Deals
GERMANY - Waterland acquires amusement arcade operator
Waterland Private Equity has backed the management buyout of Löwen Play, Germany’s second largest amusement arcade operator. The acquisition was made through Waterland Private Equity Fund III BV that closed on EUR 400m in April this year.
UK - Promethean keen on Media Square
Media Square, the listed marketing company which issued a profit warning last month, is reported to have rejected a bid by Promethean. The share price rose by 4p yesterday on the news of this bid.
SPAIN - Ricari to expand its portfolio in La Rioja region
Following fast economic growth in the Spanish region of Rioja, private equity firm Ricari is looking to expand its portfolio of locally-based companies in which to participate as a financial partner or strategic ally.
SPAIN - Valcapital backs Suavitas
According to newspaper La Gaceta, private equity firm Valcapital has purchased a stake in the laser depilatory business Suavitas for EUR 5m. At the moment, Suavitas runs two depilation centers and maintains a business volume inferior to EUR 1m, although...
FRANCE - Banexi Capital Partenaires leads the buyout of Thermes Adour
Banexi Capital Partenaires and BNP Paribas Developpement have taken a 50% stake in Spa resort manager Thermes Adour.
UK - Cognetas Sells BWG to management for EUR 390m
Cognetas, (formerly known as Electra Partners Europe), has announced the sale of BWG to the company’s management for EUR 390m. Cognetas acquired the BWG operations from Pernod Ricard in 2002 for EUR 220m along with a majority stake in Newhill, owner...
GERMANY - Hellman & Friedman to off-load Springer shares
Hellman & Friedman has notified the management board of Axel Springer AG that it is considering a placement of approximately 10% of Axel Springer shares. A precondition for the placement will be a sufficiently attractive capital market environment. Springer...
SPAIN - Arturo Cantoblanco courts 3i's Provimar
Grupo Arturo Cantoblanco is reportedly negotiating the acquisition of Provimar, a service provider to cruise ships and duty free stores, from 3i for EUR 18m. Property of the private equity firm for five years, Provimar reported a turnover of EUR 100m...
AUSTRIA - Doughty Hanson sells IZD Tower to Matrix
Doughty Hanson & Co Real Estate has sold the IZD Tower in Vienna to Matrix Property Fund Management for EUR 247m. The building is a 30-storey landmark, comprising 63,400 square metres of office space with 1,250 underground parking spaces, adjacent to...
ITALY - Blackstone to buy Gardaland from Investindustrial
According to sources, Investindustrial is to sell leisure complex Gardaland to the Blackstone Group for a sum reported to be over EUR 500m. Gardaland is Italy's largest amusement park with approximately 3 million visitors per year and over 250 shareholders....
UK - Plant Impact listed on AIM
Plant Impact Plc, a company backed by the RisingStars Growth Fund which is managed by Enterprise Ventures, has been admitted to AIM. The placing at the start of the first day of trading was 38p per share, giving a market capitalisation of approximately...
NL - ING to sell speciality insurance unit to Hal and Egeria
ING Group has announced that it intends to sell its speciality insurance unit Nationale Borg to HAL Investments and Egeria as part of its strategy to focus on its core insurance, banking and asset management businesses. The intended sale is subject to...
GERMANY - Investor consortium to take over renergys
A consortium of investors made up of Ramius Group, GermanCapital Morgan Stanley and Milan-based Sopaf, is to acquire renergys GmbH from venture fund GermanIncubator and a group of private investors. As part of the transaction the investors will provide...
UK - Icera closes $20m investment from 3i
Icera Inc, the cellular wireless semiconductor company, today announced that 3i has invested $20m in the company as an extension to its recent series-C funding round, which now totals $60m. 3i joins an investor group comprising Benchmark Capital Europe,...
UK - CBPE sells Minova for £357m
Close Brothers Private Equity has sold speciality chemicals manufacturer Minova for £357m to Orica Ltd, an Australian quoted company. Minova's products are used in the coal mining, metal mining and tunnelling industries.
NORWAY - CapMan to make voluntary offer for Polimoon
CapMan funds intend to put forward a voluntary offer to purchase all shares outstanding in Oslo Stock Exchange-listed Polimoon ASA for a total equity valuation of NOK 1.082bn. The offer price is NOK 27.50 per share.
DENMARK - Nordic Venture Partners invests in mobile data back-up company
Nordic Venture Partners has invested several million euros in ZYB, a free mobile back-up and sharing service operating on a global level. ZYB was founded in 2005 and it is doubling its number of employees before entering into next year.
UK - Macquarie bids £8bn to win Thames Water auction
RWE, the German energy group, has sold Thames Water to a consortium led by Macquarie's European infrastructure fund. The £8bn deal involves £3.2bn of debt. It is expected to close before the end of the year.
ITALY - Apollo Management buys Jacuzzi for $ 1.25bn
According to press reports, US firm Apollo Management has agreed to buy Jacuzzi, the manufacturer of baths, showers and hot tubs in a take-private valued at $1.25bn, including $257m in debt.
SPAIN - Atitlan Capital completes its first investment
Private equity firm Atitlan Capital has recently completed its first investment in Dafsa, a company producing juices, soups, broths and creams. The expansion deal is valued at EUR 6m. Atitlan is based in Valencia and it is dedicated to the management...
UK - Inflexion backs £24m buyout of Parasol Ltd
Inflexion Prviate Equity has led the £24m management buyout of Warrington-based Parasol Ltd, an employment services company. Inflexion-managed funds have invested £9.4m for a majority equity position. HSBC provided a £12m debt package.
SPAIN - 3i and Lar to exit Ballesol
Insurance group Santa Lucía is reported to be in advanced negotiations to join the shareholding structure of Ballesol, one of the Spanish market leaders for elderly homes. Ballesol's shareholders, real estate group Lar and 3i, have expressed their intention...
FRANCE - Weinberg Capital Partners invests in listed CRM company
Weinberg Capital Partners (WCP) has announced it will make a EUR 22.5m equity investment in Teamp Partners Group (TPG), in view of constituting the leading French client-oriented business process outsourcing company.
SPAIN - Warburg Pincus acquires stake in Pinar
Real estate group Pinar has sold 18% of its shares to Warburg Pincus for an undisclosed sum. After the transaction, the company's founding family will hold 55% of the company, while other shareholders Caja de Avila and Caja de Segovia will hold a 10%...