Caltex talking to 'a number of parties' other than announced suitors - interim CEO

FILE PHOTO: A Caltex sign is seen at a petrol station in Melbourne April 22, 2010. Caltex Australia Ltd, the country's largest refiner, said on Thursday its short-term refiner margin outlook remains challenging, however it was optimistic about its medium to long-term prospects. REUTERS/Mick Tsikas (AUSTRALIA - Tags: ENERGY BUSINESS)

Caltex Australia <CTX.AX> is talking to "a number of parties" in addition to its announced suitors, Alimentation Couche-Tard <ATDb.TO> and Britain's EG Group, about potential transactions, interim Chief Executive Matthew Halliday said on Tuesday.

"We continue to engage with a range of other parties in relation to the situation, so it remains a very active space," Halliday told reporters after Caltex reported a more than 38% drop in annual underlying profit.

Halliday declined to say how many other parties Caltex was talking to.

(Reporting by Sonali Paul; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)