Clearwater
Sharp focus on top assets boosts average multiple in consumer sector
Covid-resilient assets are the only ones coming to market, with suitably hefty price tags, says Clearwater's O'Donnell
France: strong deals pipeline fuels high average entry multiple
Sponsors fight tooth and nail for prized assets in defensive sectors such as healthcare, higher education and financial services
Multiples Heatmap: average pricing hits 11x in busy Q4
Healthcare, financial services and TMT assets continue to drive valuations up, while Nordic and UK regions see highest multiples
Multiples Heatmap: average entry multiple hits 10.5x as dealflow recovers
The UK and Ireland was the hottest region for multiples in Q3, also seeing the largest increase in valuations of any region
LDC exits Ellis Whittam to Marlowe in £59m deal
Sale ends a four-year holding period for LDC, which owned a minority stake in the company
Palatine invests in Back2Work
Deal is GP's sixth investment from its ТЃ100m Impact Fund, which targets profitable businesses making a positive impact
Inflexion acquires Sparta Global; KCP to reap 7x return
Inflexion has previously invested in other businesses in the sector, including FDM
Livingbridge sells Mobysoft to ECI
Livingbridge began preparations to exit the company in July 2020, in a GCA Altium-led auction process
Tenzing acquires three payroll companies to form PSSG
Tenzing I closed on ТЃ200m in January 2017 and makes investments in companies valued at up to ТЃ75m
Apiary invests in ACC
Apiary Capital invests in companies with enterprise values of ТЃ10-75m
Multiples Heatmap: pricing ticks up as GPs flock to safe assets
Although dealflow was severely impacted by Covid-19 in Q2, average entry multiples actually went up given the scarcity of attractive opportunities
Spectrum appoints Patey
Patey was a director at BDO before taking this position as lead advisory director
Waterland invests in IMC
Viv Adshead, former president and CEO of Ashfield Communications, agrees to join the IMC board
Foresight sells Clubhouse Golf to Afinum-backed All4Golf
Clubhouse is the first exit for Foresight Regional Investment fund, which closed on ТЃ58m in 2016
Chequers Capital carves out EBC from Econocom
GP is currently investing its Chequers Capital XVII fund, which closed on €1.1bn in May 2017
Clearwater makes eight hires in the UK
Dyke and Grassby have been promoted to the position of partner and director, respectively
MML-backed Learning Curve nearing sale - report
Agilitas, investing from its 2015 fund, is said to be one of the final bidders in the process
Palatine sells Vernacare to HIG
HIG is currently investing from Growth Buyout Equity Fund III, which closed on $970m
Clearwater opens Leeds office, appoints Goldsack
Newly appointed partner Richard Goldsack previously worked at Grant Thornton and EY
Tenzing-backed Ticketer buys Fara
UK-based bus ticketing company Ticketer was acquired in 2018 and will now expand to the Nordic region
Clearwater acquires Milan-based Brera Financial Advisory
Brera's team will join Clearwater's structure, which has 16 offices across nine countries
H1 Review: Nordic pricing frothy as cross-border capital pours in
Nordic region retained its position as the most expensive place in Europe for private equity firms to buy companies in Q2 2019
Graphite backs management buyout of Hanson Wade
Deal reportedly values the UK-based pharma and biotech events producer at ТЃ96m
Bridges acquires low-cost gym franchiser Énergie Fitness
GP has previously invested in the sector by backing Viva Gym Group, Impact Fitness and The Gym Group