In contrast, many members were familiar with Sion from its earlier bid.

The trust had rejected an earlier bid of $7.50 a share.

The new offer has a value of about $579 million, compared with $880 million for the earlier bid.

The offer carried a 21 percent premium to an earlier bid.

The offer, which is $10 a share higher than an earlier bid, totals $6.3 billion for the shares not already held.

It rejected an earlier bid of $11 billion from the same suitors two weeks ago.

The purpose of some early bids may be to exchange information rather than to set the final contract.

The revised offer was $4.86 a share in cash, up from an earlier bid of $4.46.

The company had rejected the earlier bid, made two weeks ago.

The earlier bids had all been derided as too low.