Foreign takeovers of UK companies plummet amid M&A decline March 4, 2025 The number of foreign investors launching M&A deals for UK companies plummeted in the fourth quarter of last year, with only £4.5bn spent by buyers from abroad. According to data from the Office for National Statistics, the number of foreign companies acquiring UK companies (known as ‘inward M&A) fell to its to its lowest level [...]
Kurt Geiger sold to New York’s Steve Madden for £289m February 13, 2025 Private equity firm Cinven has announced the sale of Kurt Geiger to shoe brand Steve Madden for £289m. Cinven bought the footwear and accessories brand in 2015 for £245m, and has since greatly expanded the business in the US. In America alone, sales surged by 58.7 per cent to over £110m from February to September [...]
Harland & Wolff: Over 1,000 jobs saved at Titanic builder after £70m rescue deal completes January 28, 2025 A deal to save troubled shipbuilder Harland & Wolff, which crashed into administration owing more than £160m last year, has been completed. The acquisition, first announced in December 2024, will save over 1,000 jobs. Spain-headquartered Navantia has acquired the business and assets of Harland & Wolff Group, which include all four operating yards in Belfast, Appledore, Methil [...]
Zip World sold for £100m to Dolphin Capital January 26, 2025 A majority stake in adventure park operator Zip World has been acquired by private equity firm Dolphin Capital in a deal worth £100m. Zip World, which is headquartered in Llanrwst, Wales, has become the latest investment for the Oxfordshire-based private equity firm which already counts the likes of Snowcentres, Techmet and Dynisma in its portfolio. The [...]
Food and drink deals spike as big firms look to strengthen positions January 23, 2025 M&A deal volumes in the food and drink sector saw a double digit rise last year, as buyers targeted undervalued companies in a bid to strengthen their positions in the market. Total deal volume rose to 151 deals in 2024, a 29.1 per cent increase from 117 deals in the previous year, while the total [...]
Sale Sharks owner sells £1bn empire to Asda backer TDR Capital January 20, 2025 Simon Orange, the self-made millionaire who co-owns Premiership rugby club Sale Sharks, has sold his business empire to Asda backer TDR Capital in a deal worth more than £1bn. CorpAcq, which is based in Cheshire, counts more than 40 businesses as part of its portfolio including the likes of Cotton Traders. CorpAcq does not included [...]
Dust off the defence manuals… private equity is coming, say advisors December 20, 2024 London’s listed firms have been warned to dust off their defence manuals and prepare for takeover bids as private equity investors limber up for a deals offensive on the London Stock Exchange next year. After a subdued year of dealmaking through 2024, private equity buyers are expected to reignite a swoop on the public markets [...]
Harland and Wolff: Deal struck to buy troubled Titanic maker saving 1,000 jobs December 19, 2024 Troubled shipbuilder Harland and Wolff, which crashed into administration owing more than £160m earlier this year, has been saved. Spanish state-owned business Navanti has struck a deal to buy the Belfast-based company in a move which will secure 1,000 jobs at Harland and Wolff’s four shipyards – one in Belfast, two in Scotland (Methil on [...]
National World: Yorkshire Post and The Scotsman owner agrees £65m takeover December 18, 2024 Shareholders in National World, the media group whose titles include Yorkshire Post and The Scotsman, are set for a bumper pay day as a takeover deal which values it at over £65m was agreed. Irish media group Media Concierge, which currently holds a 26 per cent stake in National World, first tabled an offer worth [...]
Bunzl: Shares in FTSE 100 giant tumble after issuing warning December 17, 2024 Shares in outsourcing giant Bunzl tumbled early on Tuesday after it warned “more persistent” than expected deflation would weigh on profit in 2024. The impact is likely to be felt most by its Continental Europe division, however Bunzl still anticipates a “strong increase” in group full-year adjusted operating profit when compared with 2023. Shares fell [...]