Deals
Exponent’s Ambassador attracts private equity suitors
Exponent Private Equity-backed Ambassador Theatre Group is reportedly on the block and has attracted high-profile suitors including BC Partners, Blackstone and Carlyle.
Private equity firms circle Unit4
Netherlands-based software company Unit4, which is listed on the NYSE Euronext Amsterdam, has been approached by private equity firms with takeover bids that value the company at up to €1.04bn.
Equistone nears Européenne des Desserts SBO
Equistone Partners is set to acquire French desserts maker Européenne des Desserts from Azulis Capital and Céréa Partenaire, according to reports in the local press.
Private equity eager to cash in on real estate bubble
The much-debated property bubble has economists worrying over soaring inflation rates. However, for the buyout community, a rush of first-time buyers and a flood of foreign money has those supporting the property industry licking their lips in anticipation....
Palatine pays £16m for LDC’s Forrest
Palatine Private Equity has backed the £16m secondary management buyout of social housing contractor Forrest, generating a 2.4x return for vendor LDC.
Madvertise spinout raises $5m in series-A round
Software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform LiquidM, a spinout of German start-up Madvertise, has raised a $5m funding round from Earlybird, Blumberg Capital and Asset Management.
North West Fund backs Playdemic
The North West Fund for Digital & Creative, managed by AXM Venture Capital, has invested in Playdemic, a UK-based social games developer.
UK Watch: continued optimism in Q3
Following an uptick of deal activity in the second quarter, the optimistic mood has continued into the third quarter, according to the latest unquote” UK Watch, published in association with Corbett Keeling.
RITF invests $5m in LitRes
The Russian Internet Technology Fund (RITF), managed by Black River Ventures (BRV), has injected $5m into LitRes, a Moscow-based online retailer of Russian language e-books.
RDIF and Deutsche Bank invest $237.1m in Rostelecom
The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and Deutsche Bank (DB) have teamed up to buy shares in listed Russian telecommunications company Rostelecom for $237.1m.
Almi Invest backs Peptonic
Venture capital firm Almi Invest has taken a stake in Swedish pharmaceutical company Peptonic.
Nixen Partners et al. acquire Carré Blanc in SBO
Nixen Partners, BPI France and Crédit Agricole Régions Investissement (Carvest) have acquired a majority stake in Groupe Carré Blanc from MML Capital Partners and Qualium Investissement.
NovoPolymers pulls in further VC funding
Gimv, Capricorn Venture Partners and the Federale Participatie- en Investeringsmaatschappij (SFPI-FPIM) have reinvested in Belgian solar encapsulant manufacturer NovoPolymers alongside new backer Capital-E.
Advent exits Oxea in trade sale
Advent International has divested German chemical manufacturer Oxea in a trade sale, said to be worth around €1.8bn, to Oman Oil Company (OOC).
KKR mulls ATU exit
KKR is planning to divest its struggling portfolio company Auto-Teile Unger (ATU), according to reports.
LDC backs Express Engineering
LDC has acquired a minority stake in Express Engineering, a UK-based precision engineering and contract manufacturing company for the oil and gas industry.
Apax buys Rhiag-Inter from Alpha
Apax Partners has acquired Italian automotive parts distributor Rhiag-Inter Auto Parts Italia from Alpha.
Venturecapital.de backs Ingenious Technologies
Venturecapital.de and other investors have backed Ingenious Technologies, an online marketing solutions provider, with a joint seven-figure capital injection.
Electra sells Lil-lets to Premier Foods
Electra Partners has sold its stake in UK-based feminine hygiene brand Lil-lets Group to Premier Foods.
Almi Invest backs Avalanche Biotech
Almi Invest and business angel Pär Ribbner have invested in Swedish life sciences business Avalanche Biotech in exchange for a minority stake in the company.
Doughty's Quirón buys Teknon from Magnum
Magnum Industrial Partners has sold Barcelona-based private medical clinic Centro Médico Teknon to Grupo Hospitalario Quirón, backed by Doughty Hanson, for €225m.
Goldman Sachs in £700m Hastings deal
Goldman Sachs’ Merchant Banking Division (GS MBD) has acquired a 50% stake in Hastings Insurance Group in a deal valuing the company at £700m.
Ardian-backed Diana acquires Confoco International
Diana Ingrédients, backed by Ardian (formerly Axa Private Equity), has acquired sales and marketing services provider Confoco International.
