Southern Europe
UK/SPAIN - Livingstone Guarantee creates international mid-market boutique
Livingstone Guarantee (LG), the London-based independent corporate finance house, has announced a merger with its long-standing Spanish partners and a new US-based mergers and acquisitions advisory house to create the first integrated investment banking...
ITALY - Fashion house Valentino attracts private equity interest
The president of Valentino, Antonio Favrin, has reportedly said that the haute couture group has been approached by a handful of private equity firms. However, it is not yet clear if the stake for sale corresponds to a minority portion or a controlling...
EUROPE - Later stage rounds dominate European venture activity in Q1 2007
Recent research into European venture investing in Q1 2007 shows that later stage rounds have dominated activity. 40% of the rounds in the first quarter were later-stage rounds, the largest percentage since 1999. In total, Q1 2007 recorded EUR 1.07bn...
SPAIN/FRANCE - Altadis opens its books to trigger bidding war
In an effort to ramp up competition for its acquisition, Franco-Spanish tobacco company Altadis yesterday opened its books to the scrutiny of bidders Imperial Tobacco and a CVC Capital Partners/PAI partners syndicate.
ITALY - MPS Venture divests from broadcasting business Finelco
MPS Venture has sold the combined stake of 12.86% it held in broadcasting business Finelco to industry player RCS Mediagroup Spa. The total exit value is EUR 20.7m.
SPAIN - Torreal buys minority stake in audiovisual group
Private equity firm Torreal has bought a 20% stake in audiovisual group Imagina. No further financial information has been disclosed.
SPAIN - Applus+ up for sale (again)
CVC, Carlyle, Permira, Brigepoint, Apax Partners and Blackstone are reported to be preparing offers of around EUR 1.5bn for Applus+. The likeliest buyer, however, is Blackstone; rumour has it that the the US giant is set to launch a pre-emptive bid for...
SPAIN - Cinven leaves CVC-PAI-led Altadis consortium
Cinven is said to have left the consortium led by CVC and PAI Partners, reportedly preparing a bid for cigarrette producer Altadis.
ITALY - PM & Partners acquire financial services player
Via its fund Emerald, private equity firm PM & Partners has acquired a 55% shareholding in Maccorp, a Milan-based company providing exchange and money transfer services.
ITALY - MPS Venture acquires minority stake in Pramac
Regional expansion fund Siena Venture, managed by the private equity arm of bank Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS Venture), has acquired a 3.2% stake in machinery player Pramac SpA from its founders via a public offering.
SPAIN - Minerva leads acquisition of inductive components player
Premo Group, a company active in the development, manufacture and sale of products and solutions in the inductive component business, was wholly acquired by Minerva Capital alongside a group of institutional investors and management. Spanish press reports...
SPAIN - Investindustrial and Gala Capital buy Panda Software
After over a year of negotiations, buyout firms Investindustrial and Gala Capital have purchased a majority stake of 75% in antivirus developer Panda Software. The remaining stake will be held by founder Mikel Urizarbarrena.
SPAIN - ACS to receive offers for Continental today
Five prospective buyers for Continental Auto are understood to be presenting their offers for the transport group today.
SPAIN/PORTUGAL- Private equity crowd hits the audiovisual arena
The Iberian audiovisual sector has experienced a noteworthy level of private equity activity this week.
EUROPE - ECB survey says private equity poses limited systemic risk to banking sector
European leveraged buyout activity poses a limited systemic risk to the European banking sector, says a report by the Banking Supervision Committee of the European Central Bank.
ITALY/FRANCE - Eurazeo and Banca Leonardo join forces to invest in Italy
French private equity firm Eurazeo and Italian investment boutique Banca Leonardo have launched Euraleo, a 50/50 joint venture exclusively dedicated to the Italian private equity market.
EUROPE – US interest in European offers co-invest opportunities but increases valuations
‘The sign of a bubble is when the IPO market goes from push to pull,’ said Gerard Lopez this morning at the Benelux unquote" Private Equity Congress in Luxembourg. The Skype backer explained that valuation levels are increasing and cited the example...
EUROPE – Pipeline of EUR 10bn funds
There is a pipeline of mega funds coming to market in the coming months, according to Stef Oostvogels at law firm Oostvogels Pfister Roemers, speaking at the Benelux unquote" Private Equity Congress in Luxembourg this morning. He indicated that many are...
SPAIN - Pan-European houses to race for Codere
The deadline for offers for the 49.9% stake of Codere is tomorrow. Reportedly, pretty much every pan-European house based in Spain has demonstrated interest in the gambling business. Permira, Apax, Texas Pacific Group, Carlyle and BC Partners are all...
ITALY - Atlantis and Orlando compete for Livingston
Turnaround groups Atlantis Capital and Orlando Italy have made an offer for airline Livingston-Lauda Air, owned by tourism player Viaggi del Ventaglio.
SPAIN- Apax joins the competition for Iberia
Apax Partners is said to be joining the competition for Spanish airline Iberia. It is understood that the buyout firm has contacted local private jet business Gestair to join in a possible bid.
EUROPE - unquote'' Benelux Private Equity Congress
unquote” is excited to bring you the second unquote” Benelux Private Equity Congress, on 19 April 2007 in Luxembourg.
ITALY - Bidders to present offers for Alitalia today
By the end of this afternoon, prospective buyers of Alitalia will present their offers for a stake of up to 39.9% in the airline. The offers should be presented by 5pm CET, along with preliminary business plans until 2012, shareholding to be purchased...