Deals of the day-Mergers and acquisitions

(Adds Centene, Thyssenkrupp)

Sept 26 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 1330 GMT on Thursday:

** Centene Corp and Wellcare Health Plans Inc have agreed to sell Wellcare's Missouri and Nebraska Medicaid plans for people with low income to Anthem Inc , as the companies look to close their $15.27 billion deal.

** Thyssenkrupp will weed out some potential suitors for its elevator unit within the next two weeks, two people familiar with the matter said, as the closely-watched auction gathers pace regardless of the planned ousting of CEO Guido Kerkhoff.

** Chinese internet search giant Baidu Inc will sell nearly a third of its stake in online travel firm Ctrip.com International Ltd, aiming to raise about $1 billion as it looks to invest in new revenue streams.

** Swiss perfumes company Firmenich has agreed to buy a 17% equity stake in French peer Robertet and added it may later acquire a bigger, controlling stake in the firm.

** Italian cooperative bank Popolare di Bari is close to making three acquisitions, including a small bank, chief executive Vincenzo De Bustis said in an interview with daily Il Sole 24 ore published.

** Singapore-based investor Temasek has converted a mandatory exchangeable bond and bought more shares to secure a 50% stake in Gategroup Holding, the Swiss airline catering and hospitality group said.

** The Swiss anti-trust authority has approved Sunrise Communications' 6.3 billion Swiss franc ($6.36 billion) takeover of Liberty Global's UPC business, setting up a showdown between the telecoms company and foes of the deal.

** WillScot Corp, the largest U.S. provider of mobile office trailers, has made an offer to acquire Mobile Mini Inc, the biggest U.S. provider of portable storage solutions, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

** Elliott Management Corp on Wednesday urged Marathon Petroleum Corp to split into three companies, saying it would boost shareholder value by as much as $40 billion, three years after the activist hedge fund asked the refiner to consider spinning off businesses.

** WeWork owner The We Company will try to sell three companies it had acquired in the last few years, The Information reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. (Compiled by Ayanti Bera in Bengaluru)