Buyouts
UK - Cinven gains access to Gondola's books
The largest listed restaurant company in the UK, Gondola, has allowed Cinven access to its books. Cinven made a takeover approach to the owner of Pizza Express, ASK and Zizzi late last week and is considering making it a formal offer of 415p a share.
UK - LDC backs commercial mortgage lender with £27m investment
Commercial First, the specialist commercial mortgage lender, has secured the backing of private equity firm LDC to help grow the business ahead of a possible stock market flotation. Established in 2002 by financial industry experts Marty Finegold and...
UK - Advent International exits Financial Dynamics
Financial Dynamics (FD), the business and financial communications consulting firm has been acquired by FT Consulting, Inc, a consulting and technology service provider to major corporations for £137m. The transaction represents an exit for Advent International...
FRANCE - Alpha and Apax make major loss on Créatifs sale
Sources close to the deal have confirmed that Alpha Associés Conseil and Apax Partners have sold Créatifs to Developpement & Partenariat and Prado Finance, for EUR 500,000. The buyout houses had originally bought the conference visual designer in a...
FRANCE - AXA Private Equity buys Eliokem for about EUR 130m
French buyout house AXA Private Equity has announced its acquisition of a majority stake in former Goodyear Tire spin-off Eliokem for about EUR 130m.
UK - 3i offloads portfolio of 10 mid-market buyout investments
Saints Capital, in partnership with Lexington Partners and Fortress Investment Group, announced that it has acquired a portfolio of 10 mid-market buyout investments from 3i. The transaction involved privately held industrial companies all based in the...
UK - Permira Funds acquire Principal Hotels
Permira has announced the acquisition of Principal Hotels from Royal Bank of Scotland by Permira Funds.
FRANCE - 3i backs the LBO of Selective Beauty
3i has announced it has invested EUR 50m of equity to acquire a 45% stake in perfumes and cosmetics distributor Selective Beauty.
FRANCE - Capzanine restructures Utram
Capzanine has announced its participation in the restructuring of audiovisual equipment rental business Utram. The deal means a partial exit for previous investor Naxicap and the arrival of management as a minority holder.
UK - TA Associates acquires SmartStream from 3i
SmartStream Technologies, the software provider which through its Transaction Lifecycle Management solutions provides services to 70 of the world's top 100 banks, has been acquired by TA Associates. The deal represents an exit for previous majority shareholder...
FRANCE - Butler Capital to buy Sernam
Sernam, a former subsidiary of the French railways company SNCF, has announced it has entered exlcusive talks with Butler Capital Partners, concerning the buyout house's acquisition of a majority stake.
UK - McCarthy & Stone acquired by HBOS consortium
The builder of private retirement homes and flats, McCarthy & Stone has been acquired by an HBOS consortium named Mother Bidco following the withdrawal of Permira and Barclays Capital's recommended offer. The withdrawal was sparked by Vincent Tchenguiz,...
UK - Primary Capital acquires Haines Watts Business Recovery & Insolvency
Primary Capital is pleased to announce the £27m management buyout of Credere Limited, the vehicle formed to acquire the Haines Watts Business Recovery & Insolvency (HWBRI) practice.
UK - Graphite Capital acquires NES Group from Bridgepoint for £86m
Graphite Capital, the leading UK mid-market private equity specialist, is backing the £86m management buyout of the NES Group from its founders and previous backer, Bridgepoint. The exit generated a money multiple of 2x for Bridgepoint.
UK - Blackstone and Premier only remaining bidders for United Biscuits
The final round of the auction for United Biscuits gets underway this week with Blackstone and Premier Foods the only remaining contenders. While Blackstone's bid is fully funded, there is doubt as to whether the Premier consortium can raise the capital...
GERMANY - Perseus acquires SEVA Energie
US-based Perseus LLC, has acquired a majority stake in SEVA Energie AG, a manufacturer of combined heat and power units fueled by alternative fuels.
GERMANY - Auctus Management continues to fill its portfolio
Following a number of transactions this year, including the buyout of Pharmazell and the sale of Time Partner to Investcorp, Auctus Management has made a further acquisition. Alongside Schmack Biogas AG, the investment house has acquired a 70% stake in...
SWITZERLAND – Swiss Capvis backs MBO of ORIOR Food Group
Swiss Capvis, the Swiss private equity firm has acquired a majority stake in ORIOR Food Group alongside the company's management team for an undisclosed sum.
SWEDEN - Nordic Capital and Apax launch bid for Capio
Apax and Nordic Capital aim to acquire publicly listed healthcare group Capio AB for SEK 15.6bn. Opica AB, a company jointly owned by Apax Europe VI, Nordic Capital Fund VI and Apax France, has offered SEK 153 per share in cash for all shares in Capio.
NORWAY - Norvestor buys Nordic gym group from Compass Partners
Norvestor Equity has acquired Elixia Nordic, a health and fitness club chain, from Compass Partners. The value of the deal is undisclosed.
FRANCE - AXA Private Equity reaches 95% threshold for TLD take-private
Following its public tender offer, AXA Private equity has secured over 95% of shares in listed airport equipment business TLD Group.
UK – NVM-backed Arleigh International acquires Midland Chandlers
Following a MBO in 2004 funded by Northern Venture Managers, Arleigh International has successfully acquired Midland Chandlers, creating the UK’s largest provider of holiday home and narrow boat spares and consumables.
NL- Bencis acquires childcare provider Catalpa
Bencis Capital Partners has acquired a substantial equity interest in Catalpa, the market leader in childcare in the Netherlands.
FINLAND - Sentica buys Elematic Group from Consolis
Finnish Elematic Oy Ab has been acquired in a deal led by Sentica Partners and including Finnish Industry Investment, Etera Mutual Pension Insurance Company and the management of Elematic Group. Elematic is a technology provider to precast concrete producers...