Exits
BC-backed Fitness First sells off Dutch arm
BC Partners-backed gym chain Fitness First has sold the Dutch arm of its business to fitness club operator HealthCity International.
Eqvitec sells Frends Technology
Eqvitec has sold its stake in Frends Technology Oy to HiQ, a Nordic consulting company, for €3.5m.
Doughty Hanson to buy Vue for £450m
Doughty Hanson is to acquire UK cinema chain Vue Entertainment from its management, Cavendish Square Partners, and Och-Ziff Capital Management Group funds, in a deal that values the company at £450m.
Vaaka Partners exits Nab Labs
Vaaka Partners, formerly Pohjola Capital Partners, and Inveni Capital have sold their stakes in Nab Labs.
The Silver Lining
The cost of the recession to private equity has been all too evident, but is there a silver lining? As we move into a period of increased movement on the exit front, some investors believe a greater understanding of what makes portfolio companies tick...
3i sale of Hyva enters second round
3i’s sale of Dutch hydraulic cylinder producer Hyva has entered the second round, with private equity firms and trade buyers among the bidders, according to reports.
Consortium set to list Zealand Pharma
A consortium, consisting of Life Sciences Partners and Sunstone Capital among others, has announced its intention to list Zealand Pharma A/S on the NASDAQ OMX Copenhagen.
Suanfarma sells Halotech to ST Technologies
Suanfarma has exited biotechnology company Halotech DNA via a trade sale to Sexing Technologies, a business that specialises in the gender identification of beef-cattle semen.
Morgan Stanley PE and Investcorp in race for Wagamama
Morgan Stanley Private Equity and Investcorp are among the final private equity bidders for Lion Capital-owned restaurant chain Wagamama, according to reports.
Darwin backs MBO of Euroffice
Darwin Private Equity has backed the MBO of online office supplier Euroffice Ltd.
3i mulls sale of Fairlane
3i may be looking to sell boat manufacturer Fairlane, which it failed to offload two years ago, according to reports.
Apax set to steam ahead with HIT Entertainment sale
Strong gains in China and the US, as well as significant interest from mainly US trade buyers, have prompted Apax Partners to commission a strategic review of HIT Entertainment with a view to a potential €1bn+ sale, according to press reports.
Exponent looks to cash in on interest for Cardsave
A number of unsolicited approaches for credit card terminal supplier Cardsave have prompted its majority shareholder, Exponent Private Equity, to appoint corporate financiers to sell the business, reports suggest.
Strong appetite for AZ Chemicals IPO
Order books for the IPO of Luxembourg-based AZ Chemicals are due to close today and, according to reports, indications are that strong investor appetite has led to an increase in the scale of the offering.
PAI still in race for Office
PAI partners is to make a second bid for £200m retail chain Office, according to media reports.
Bain considering FCI IPO
Bain Capital is considering an IPO for its French portfolio company FCI, according to reports.
Segulah acquires Balco from 3i
Segulah Advisor AB has acquired Swedish-based balcony specialist Balco AB in an SBO from 3i and management.
Sofinnova's STENTYS IPO raises €22.7m
Sofinnova Partners' portfolio company STENTYS has raised up to €22.7m through an IPO.
Balderton-backed Betfair lists on LSE
Betfair, a UK-based online betting company backed by Balderton Capital, has been listed on the main market of the London Stock Exchange; the IPO values the business at around £1.39bn.
3i sells MWM Holding GmbH to Caterpillar Inc
Two months after announcing its intention to sell MWM Holding GmbH, 3i has agreed a price for the gas and diesel engine manufacturer.
SES Iberia exits Neumáticos Andrés
SES Iberia Private Equity has exited Neumáticos Andrés via a management buy-back to original owners the Andrés family.
Candover "to exit Technogym"
Candover Investments looks likely to exit Italian equipment maker Technogym via a management buy-back to company founder Nerio Alessandri, according to reports.
Sunstone exits Epista in trade sale
Sunstone Capital has sold its stake in portfolio company Epista Software A/S, also known as Youcalc, to SuccessFactors Inc.
Silverfleet acquires Schneider Group from Barclays
Silverfleet Capital has acquired a majority stake in German retail group Schneider from Barclays Private Equity, for an undisclosed amount.