News/Deals
UK - Promethean Investments acquires Cambria Automobiles
Private equity firm Promethean Investments has invested £2.6m as part of the management buy-in of Cambria Automobiles Ltd (CAL) and Sudbury (Swindon) Ltd.
ITALY - Capitalia Sofipa acquires half of Lediberg’s capital
Capitalia Sofipa Sgr has recently acquired a stake in the marketing product manufacturer Lediberg via its funds Sofipa Equity Fund and Sofipa Equity Fund II, in a deal reportedly worth EUR 25m. The private equity firm has taken a 49.9% stake and the remaining...
FRANCE - French WiMAX chips supplier raises additional EUR 19m
In its third round of funding, Sequans Communications has raised $24m (approximately EUR 19m) from a syndicate of investors, led by Kennet Venture Partners.
UK - London University spin-out company raises £930,000 with help from The Capital Fund
IXICO Ltd, a London University spin-out company that has developed innovative software to automate the analysis of digital clinical images used in drug discovery and development, has raised £930,000. The Capital Fund provided £100,000, investing alongside...
UK - Endless acquires Peter Black
Peter Black, designer and supplier of footwear, cosmetics and gifts to Marks and Spencer, Tesco and Next has been acquired by Endless. Peter Black was taken-private in 2000 by its management team.
ITALY - Private equity consortium to buy stake in Pirelli Tyre
Gruppo Banca Leonardo, the investment group formed by dealmaker Gerardo Braggiotti, is part of a banking association set to buy a 39% stake in Pirelli Tyre later this week.
FRANCE - Apax Partners agrees to buy FTMSC from France Telecom
Apax Partners has signed a agreement to acquire 100% of France telecom Mobile Satellite Communications SA (FTMSC).
GERMANY - Barclays Private Equity buys into shipping packaging solutions
Barclays Private Equity alongside company management has acquired a majority stake in Pliening-based Ratioform Gruppe. The financial investor bought its stake from Thomas Krieg, who will retain a 19% participatory stake in the company, with the management...
ITALY - Permira set to list Ferretti
Luxury yacht group Ferretti has confirmed that it will be returning to the Milan stock exchange this year. The IPO, which is likely to happen in the autumn, had been widely anticipated ever since it was purchased by private equity fund Permira and subsequently...
ITALY - L Capital buys Piazza Sempione
L Capital, the private equity arm of the group LVMH, has acquired a majority stake in Piazza Sempione, a high-end fashion company, from its founding family. The consideration has not been disclosed.
UK - Design LED Products receives Braveheart investment
Braveheart has invested £250,000 in Design LED Products, a spin-out company from the Hillington Innovation Centre, Glasgow, with which Braveheart has strong links. This is the first investment from its Alpha EIS Fund.
FRANCE - KKR in exclusive talks for PagesJaunes
According to press reports, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts has entered exclusive negotiations with France Telecom for the acquisition of its 54% stake in telephone directory business PagesJaunes, for EUR 3.3bn
UK - Lagan secures £8.3m funding led by Esprit Capital Partners
Lagan, provider of enterprise case management and customer relationship management solutions to governments in the UK and North America, has secured £8.3m investment funding to support the company's next phase of growth. The latest round of funding was...
DENMARK - CVC Capital Partners sells DT Group
CVC Capital Partners has announced the signing of an agreement to sell DT Group (formerly Danske Traelast) to Wolseley. Wolseley has bought the leading distributor of building materials for an equity value of EUR 1,498m.
UK - Nomad receives £8m boost led by Amadeus
Amadeus has led a series-A financing round of a total commitment of £8m in Nomad Holdings, a UK company that designs, installs and operates high bandwidth connectivity on board trains. German venture firm T-Mobile Venture Fund has participated in the...
UK - Barclays Ventures backs MBO of Lakeview Computers Group
Barclays Ventures has backed the management buyout of Lakeview Computers Group Ltd, a leading player in the development and maintenance of enterprise resource planning software systems. The business, which generates an annual EBITDA of over £2m, was...
SWEDEN - Procuritas buys North Trade
Procuritas Capital Investor III has acquired a majority shareholding in meat products importer North Trade AB. Going forward, North Trade plans to launch new products and expand geographically.
SPAIN - All eyes on Pullmantur
A number of private equity firms are courting Pullmantur, one of the primary tourist divisions of the group Marsans. The travel operator, specialised in tours, cruises and charter flights is looking for a financial partner willing to buy between 30 and...
UK - Takeover dilemma for McCarthy & Stone
The largest builder of retirement homes in the UK, McCarthy & Stone, recommended a joint offer by Permira and Barclays Capital earlier this week. However, now a rival consortium made up of HBOS, the Reuben brothers and West Coast Capital has indicated...
UK - Hedge fund tries to scupper Fortress/Telent deal
The Financial Times today reports that Fortress Investment Group's proposed take-private of Telent was uncertain due to the tactics of US hedge fund Polygon. The board of the Marconi telecommunications equipment business has already approved the offer...
UK - Bridgepoint's Pets at Home in £288m refinancing
Pets at Home, the UK pet food and product retailer, has secured £288m of new debt facilities following its announcement last week of revenues of £276.9m and EBITDA of £40.7m for the year ended 31 March 2006. Following completion of the refinancing,...
ITALY - Aletti acquires majority stake in Lovato
Aletti Private Equity has purchased 70% of Officine Lovato from its founders, via the Dimensione Network fund. According to reports in the Italian press, the transaction is worth around EUR 25m.
SPAIN - Bridgepoint buys Dorna from CVC
Bridgepoint has won the competitive auction to replace CVC Capital Partners as a shareholder in Dorna, a motorcycle sports business that promotes and manages MotoGP (the Motorcycle Road Racing World Championship). Other private equity firms involved in...
UK - Aggregator television attracts £9m from 3i, Amadeus and Intel Capital
3i, Amadeus Capital Partners and Intel Capital are co-leading a £9m series-A financing round for London-based digital TV operator Aggregator Limited. The funding will be used to roll out a series of products over the next two years.