News
SPAIN – Quercus to sell video communications specialist
According to sources, Quercus Equity is preparing the sale of video communications specialist Imago (formerly Odeco), a group that has been created from the merger of four companies acquired by Quercus over the last two years. The price tag could range...
UK - Sovereign portfolio company acquires Intercity Group
Sovereign Capital portfolio company LPM Group, a provider of contract cleaning, security and maintenance services, has acquired InterCity Group Ltd, a supplier of office and industrial cleaning and manned guarding services.
ITALY – Clessidra-backed Giochi Preziosi acquires British firm
Clessidra-backed Giochi Preziosi has acquired British leisure products distributor La Flair for approximately EUR 11m.
ITALY – Cape acquires 65% stake in ITM
Cape Natixis has acquired a 65% stake in pipe manufacturer International Trading Manufacturing (ITM) through its fund Cape Natixis Due.
TURKEY – Turkven invests in Tekin Acar
Turkven has invested in Turkish cosmetics retailer Tekin Acar.
GERMANY - BPE Private Equity promotes two partners and expands team
BPE Private Equity has announced that two of its longstanding investment professionals, Jens Achilles and Stephan Gummert, have been appointed as partners. The investment team will also be expanded in June by the addition of Nikolai Mackscheidt.
FRANCE – Colony and Eurazeo seeking to exit Buffalo Grill
Colony Capital and Eurazeo are reportedly seeking to divest restaurant chain Buffalo Grill. The investors staged a EUR 340m public-to-private transaction in October 2005, acquiring a combined 75% stake in the company.
FINLAND - CapMan exits StaffPoint
CapMan funds Finnventure Fund V, Finnmezzanine Fund II B & D and Finnmezzanine Fund III A, B & C have sold a combined 66% stake in StaffPoint, a Finnish staffing agency business, to Oy G W Sohlberg Ab, Varma and the company’s management, for an undisclosed...
FRANCE – 21 Centrale Partners exit Hedis
21 Centrale Partners has exited its stake in hygiene products distributer Hedis in a management buy-back supported by Sofival.
UK - RJD portfolio company acquires Rock Computers
Stone Group, which was acquired by RJD Partners earlier this year, has made its first bolt-on acquisition by buying notebook manufacturer Rock Group Plc for an undisclosed sum.
UK - Aberdeen acquires TC Communications
Aberdeen Asset Managers Growth Capital has led the buyout of marketing and communications agency TC Communications Ltd.
RUSSIA – Renaissance and Da Vinci lead USD 50m round for EPAM
Renaissance Capital and Da Vinci Capital have co-led a USD 50m funding round for EPAM Systems, a provider of software development outsourcing in Eastern Europe and Russia. Euroventures Capital also participated in the financing.
GERMANY - Shareholders invest in HSH Nordbank
According to reports, the shareholders of HSH Nordbank have agreed to increase the capital of the bank with an equity injection of EUR 1.26bn.
NETHERLANDS – Rabo Ventures et al invest EUR 300m in Econcern
Rabo Ventures and Delta Lloyd have formed a joint venture with existing investor SHV that has injected EUR 300m into sustainable energy company Econcern. All together the three firms hold a 50% stake in the company.
SWITZERLAND/CEE – PEF invests EUR 35m in PharmaSwiss
Polish Enterprise Fund VI (PEF), a private equity partnership managed by Enterprise Investors, has invested EUR 35m into PharmaSwiss SA, a provider of support services to the pharmaceutical industry and portfolio company of HBM BioVentures.
GERMANY - LSP sells U3 Pharma AG for EUR 150m
Life Sciences Partners (LSP) has entered into an agreement with Daiichi Sankyo Co Ltd that will see portfolio biotechnology company U3 Pharma AG sold for EUR 150m.
ITALY – Arca Imprese acquires 70% stake in clothing retailer
Arca Imprese has acquired a 70% stake in clothing retailer Finalba Store, with the remaining stake being held by the company’s founder Giancarlo Bassi, who will remain the company’s CEO.
FINLAND - Nordic Capital walks away from TietoEnator bid
According to reports, Nordic Capital has abandoned its EUR 1.08bn takeover attempt of IT services group TietoEnator. The company will continue to talk to other parties about its future.
ITALY – BS Private Equity sells 20% to Banca Leonardo
Gruppo Banca Leonardo has acquired a 20% stake in BS Private Equity (BSPE), with the option of acquiring the remaining stake in the future. BSPE will remain independent and will continue to be headed by its managing partners Antonio Perricone, Paolo Baretta...
UK - Boots debt on the move
The consortium of banks holding the leveraged loans which supported KKR's buyout of Alliance Boots are close to selling around a third of the debt.
ITALY – US private equity firms in Weather Investment talks
It is understood that Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris is in talks with three US private equity firms over the sale of a 10% stake in Italian holding company Weather Investments.
SPAIN – Ahorro Corporación launches new fund
Ahorro Corporación, grouping several Spanish savings banks, has launched a new fund set to raise between EUR 50-70m to invest in Castilla y León-based companies.
FRANCE – Abénex acquires stake in Réponse
Abénex Capital (formerly ABN AMRO Capital France) has acquired 56.5% of listed design and outfitting business Réponse at a price of EUR 9 per share. Following this purchase Abénex will launch a public takeover bid to acquire Réponse’s remaining shares...
SWEDEN - EQT acquires Valeo Engine Cooling
EQT Opportunity has acquired the heavy duty engine cooling division of Valeo, a French automotive group, for an undisclosed value.