Oakley Capital Investments reports first half jump in net asset value September 11, 2019 Listed investment firm Oakley Capital Investments (OCI) has reported a jump increase in net asset value (NAV) during the first half of the year, and an increase in the value of its underlying portfolio companies. OCI – which invests in the funds of Oakley Capital – reported a net asset value per share of £3.18 and [...]
UK private equity deal values double during strong first half September 4, 2019 UK companies led European private equity (PE) and venture capital (VC) activity during the first half of 2019, with the value of PE buyouts more than doubling. Overall PE buyout and related deal values for UK firms climbed to €23.3bn (£21.2bn) during the first half, an increase of 124 per cent on the €10.4bn seen [...]
Blackrock buys $875m stake in Authentic Brands August 12, 2019 Blackrock has bought an $875m (£727m) stake in Authentic Brands, making it the largest shareholder in the celebrity licensing company that owns brand rights to Marilyn Monroe and Muhammed Ali The acquisition of a controlling stake in Authentic Brands, which also owns Sports Illustrated and Juicy Couture, marks the first investment for Blackrock’s new private [...]
Scrapped: Guy Hands ‘pulls out of takeover plans’ for German Cartonplast August 8, 2019 Private equity magnate Guy Hands is said to have abandoned takeover plans for a European packaging business. His firm, Terra Firma Capital Partners, has withdrawn from negotiations to buy German packaging company Cartonplast, according to Sky News. The withdrawal raises questions about the ability of one of the most prominent British financiers to land fresh [...]
UK private equity investment sinks to five-year low August 5, 2019 Private equity investment in the UK has fallen to its lowest level in over five years, as continued economic and geopolitical uncertainty leaves vendors too nervous to put assets up for sale. A study of UK transactions involving private equity investors during the first half of the year showed that both deal volumes and deal [...]
UK bonds bounce back in June as equity funds lose out August 1, 2019 Bonds are back in favour with UK investors but equities have continued to struggle amid ongoing political uncertainty. £2.4bn flowed into bonds during June – taking this year’s total inflows to almost £6bn – according to figures released by the Investment Association (IA). This included net retail sales of £1.1bn for UK Strategic Bond funds [...]
Neil Woodford defends share sell-off as he faces removal from namesake fund July 29, 2019 Embattled stock picker Neil Woodford has defended his decision to sell the majority of his stake in his investment trust as it considers whether to replace him as manager. Woodford Patient Capital Trust (WPCT) announced this morning that Woodford had sold 1.75m shares, 60 per cent of his stake, to “meet personal financial obligations” including [...]
Private equity firms eye up challenger accountancy firm Cogital July 28, 2019 Several private equity groups are reportedly preparing bids on UK-based accounting firm Cogital, in a deal that could value the company at £1bn. European firms BC Partners, Permira, and PAI are preparing final bids alongside US-based Hellman & Freidman, according to the Financial Times Cogital was set up in 2016 by former Deloitte partner John [...]
HG Capital targets £80m fundraise June 10, 2019 HG Capital Trust plans to raise £80m through a share placing to fund opportunities in an “attractive proprietary pipeline”. The FTSE 250 investment trust will issue 37m new ordinary shares at 217.1p each, representing around 10 per cent of its current issued share capital. The trust said its partners and staff are expected to invest [...]
Kremlin says it hopes US investor Michael Calvey will be freed June 3, 2019 The Kremlin said it hopes US investor Michael Calvey, who is under house arrest in Russia, will be freed and able to attend an economic forum in St Petersburg this week. Calvey, who founded private equity group Baring Vostok, was detained in Russia in February over embezzlement charges. The businessman has denied wrongdoing and alleges that [...]