Deals
Permira, Apax-backed New Look confirms £1.7bn IPO
Permira- and Apax-backed fashion retailer New Look has confirmed plans to float on the London Stock Exchange this morning, in a deal that values the business at £1.7bn.
Seraphim Capital leads £2m round for Celona Technologies
Seraphim Capital has led a £2m funding round for software company Celona Technologies, alongside existing investors Spark Ventures and Caledonia Investments.
Doughty-backed Avanza acquires two new concessions
Doughty Hanson transport business, Grupo Avanza has made two acquisitions previously managed by Grupo Trapsa.
Gresham reaps 3.4x on Minivator sale to Herkules-backed Handicare
Gresham Private Equity has exited its investment in stairlift manufacturer Minivator Group through a trade sale to Herkules Capital-backed Handicare, a healthcare company based in Norway.
Buyouts 2009: The year of lost opportunities
Despite plenty of "dry powder," 2009 ranks as one of the worst years in private equity history. Eckhoff and Eftimiu present unquote"s European Buyout Review
Predictable unpredictability
Figures from the just-released unquote” Q4 Private Equity Barometer, produced in association with Candover, reveal a stagnation in private equity investment activity as economic optimism wears thin.
Sale now on: Permira lines up £500m DFS acquisition
With Permira interested in a £500m buyout of furniture retailer DFS, could this be a return to form for a sector that has seen a slew of failures over the past 18 months? Deborah Sterescu reports.
Frog Capital invests EUR 3m in agri.capital
Growth capital investor Frog Capital has invested EUR 3m in biogas producer agri.capital.
Catapult invests more than £1m into UK Gear
Catapult Venture Managers has invested £1.1m into into UK Gear, developers of high performance running shoes and sportswear.
Charterhouse favourite for £500m United Utilities sale
Charterhouse Capital Partners is understood to have gained the edge on a £500m bid for utility company United Utilities Contract Solutions (UUCS).
HgCapital closes three renewable energy deals
HgCapital’s dedicated renewable energy fund, HgCapital Renewable Power Partners, has closed three new investments: two Spanish solar PV projects and one UK onshore wind project.
Secondaries players to fill later-stage gap
A lack of LP appetite has left a void at the later-stage end of the European venture market. Could secondaries players hold the key, asks Emanuel Eftimiu
Survitec deal bodes strong year for buyouts
This week's foursome of sizable buyouts have put Europe on course to reach EUR 40bn for 2010, 50% larger than 2009's dire figure, writes Kimberly Romaine.
Growth to remain strong in 2010
While the Belgian buyout market has suffered along with the rest of Europe over the last two years, growth capital has gone from strength to strength. Francinia Protti-Alvarez reports.
LSP in €21.7m series B round for Merus
Life Sciences Partners (LSP), Novartis Option Fund, Pfizer and Bay City Capital have co-led a €21.7m series B financing round for biopharmaceutical Merus.
PPM Oost sells its stake in biotech incubator
PPM Oost and Wageningen University and Research Center have sold their stakes in the biotech incubator BioPartner Wageningen Center to developer and investor Kadans Vastgoed.
Warburg Pincus acquires Montagu's Survitec for £280m
Montagu Private Equity has completed its exit of Survitec, the survival equipment manufacturer, through a secondary buyout to private equity giant Warburg Pincus in a £280m deal.
SBOs: To Xafinity and beyond
Duke Street’s sale of employee benefits company Xafinity to Advent International marks the second major secondary buyout in as many days. With the buyout market currently a dichotomy between cash-rich and exit-starved managers, SBOs could be set to...
Venture-backed Cycleenergy acquires Gaishorn
Venture-backed biomass plant company Cycleenergy has acquired Bioenergie Gaishorn GmbH and doubled its capacities.
EK Fin acquires 15% of Transfer Industries
Mittelstandsfinanzierungs AG has acquired 15% of Transfer Industries GmbH, which owns turbine manufacturer Global Hydro Energy GmbH.