Hands in call to arms against regulation February 10, 2010 GUY Hands, the chairman of private equity group Terra Firma, yesterday urged members of his industry to push back against “populist moves” to increase regulation. Hands, speaking at the Super Returns conference in Berlin, said that current moves on both sides of the atlantic to tighten regulation of the private equity industry, would “hamper and constrain [...]
Bridgepoint plays down IPO rumours at Pets at Home July 5, 2009 BRIDGEPOINT, the private equity owner of the UK’s biggest retailer of pet products, Pets At Home, yesterday played down reports it is planning a £700m stock market flotation for the business. Bridgepoint was said to have held talks with Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Cazenove, NM Rothschild and BOA Merrill Lynch about timing, valuation and investor [...]
Handicare in £44m deal as private equity rush continues February 1, 2010 THE private equity resurgence continued yesterday as Gresham Private Equity prepares to sell stair-lift company Minivator to Handicare Group in a deal worth £44m, City A.M. has learned. The UK buyout firm made a return of more than three times the £14m it paid for the mobility aid manufacturer in 2004. The mid-market deal comes [...]
Matalan nixes £1.5bn sale on price dispute February 10, 2010 MATALAN owner John Hargreaves has abandoned an auction of the budget fashion retailer after potential buyers refused to match his £1.5bn asking price. Hargreaves, who founded the chain in Preston in 1985, appointed Goldman Sachs and PricewaterhouseCoopers to explore a sale of the business in December after receiving unsolicited offers from private equity groups. Buyout [...]
Ocado bullish about spring public listing February 7, 2010 ONLINE grocer Ocado will launch an audacious IPO in May which could value the company at £1.2bn. The firm, which delivers Waitrose food to doorsteps, hopes to raise an initial £160m from the flotation. This will wipe out its £55m debts and provide it with £100m to build a new distribution centre. A source close [...]
Take your very own bite of the Big Apple September 9, 2010 IN ANY job transfer abroad, top of the list of concerns is finding a place to call home. This is particularly overwhelming if your destination is New York: finding a cosy foothold in this concrete jungle can be a confusing affair. But rather than making a beeline for an estate agent, or realtor, as yanks [...]
Take your very own bite of the Big Apple September 9, 2010 IN ANY job transfer abroad, top of the list of concerns is finding a place to call home. This is particularly overwhelming if your destination is New York: finding a cosy foothold in this concrete jungle can be a confusing affair. But rather than making a beeline for an estate agent, or realtor, as yanks [...]
Travelport in pole position in float queue January 17, 2010 TRAVELPORT looks set to become the most expensive company to float on the stock exchange in two years. It will be amongst the first in a slew of companies seeking an IPO in the coming months. The airline and hotel reservations firm, which operates in 160 countries, has plans for flotation in London and hopes [...]
Poll: private equity to face a bleak future January 31, 2010 THE private equity industry could face years in the wilderness according to an industry poll. Despite a glut of big money deals over the past week, more than two thirds of deal makers said the industry could take years to recover from the financial crisis, according to Private Equity News. Experts say private equity firms [...]
Bid battle breaks out for DFS stores January 31, 2010 SEVERAL private equity players are lining up for a bidding war over DFS, the furniture chain owned and chaired by Conservative party donor Lord Kirkham. European rivals Permira, Cinven and Advent International are in the running for the sofa superstore in a development that could steer it away from a mooted stockmarket flotation. The news [...]