Sirius shows interest in XM

Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. would be interested in buying XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. at the right price, though regulatory issues “would be a question mark,” Sirius Chief Executive Mel Karmazin said Monday.

He said he’d be less interested in being acquired, though he also would consider it if it were in the shareholders’ best interest. Asked if he would consider a merger with a satellite-television provider, Karmazin said it would make more sense for DirecTV Group Inc. and EchoStar Communications Corp. to merge with each other than with Sirius.

Chatter about possible talks between the two companies has circulated for months. Sirius and XM are the only two satellite radio providers in the United States. In order for regulators to approve such a deal, the two would have to be considered part of a broader industry with other competitors.

•A French shareholder group said Monday it is suing Airbus parent EADS, as talks progress on an expected management shake-up at the European defense group.

The Association of Active Shareholders said it was opening a “French-style class action” against European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co., due to the company’s announcement earlier this month of new delays to the Airbus A380 superjumbo. The company said the production hitches would shave 2 billion euros ($2.5 billion) off profit over four years, and EADS shares plunged 26 percent on the June 14 statement.

•Franchisees sued the Subway sandwich chain Monday, claiming that a new franchise agreement will threaten control of a $500 million advertising trust fund.

The Subway Franchisee Advertising Fund Trust, acting on behalf of more than 10,000 franchisees worldwide, said the lawsuit, which was filed in Ansonia-Milford Superior Court, seeks to prevent Subway from breaking terms of a trust agreement between the two parties. The lawsuit names Doctor’s Associates Inc., the franchisor of Subway restaurants.

At issue is a fund controlled by franchisees to advertise Subway sandwiches and other products.

In a statement, the advertising trust fund praised Subway founder Fred DeLuca for initially approving the trust fund arrangement. But it criticized Subway officials for what it says is a change in policy.