Brad Meikle

Buyouts September 1 2014 – Digital Edition

PE-backed Porter may sell and lease back Toronto airport terminal: Reuters

Porter Aviation Holdings Inc, the parent of upstart Canadian carrier Porter Airlines, said it is considering selling and then leasing back the passenger terminal it operates at Toronto's Billy Bishop City Airport, Reuters reported. Once source has estimated the deal's value at US$500 million. Porter is backed by Edgestone Capital Partners, OMERS Strategic Investments, GEAMI and Dancap Private Equity.

TPG backs global green energy strategy of SMi-Enerpro

TPG Capital is backing the global expansion plans of a Montreal-based specialist in energy efficiency.

Prestige Brands gets antitrust approval to buy PE-owned Insight: Reuters

Prestige Brands Holdings Inc , which markets and distributes healthcare and cleaning products, has won U.S. antitrust approval to buy Insight Pharmaceuticals Corp on condition that it divest a motion-sickness drug, Reuters reported. In April it was announced that Insight is being sold to Prestige by U.S. private equity firm Swander Pace Capital and Teachers' Private Capital, the investment arm of Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan for US$750 million.

DRA Advisors to sell Capital Automotive to Brookfield for $4.3 bln: Reuters

Real estate investment firm DRA Advisors LLC has agreed to sell auto financier Capital Automotive LP to Brookfield Property Partners for US$4.283 billion, sources told Reuters. Capital Automotive is based in McLean, Virginia, and provides real estate finance for automotive dealers to acquire new locations and upgrade facilities. The deal is expected to close by the fourth quarter of this year.

Marwyn-backed Entertainment One buys Force Four Entertainment

Entertainment One Ltd (LSE: ETO) has acquired Force Four Entertainment, a Vancouver-based television production company, from partners Rob Bromley, John Ritchie and Gillian Lowrey for an undisclosed price. Entertainment One, which earlier this year bought Paperny Entertainment Inc, said the acquisition reinforces its activity in scripted and unscripted television from Canada and will bolster its international sales offering. Based in Toronto, Entertainment One acquires, produces and distributes film and televison content. It is backed by U.K. private equity firm Marwyn Investment Management.

PE-backed CDI Computer Dealers promotes COO to president

CDI Computer Dealers Inc, which is backed by U.S. private equity firm HIG Growth Partners, has promoted Erez Pikar from chief operating officer to president. Pikar began at the company as its director of operations. Headquartered in Markham, Ontario, CDI is a refurbisher and remarketer of IT equipment to educational institutions. Update: In January 2014, HIG made an undisclosed strategic investment in the company in partnership with its owners and management team.

LBO funds have been strong performers; venture has momentum

In picking strategies within private equity, investors largely got it right betting heavily over the last three decades on leveraged buyout funds. That said, venture capital firms have staged a significant comeback since the woebegone years following the Internet bubble, and they could pose competition for dollars in the months ahead.

CalSTRS pledges $785 mln in second quarter

The California State Teachers’ Retirement System committed roughly $785 million to co-investments and private equity funds, including $275 million to buyout funds, from April 1 to June 30, according to a semi-annual report released in advance of its scheduled Sept. 5 investment committee meeting.

A guide to standing out in the (fundraising) crowd

Last week, we reported there are more private equity funds looking for capital than ever before. With this historic level of crowding in the fundraising market, peHUB's Chris Witkowsky decided to reach out to some experts and find out just how GPs can get themselves noticed.