Sovereign Capital plans professional services mega-merger December 1, 2024 Sovereign Capital is set to merge seven of its regional professional services firm into one, according to reports. The private equity firm is planning to combine the regional accountants under the name Affinia, The Sunday Times revealed. Affinia is expected to make around £35m a year in sales cumulatively, and is aiming to double its [...]
Investor row erupts over Loungers private equity bid December 1, 2024 An investor battle has erupted over a private equity bid for Cosy Club and Brightside operator Loungers, with some “furious” over the perceived low offer. On Thursday, the Loungers board backed a £338m takeover offer from Fortress Investment Group, a 30 per cent to its share price. Despite the board accepting the offer, various shareholders [...]
Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group snaps up South African sports retailer November 26, 2024 Frasers Group, the retail empire founded by billionaire Mike Ashley, has continued its global expansion with the acquisition of a South African company. The London-listed group, which already owns the likes of Sports Direct and House of Fraser, has snapped up sporting, outdoor and recreation goods company, Holdsport Group, for an undisclosed sum from the [...]
Private equity firm snaps up Evelyn Partners accounting arm for £700m November 24, 2024 British private equity firm Apax has bought Evelyn Partners accounting arm for £700m, according to reports. Apax was in a bidding war with private equity peer Bridgepoint to snap up the professional services unit, which includes the business formerly known as Smith & Williamson that Evelyn Partners bought back in 2020. But Apax emerged the [...]
Mydentist looks to India for new recruits as loss widens November 20, 2024 Mydentist has sunk further into the red as it looks to recruit more new hires from overseas after the UK Government relaxed the rules. The business, which is one of the largest dental providers in the UK, has said hiring has been constrained by the limited number of dental school places in this country as [...]
Mattioli Woods: Profit slashed at wealth manager as it quit London November 19, 2024 Profit at wealth manager Mattioli Woods was slashed by more than 90 per cent as it prepared to delist from the London Stock Exchange’s AIM, it has been revealed. The Leicester-headquartered was acquired by London-based private equity firm Pollen Street Capital after the deal was first announced in March. In its latest accounts, which have been filed [...]
3i: Action’s performance continues to lift FTSE 100 investment trust November 14, 2024 3i said it will pay its first dividend of 30.5p per share, up from 26.5p in the same period last year.
Virgin Active: Billionaire owner of Richard Branson-founded gym chain eyes UK listing November 13, 2024 The billionaire majority owner of Virgin Active is looking to list the business in the UK, according to reports. South African Christo Wiese owns the company private equity firm Brait, while Richard Branson’s Virgin Group holds a 16.8 per cent stake. A listing is “most likely” to be in the UK, with a secondary offer [...]
Arthouse cinema chain Curzon acquired by Fortress November 12, 2024 UK arthouse cinema chain Curzon has been acquired by US-based Fortress Investment Group The deal, which has been agreed for an undisclosed sum, includes the firm’s cinemas, film distribution company and online streaming service. It’s the latest acquisition of a UK company by a US buyer, with a strong dollar and low British valuations attracting [...]
Six Nations investors CVC Capital Partners have offices raided November 5, 2024 CVC Capital Partners, whose sport investments include the Six Nations and Premiership Rugby, has reportedly had its offices raided alongside the French football league in Paris. Police searched the office of the private equity firm and the football body on Tuesday as part of a potential corruption investigation, according to reports. Prosecutors are said to [...]