Yahoo is ready to talk about a deal and is asking potential buyers to sign confidentiality documents (YHOO)

REUTERS/Ruben Sprich

For months, a few big companies and financial firms have expressed interest in buying Yahoo, while the internet company has tried its best to ignore all the attention.

But now it seems that Yahoo is ready to talk.

The company sent confidentiality agreements to interested buyers last week, according to a report in CTFN, citing anonymous bankers. The report said that Yahoo plans to have a traditional auction, in which buyers submit bids, rather than engage in direct, one-on-one deal talks with potential buyers.

The report didn't mention who the interested parties were. A growing list of suitors, including Verizon and private-equity firms Bain Capital and KKR, has surfaced in media reports during the past several weeks. Verizon's CEO has even publicly acknowledged his interest in Yahoo.

Nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) are a standard part of any potential transaction, though they don't appear to actually prevent leaks most of the time. But for those who suspect that Yahoo's board is not really interested in a sale, and is dragging its feet on the process, the delivery of the NDAs suggests that at least something is happening.

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