He owns 17.2% of the retailer?s shares, according to a statement he made in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing.  

The Children's Place reported that sales rose 6% in January, better than the expected average of 2.5%. Same-store sales rose 9% at namesake stores and 2% at Disney Stores.

 The company also stated that its stock was subject to delisting, according to a NASDAQ notification, because of its failure to hold its fiscal 2006 annual meeting by Feb. 3. The meeting was delayed due to the company?s late filing of its 2006 annual report on Dec. 5, but The Children's Place said that it will request an extension as it expects to hold the meeting in the spring of 2008.