China's Haier Electronics Group Co Ltd (1169.HK) is looking at a takeover of New Zealand kitchen and laundry appliance maker Fisher and Paykel Appliances Ltd，reported Reuters.

Haier already is a 20% shareholder in Fisher & Paykel and has approached three of F&P's biggest shareholders, which include Orbis Investment Management, AMP Capital Investors and Accident Compensation Corp over the weekend about possibly buying their stakes.

"The potential cash offer price indicated by Haier would represent a premium to Fisher & Paykel Appliances' current share price," F&P Appliances said.

F&P Appliances dates back to 1934 when Fisher & Paykel Industries was founded and the appliances' company was created in 2001 when F&P Appliances and F&P Healthcare Ltd. (FPH.NZ) were listed separately on the New Zealand stock exchange. The company manufactures a range of whiteware including its patented dish draws and has factories in New Zealand, Italy, Thailand and Mexico.

News of the possible bid for F&P Appliance saw the company's share price rise as much as 40 percent on Monday to a 3-1/2 year high.

Standard & Poor's Rating Services yet said today that its BB/Stable/B issuer credit rating and outlook on Fisher & Paykel Finance Ltd. (F&PFL) are unchanged following the announcement of a potential takeover.

At that stage, a formal bid was not submitted, and there is no certainty that an offer for shares in F&PAH or any other transaction will result.

Should additional information be available, we may review F&PFL's rating linkages with the creditworthiness of its corporate group in accordance with 'Corporate Criteria - Parent/Subsidiary Links; General Principles; Subsidiaries/Joint Ventures/Nonrecourse Projects; Finance Subsidiaries; Rating Link to Parent,'