Buyouts
UK - Bidding war pushes ABP shares to 850p
The Financial Times reports today that Goldman Sachs has raised its offer to Associated British Ports from 810p to 840p per share as competition between its consortium and that led by Macquarie intensifies.
SWEDEN - Nordic Capital buys ICA Meny
A subsidiary to Nordic Capital fund VI has signed an agreement to acquire ICA Meny from ICA AB for an undisclosed sum. The completion of the transaction is subject to approval by relevant authorities.
CROATIA - Mid Europa secures calcium aluminate business
Mid Europa Partners has acquired Heidelberger Calcium Aluminates from HeidelbergCement Group. The transaction includes Heidelberg Cement's 92.4% stake in Istra Cemment d.o.o., a production facility based in Croatia, as well as two trading entities in...
NETHERLANDS - Rabo Participaties has acquired Luzac College
Rabo Participaties and management have acquired Luzac Holding BV, a parent company of among others Luzac College and InterCollege, from USG People. No financial details have been disclosed, but analysts estimate the value to be around EUR 30m.
GERMANY - Süd and DZ go in on ball bearings secondary
Süd Private Equity and DZ Equity Partner have, together with the management, acquired myonic Group, Leutkirch. The vendor, Capvis Equity Partners acquired a majority stake in the company in 1999.
UK - Macquarie-3i consortium tries to thwart Goldman ABP deal
The board of Associated British Ports yesterday approved the Goldman Sachs consortium's bid offering 810p per share. Within hours Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, acting on behalf of the Macquarie-3i consortium purchased shares in the market at a price...
UK - MFI auction reaches second round
The second-round auction of MFI Retail will begin on Friday according to the Financial Times. Further details of the sale of the struggling furniture business have now emerged.
NORWAY - HitecVision closes Technor acquisition
HitecVision Private Equity has via holding company CET Holding AS closed the acquisition of 94.6% of the shares of Technor ASA. Technor is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange and CET Holding has announced its intention of buying the remaining shares and...
DENMARK - Nordic Capital acquires Dangaard Telecom
A subsidiary of Nordic Capital fund VI has signed an agreement to acquire Dangaard Telecom from BHS Holding, debitel, Fleggaard Holding and Dangaard Telecom Partners. The value of the deal has not been disclosed.
UK - Rothschild leads bid for MFI Retail
The Times today reports that Rothschild has joined forces with Merchant Equity Partners to launch a bid for the retail division of MFI. The ailing retail arm of MFI Furniture recorded losses of £85m in 2005 and it is thought that the vendor will have...
SPAIN - Vista Capital acquires Play by Play for EUR 4.8m
Vista Capital, in a move to expand its toy manufacturer portfolio company Famosa, has purchased 100% of Play by Play from Catalana d’Iniciatives and its other investors for EUR 4.8m.
UK - Permira and Barclays Capital team up in bid for retirement home builder
McCarthy & Stone, the builder of retirement housing, is the subject of competing bids from two consortiums who both see promising returns from this sector thanks to the ageing population, despite the fact that McCarthy has struggled recently.
UK - Misys the latest take-private target
The Sunday Times and the Financial Times have both reported that the healthcare and financial-services software firm Misys is being circled by private equity firms following its announcement on Friday that it is the subject of a possible management buyout.
UK - Hedge funds competing against private equity for Photo-Me
Photo-Me has received interest from Bain Capital and Warburg Pincus over the last week.
UK - Blackstone and CapVest court Unilever's frozen foods
Unilever is selling off its frozen foods division in an auction which is expected to value the Birds Eye and Findus producer at approximately £1bn, according to the Times. The auction is being run by Goldman Sachs with Blackstone and CapVest favourites...
UK - Close of Caudwell deal approaches
Caudwell, the phone group which includes the Phones 4 U chain, is now in exclusive negotiations with BAIN Capital and Doughty Hanson according to the Times. John Caudwell is selling the Carphone Warehouse's main rival for a figure thought to be close...
FRANCE - Sagard acquires pharmaceuticals distributor
Sagard has taken a majority stake in Depolabo, the leading French distributor of pharmaceuticals, alongside its management. Previous investor Steinbeck Holding retains a minority stake in the company.
FRANCE - AXA Private Equity and Jaccar invest in ship builder
AXA Private Equity and Jaccar have each taken a 40% stake in Piriou, while the company's management retain the balance.
FRANCE - Vulcanic changes hands
AXA Private Equity has sold its interest in Vulcanic Group, a European electrothermics and instrument transformer manufacturer, to 21 Centrale Partners and the company's management for EUR 82.5m
FRANCE - Stone Point Capital backs AXA RE's spinout
AXA has announced the signing of a definitive agreement to cede AXA RE, its mid-sized reinsurer, to a syndicate of investors led by US private equity firm, Stone Point Capital.
SPAIN - Monitor Capital buys 95% of the restaurant chain Pinocchio
The private equity firm Monitor Capital has acquired 95% of the shares of the Spanish food chain Pinocchio, which operates ten restaurants and pizzerias in Montecarlo, Madrid and Valencia.
UK - Matrix backs Pasta King
Matrix Private Equity Partners has financed the MBO of Pasta King alongside management and HSBC (Exeter) which provided senior debt and a invoice discounting facility.
NETHERLANDS - Halder acquires Hebu in secondary buyout
According to press reports, Halder has acquired a 77,5% stake in hydraulic systems and components business Hebu from Gilde Investment Management and ABN AMRO Capital.
NORWAY - Ferd buys retail chain Nille
Ferd Private Equity Fund II has acquired 70% of the shares in Nille AS and Per Aarskog AS. Mons and Mathias Aarskog will continue to own 30% of the new holding company.