
Five Arrows invests £120m in Causeway Technologies
Five Arrows Principal Investments has made a £120m investment in UK-based construction software developer Causeway Technologies, taking a minority stake in the company.
Following the investment, Five Arrows partner Vivek Kumar and managing director Sacha Oshry will join Causeway's board.
The fresh capital is intended to support Causeway's organic growth, as well as to fund strategic add-on acquisitions, according to a statement.
Unquote sister publication Mergermarket reported in February 2021 that Causeway had hired Goldman Sachs to explore potential funding options, including a minority investment. The company posts EBITDA of around £10-15m, sources told Mergermarket.
Five Arrows is currently deploying equity via Five Arrows Principal Investments III, which held a final close in March 2019 on €1.25bn. The fund makes buyout and growth investments, backing European companies with enterprise values in the €75-300m range. The vehicle focuses on businesses in the healthcare, education, data, software and technology-enabled business services sectors.
The investment in Causeway will be Five Arrows' fourth platform deal of 2021, according to Unquote Data. Most recently, the firm acquired UK-based drug discovery company Sygnature Discovery from Phoenix Equity Partners in a £300m SBO, as reported. The GP also reinvested in the €1.2bn buyout of real estate agent network IAD in February in a deal that saw Insight Partners take a minority stake in the company for a €300m investment; Five Arrows had held a stake in the business since 2016.
The GP has announced two exits in 2021 to date, most recently selling its stake in software platform White Clarke Group to Thoma Bravo portfolio company International Decision Systems. In March 2021, the GP sold its stake in legal disputes platform Opus 2 to Astorg in a €350m SBO.
Company
Founded in 1999 and headquartered in London, Causeway develops software for use in the construction sector, allowing companies to manage planning, building and maintenance projects. The company posted revenues of £32.6m in 2019, versus £24.8m in 2018.
People
Causeway Technologies – Phil Brown (chief executive, executive chairman).
Five Arrows Principal Investments – Vivek Kumar (partner); Sacha Oshry (managing director).
Advisers
Equity – Torch Partners (corporate finance).
Vendor – Goldman Sachs (corporate finance).
Latest News
Stonehage Fleming raises USD 130m for largest fund to date, eyes 2024 programme
Multi-family office has seen strong appetite, with investor base growing since 2016 to more than 90 family offices, Meiping Yap told Unquote
Permira to take Ergomed private for GBP 703m
Sponsor deploys Permira VIII to ride new wave of take-privates; Blackstone commits GBP 200m in financing for UK-based CRO
Partners Group to release IMs for Civica sale in mid-September
Sponsor acquired the public software group in July 2017 via the same-year vintage Partners Group Global Value 2017
Change of mind: Sponsors take to de-listing their own assets
EQT and Cinven seen as bellweather for funds to reassess options for listed assets trading underwater