By Linda Chiem ( July 30, 2015, 7:03 PM EDT) -- InterContinental Hotels Group PLC has held early stage talks to combine with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc., potentially creating the world's largest hotel company if those talks come to fruition, the Financial Times reported Thursday. The informal talks between the two global hoteliers are very tentative, the FT said. And it's possible that Starwood, which for months been seen as the hotel sector's top acquisition target, might look to another suitor or pursue another strategy, according to the report. IHG's reported advisers on its talks with Starwood include Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Starwood has a market capitalization of around $13.8 billion while IHG's is closer to $9.5 billion, the report said. Other recent rumblings surrounding Starwood have included reports that Chinese hospitality firms Plateno Hotels Group Co. Ltd. and Shanghai Jin Jiang International Hotels (Group) Co. Ltd. will make a play for the U.S. company once they themselves merge....