Cavendish shares eye year high after rejecting deals unit takeover June 24, 2025 Shares in investment bank Cavendish spiked on Tuesday as the firm confirmed it had rejected takeover interest in its deals unit after facing private equity-backed interest. Cavendish had been approached regarding a deal that would break up the London-listed investment bank by Smith and Williamson (S&W). The value of the offer remains unclear, Sky News [...]
Rob McElhenney-backed Classic Football Shirts scores sales success June 23, 2025 Sales surged at Classic Football Shirts, which is backed by the likes of TV star and Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney, during its latest financial year as it looks to expand further overseas. The Greater Manchester-headquartered business has posted a turnover of £31.8m for the 12 months to 30 June, 2024, up from the £24.4m it [...]
Spectris agrees to £3.8bn takeover but KKR threatens bidding war June 23, 2025 Industrial group Spectris has agreed to a £3.8bn takeover by US private equity Advent but a bidding war could be brewing as KKR mulls a rival offer. The FTSE 250 firm has been valued at £37.73 per share in the deal. Shares jumped 13.5 per cent as markets opened on Monday to around 3,726. Private [...]
Law firm mergers down as lawyers hold out for private equity appetite June 17, 2025 Mergers within the UK legal market have declined in the past year as lawyers are holding out for a bite from private equity.
Wowcher: Profit slashed after huge refund over pressure selling tactics June 17, 2025 Profit at Wowcher has been slashed after the UK’s competition watchdog scored a major victory against the e-commerce giant. The London-based business promised the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in July last year that it would change its online selling practices and hand 870,000 customers a share of more than £4m in refunds. The move came [...]
Flora and I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter maker issues huge pay day June 17, 2025 The company behind Flora and I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter has issued a huge dividend to the tune of £90m – the first since it was taken over by private equity giant KKR. The US-headquartered group, which acquired Flora Food Group – then called Upfield – from Unilever for more than $8bn in 2017. [...]
Carried interest: London’s dealmakers bask in rare lobbying win June 17, 2025 Rachel Reeves went into the 2024 general election promising to close the “carried interest loophole” long-enjoyed by “asset stripping” private equity executives. So far, though, the sector has escaped the worst of Labour’s promised crackdown, writes Ali Lyon. For someone who once argued private equity was full of asset strippers driving beloved British businesses to [...]
DWF: Sir Nigel Knowles to retire as new CEO named June 16, 2025 Sir Nigel Knowles, the chief executive of legal services giant DWF, is to step down from the role after five years, it has been revealed. The CEO will retire from the position he has held since May 2020 on 1 August but will remain with the firm as a senior advisor. He will be succeeded [...]
Metro Bank shares soar after takeover interest from Shawbrook owner June 16, 2025 Shares in Metro bank boomed as markets opened on Monday after reports the high street lender had been approached for a takeover. The FTSE 250 bank’s stock was up nine per cent to 122.00p during early trading. On Friday, shares closed at 112.2p, giving it a market capitalisation north of £750m. This follows private equity [...]
Bargain Britain: UK firms under siege by foreign takeovers June 12, 2025 The London Stock Exchange has suffered a bruising week as private equity firms and foreign giants continue to snap up British bargains. Markets were hit with a double blow on Wednesday after Canadian consultancy giant acquired engineering firm Ricardo and KKR returned with a final bid for GP Landlord Assura. Assura has recommended a cash [...]