Mr. Greenspan's warning came at a time when the financial markets are trying to cope with a potential $20.3 billion leveraged buyout of RJR Nabisco.

Last fall, with Janus's stock at about $19 a share, its management hired Morgan Stanley to advise it on a potential management-led buyout.

General Electric is the most expensive potential buyout in the world because it's saddled with $479 billion-nearly half a trillion dollars-in long-term debt and only $123 billion of cash.

Piedmont's expanding route system, its loyal passenger following, and its profitability caused it to gain notice among other airlines for a potential buyout.

One school of thought is that since there is no clear succession, the company seems logical to look at as a potential buyout.

This potential buyout cannot exceed €72 million, and the transaction date would occur during the first quarter of 2013.

But investors said the firm wants fresh funds for potential buyouts of companies whose value has dropped sharply since midsummer.

A potential buyout had been rumored on Wednesday afternoon, and that pushed up the price of UAL stock by $6.75, to close at $133.

The bridegroom, 27, is an associate at Lehman Brothers, the investment bank in Manhattan, where he evaluates companies for potential leveraged buyouts.

In March 1987 Hooker retained Skadden, Arps in connection with the potential buyout.