Consumer
UK - LDC-backed Ultimate Products acquires Intempo
LDC-backed Ultimate Products, a homeware merchandise supplier, has acquired Manchester-based electronic equipment firm Intempo Digital for an undisclosed sum.
UK - 3i and Doughty further invest in Garlik
3i and Doughty Hanson Technology have led a ТЃ1.6m series-C funding round for online identity company Garlik, alongside management and individual investors.
UK - Acton et al. invest £10m into Glasses Direct
Acton Capital Partners has led a ТЃ10m second round of funding for prescription glasses retailer Glasses Direct, alongside return backers Index Ventures and Highland Capital Partners.
PIK your partners wisely
Written off as a bubble phenomenon, PIK is creeping back into companies in distress. This is likely a sign of future troubles. Kimberly Romaine reports
FRANCE - Oddo and Galiléo back MeilleurMobile with EUR 3m
Oddo Private Equity has joined returning investors Galiléo Partners and Fastnet Investissements for a EUR 3m third round of financing for online mobile telephone retailer MeilleurMobile.
UK - Accel Partners et al. complete £4m Autoquake investment
Accel Partners and Highland Capital Partners have further backed online used-car retailer Autoquake with a ТЃ4m investment.
FRANCE - Althera and Sopromec acquire Clairvoie
Althera Capital and Sopromec have acquired specialty food retailer Clairvoie in a secondary buyout, alongside the company's manager Bruno Madelaine.
UK- MBO in the cards for Robert Dyas
Reports suggest that hardware retailer Robert Dyas is in talks with its main backer Lloyds TSB over a potential management buyout.
SPAIN - Kennet leads EUR 14.9m BuyVIP funding
Kennet Partners has led a EUR 14.9m financing round for online retailer BuyVIP, alongside existing investors Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments (BDMI), 3i Group and Active Capital Partners.
UK - EQT-backed SSP in danger of breaching covenants
Reports suggest that rail station caterer Select Service Partner (SSP) is in talks with its lenders, as falling commuter numbers have led to concerns that the company will breach the covenants on its ТЃ1bn debt.
GERMANY - Seventure leads EUR 7m investment into Retailo
Seventure has led a EUR 7m funding round for gift cards retailer Retailo AG, alongside existing investors Wellington Partners and Endeavour Vision.
Blast from the past
Over the last hundred issues France unquote has covered some significant deals. Remember these?
ITALY - Freshfields names new managing partner
International law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has appointed Marzio Longo as managing partner of the firms Italian operations.
UK - Baugur to offload Debenhams stake
Islandic investor Baugur Group has mandated HSBC to sell its 13% stake in retailer Debenhams through a placing priced at 40-45 pence per share.
RUSSIA - Russia Partners raises $800m
According to reports, Russia Partners is set to close its third fund, Russia Partners III, on $800m.
Bear Market
For much of the current crisis Russia's fast-growing economy has bucked the downward trends of its Western rivals, but recent events refute the decoupling theory. By Taraneh Ghajar
UK – KCP supports £3.6m Sabotage BIMBO
Key Capital Partners has backed the buy-in management buyout of fashion business Sabotage Ltd, which trades as Fly53, in a deal valued at ТЃ3.6m.
FRANCE - A Plus and 360 invest EUR 3m into YellowKorner
A Plus Finance has joined previous investor 360 Capital Partners in a EUR 3m funding round for YellowKorner, an art-photography retailer.
USA/UK - Lion Capital provides $80m loan to American Apparel
In a sign of private equity firms adapting to the new environment, London-based Lion Capital has provided AMEX-listed clothing retailer American Apparel with an $80m loan.
BELGIUM - UFG Private Equity invests in BSB International
UFG Private Equity, via its fund FCPI Diadème Innovation III, has invested an undisclosed sum into BSB International (Business Solutions Builders), taking a minority share in the listed company.
FRANCE - CAPE supports Keldélice
Crédit Agricole Private Equity (CAPE) has invested EUR 1.5m into Keldélice, an online fine foods market, in a first round of funding.