AUTOS

Avis Confirms Unsolicited Purchase Offer: The Parsippany, N.J.-based car renter said it has been approached by a potential suitor, but the company wouldn’t say whether it is negotiating a sale to motel and real estate franchiser HFS Inc. The Wall Street Journal reported that HFS is in preliminary talks to buy the company in a transaction that could total more than $1 billion including debt. Avis Inc. spokeswoman Demetria Mudar said the employee-owned company received an unsolicited proposal by a publicly held company in recent weeks, but would not elaborate. HFS Chairman and Chief Executive Henry Silverman neither confirmed nor denied the talks, although he said the company is interested in entering the car rental business.