Southern Europe
Dealflow: Autumn boom expected after slow summer
As the summer holiday season draws to a close, Europe’s private equity market is set to pick up. While activity has slowed significantly in some regions, industry players are expecting a deal-doing boom in the coming weeks and months.
Exits: Private equity IPO prices fall
With a number of high-profile exits so far this year, selling companies has been a hot topic, particularly after the many difficulties of 2009. However, the IPO market has been difficult for private equity players, and new figures show just how tough...
Exits: Carving out value
With exit maximisation key in today’s economically unstable times, a number of private equity funds have recently chosen to sell their assets in smaller chunks, in the hope of attracting more specialist buyers. John Bakie reports
Luxury brands: Private equity's leadership challenge
Towerbrook’s plan to sell Jimmy Choo this year for an estimated £500m, more than twice its value three years ago, highlights the significant benefits that can be reaped from investing in the luxury apparel sector. However, the deal also brings to the...
Banks seek to make hay while the sun shines
Looking around Europe’s buyout markets, it is clear that some banks are well and truly back in the game. But the recent rise in deal completions, including those at the top end of the scale, masks an altogether more complex marketplace. Julian Longhurst...
Atlantic-Pacific Capital hires Sandström as partner
Atlantic-Pacific Capital has hired Sarah McFadden Sandström as a partner in its Private Funds business, in a bid to bolster its European project management and advisory services.
Money to burn?
Instead of the expected, traditional summer lull in activity, the unquote” editorial team has been busy reporting on a continuous stream of deal announcements and rumours over the past fortnight. While it is difficult to put any exact number on deals...
Blockbuster season
The industry is certainly in better shape than 12 months ago. The latest unquote” Private Equity Barometer confirmed the sentiment, showing total private equity investment has more than doubled to €25.5bn in the first half of the year compared to...
Second nature
News of institutions cutting back on their private equity exposure by offloading their private equity assets has interrupted the lull in deal activity that one is more accustomed to during this time of year.
Solvency II criticised for ‘inappropriate’ stress test
European regulators have come under fire for choosing an “inappropriate” way to measure the stress caused by private equity investments on insurance companies. Research from Partners Group suggests the regulator’s favoured method of calculating...
Gilde Healthcare III secures Philips commitment
The recently launched Gilde Healthcare III fund has attracted Royal Philips Electronics as a cornerstone investor.
Balta Group buys Domo's flooring unit
Doughty Hanson's Belgian portfolio company Balta Group has signed a deal to buy Domo NV's floor covering business.
ICG buys RBS €1.4bn credit portfolio
Intermediate Capital Group (ICG) has signed a deal to acquire the Royal Bank of Scotland’s (RBS) €1.4bn portfolio of European loans.
Blackstone mulls Reit in £1.4bn sale of Center Parcs to M&G
Blackstone is reportedly mulling plans to create a listed vehicle to facilitate the £1.4bn sale of UK leisure business Center Parcs to M&G Investments.
BC Partners to restructure debt in Regency Entertainment
BC Partners has appointed the investment bank Houlihan Lokey to advise on the restructuring of Greek casino operator Regency Entertainment’s €557m debt, according to reports.
Clessidra et al. looking to buy AS Roma
Italian private equity firm Clessidra has placed a bid to acquire part of the AS Roma football club, according to media reports.
Private equity haunted by pre-crisis deals
As AA and Saga are hitting the headlines once again, private equity it seems is being haunted by the ghosts of 2007’s exuberance. While the years preceding the financial crisis saw some of the largest private equity-backed deals of all time, many of...
IK Investment Partners hires Wärn as partner
IK Investment Partners has hired Kai Wärn as partner to focus on strategy, operations and business control.
Nestor rejects Acromas bid
Private equity-backed insurance company Acromas has had its bid for UK social care services company Nestor Healthcare rejected.
Private equity eyes Tribal Group
Private equity companies are reportedly circling Tribal Group, an AIM-listed UK company focussed on providing consulting and advisory services to the public sector.
Star Capital buys Pepcom from GMT and VSS
Star Capital Partners has acquired German cable operator Pepcom GmbH in a secondary buyout deal from GMT Communication Partners and Veronis Suhler Stevenson.
Stress tests open up Spanish bank opportunities
Recent banks stress tests have revealed private equity investment opportunities in Spain, with some of the country’s largest banks seemingly ripe for picking.
Maven exits Vero Software and Documetric
Maven Capital has completed two exits on behalf of the Government-backed Capital for Enterprise Fund A.
ECM acquires German bakery chain Kamps
ECM Equity Capital Management has bought German artisan bakery chain Kamps GmbH from Lieken AG for an undisclosed amount.