Buyouts
UK - Zeus completes MBO of XLN Telecom
Zeus Private Equity (ZPE) has completed its fourth deal, backing the management buyout of telecommunications solutions provider, XLN Telecom Ltd. ZPE has invested £6.63m to acquire a majority stake in the business. Kaupthing Singer & Friedlander has...
UK - HgCapital looks for up to £150m from sale of Clarion Events
HgCapital portfolio company Clarion Events is on the block for a price of between £120-150m. The sale process for the events business which runs more than 50 events globally is being managed by Close Brothers Corporate Finance. It is understood that...
UK - Graphite, Advent and 3i gear up for Kurt Geiger
Graphite Capital, Advent International and 3i are reported to be amongst bidders in the final round of an auction to acquire Kurt Geiger. The designer shoe retailer is currently owned by Barclays Private Equity. Hawkpoint is running the process to divest...
SPAIN - Carlyle acquires petrochemical company MB Inspection
Carlyle-backed certification company Applus+ has acquired petrochemical company MB Inspection.
UK - Montagu to work with GIP on Biffa
Montagu Private Equity is reported to have agreed to work with Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) on a £1.2bn bid for waste services company Biffa. Montagu had formerly tabled an offer for the listed-business alongside HgCapital but it is understood...
SWITZERLAND – Carlyle acquires KSC.net
The Carlyle Group has acquired, in partnership with management, KCS.net Holding AG, an Enterprise Resource Planning solution (ERP) vendor in an all-cash transaction.
UK - Buyout houses ready for Prêt
Advent International, Bridgepoint and Morgan Stanley are all reported to be preparing bids for UK sandwich chain Prêt a Manger. However, the £400m-plus price tag on the asset is unlikely to be realistic, owing not only to market wobbles but also to...
SPAIN - CVC acquires majority stake in restaurant chain
CVC-backed Grupo Zena has acquired a majority stake in restaurant chain La Vaca Argentina in a deal reportedly valued at EUR 18m.
UK - ISIS leads £7m investment in MBO of Playforce
ISIS Equity Partners has led a £7m investment to support the management buyout of Playforce, a supplier of children's play areas to schools. ISIS invested from its Baronsmead VCTs alongside debt underwritten by HSBC.
PORTUGAL - Explorer Investments acquires construction company
Explorer Investments has acquired industrial player Cosntrutora da Ferraria through its fund Explorer I.
FINLAND - CapMan completes MBO of Varesvuo Partners
CapMan Buyout Fund VIII together with Roope Lerthinen and the company’s management, have completed a management buyout of Varesvuo Partners Oy, a Finnish television content and film production business for an undisclosed value.
UK - Zeus backs £22m+ buyout of networking services supplier
Zeus Private Equity has completed its third deal with the management buyout of networking services supplier Electranet (UK) Ltd. ZPE has invested £6m as part of a funding package worth more than £22m. HSBC provided senior debt and working capital facilities.
DENMARK - Rumoured private equity interest in X-Yachts
It is rumoured that X-Yachts, a Danish yacht builder, is to be sold to a private equity firm.
GERMANY/BELGIUM- Buchanan Capital Partners’ portfolio company Dehler makes acquisition
Buchanan Capital Partners’ portfolio company Dehler has acquired Belgian company ETAP Yachting for an undisclosed sum from the owner family. Through its Buchanan Unternehmer-Fonds I, Buchanan Capital Partners acquired a minority stake via a capital...
UK - JC Flowers eyes up Friends Provident again
The US private equity firm JC Flowers is believed to have offered 175p per share, or £4.1bn, for UK insurer Friends Provident. JC Flowers had shown an interest in Northern Rock at the early-stages of the "auction" for the lender. Last week, JC Flowers...
UK - Infrastructure player crashes Biffa deal with £1.5bn offer
Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) is reported to be making a £1.5bn offer for waste services company Biffa. Last month, Biffa opened its books to HgCapital and Montagu Private Equity after they made a £1.2bn joint bid for the London-listed group.
ITALY - Ergon acquires 50% stake in industrial manufacturer
Belgian Ergon Capital Partners has agreed to acquire a 50% stake in Nicotra-Gebhardt from Fondo Interbancario d'Investimento Azionario in a deal valued at approximately EUR 80m.
NETHERLANDS - Private Plus and Heicop acquire Lightweight Structures
Private Plus Fund and Heicop together with the management have acquired all shares in Lightweight Structures.
NETHERLANDS - CapVest backs buyout of Drie Mollen from Gilde and AAC
CapVest Equity Patners II LP has acquired a majority stake in Drie Mollen International BV, a Dutch-based coffee company, from Gilde and AAC. Gilde and AAC, together with the management, acquired Drie Mollen in November 2002 in a management buyout.
UK - Alchemy hungry for Regent Inns
Alchemy Partners is reported to be interested in acquiring struggling pub owner Regent Inns, the operator of pubs including Walkabout and Old Orleans. The listed-group's share price rose by 27% on the news of a possible to takeover, to 21p. At 21p per...
ITALY - AXA Private Equity acquires hydraulics company
Axa Private Equity has backed the management buyout of hydraulics group Idroma.
UK - Vitruvian completes first deal with £55m acquisition of Latitude
Vitruvian Partners has completed its first deal, acquiring a majority stake in marketing agency Latitude Group Ltd as part of the £55m management buyout of the company.
UK - Octopus backs £15m buyout of broadcast media agency
Octopus Investments has supported the £15m buyout of Bruce Dunlop & Associates (BDA). Octopus has invested £5m from its equity and mezzanine funds to take a minority stake in broadcast media agency BDA. The deal was introduced to Octopus by Baker Tilly....
FRANCE - Colony Capital becomes majority shareholder in football club
US-Colony Capital has become the majority shareholder in football club Paris-Saint Germain (PSG) with a 61.6% stake.