Publicly traded Web.com is paying $405 million in cash for Network Solutions, a provider of website services, online marketing and global domain name registration. Under the terms of the deal, Web.com will also issue 18 million shares of Web.com common stock, in addition to refinancing existing net debt of Network Solutions and paying certain fees. Currently, Network Solutions is majority owned by buyout shop General Atlantic.
9 min read · 04 August 2011
Web measurement company comScore is paying $22 million to buy AdXpose, a venture-backed online ad verification and optimization company formerly known as Mpire. The company is backed by Draper Fisher Jurvetson and Ignition Partners, which funded a $3 million recap of AdXpose in April. AdXpose has offices in Seattle and New York.
4 min read · 04 August 2011
Mobile marketing company Augme Technologies Inc. is paying $44.5 million to buy mobile marketing and advertising start-up Hipcricket. Seattle-based Hipcricket raised upwards of $9 million across two rounds of funding from Broadmark Capital and angel investors. The acquisition includes will be comprised of $6 million in cash and $38.5 million in Augme common stock. Earn-out could add another $27.5 million to the purchase price.
8 min read · 04 August 2011
Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. has completed its acquisition of sporting goods and outdoor retail chain Academy Sports + Outdoors. Goldman, Sachs & Co. acted as financial advisor to Academy Sports + Outdoors. As part of the deal, the company’s owners, the Gochman family, retained a minority stake. Financial terms were not disclosed.
3 min read · 04 August 2011
The Meltwater Group is buying social search engine IceRocket for an undisclosed price. IceRocket, based in Dallas, was backed by angel investor Mark Cuban, and will continue to operate as a standalone search engine. Its technology will be integrated into Meltwater’s products. No terms of the deal were released.
3 min read · 04 August 2011
Buyout shops including Advent International and Doughty Hanson & Co. are competing to buy Belgium's Magotteaux, a provider of grinding equipment to miners and cement makers, Reuters reported. The company could fetch as much as 600 million euros ($860 million), Reuters said. The seller is majority owner IK Investment Partners.
2 min read · 04 August 2011
Permira is the latest private equity firm to beef up operations in China, naming former Goldman Sachs banker Alan Chen to lead its business in mainland China, Reuters reported. Chen was formerly an executive director at Goldman's special situations group. He will be based in Hong Kong. The firm plans to set up an office in mainland China after Chen comes on board.
2 min read · 04 August 2011
WestBridge Capital, an Indian private equity fund, has closed on $500 million to invest in listed and later-stage private companies, Reuters reported. The fund was formed by four founding partners of the India unit of Sequoia Capital.
1 min read · 04 August 2011
M/A-Com Technology Solutions Holdings Inc., an analog chipmaker backed by Summit Partners, has filed to raise up to $230 million in an initial public offering. The company is based in Lowell, Massachusetts. Barclays Capital, J.P. Morgan securities and Jefferies & Co. are lead underwriters to the offering.
1 min read · 04 August 2011
Buyout shop EQT has taken a 70% stake in U.S. natural gas storage company Peregrine Midstream Partners. Terms of the deal were not released. The infusion of capital will help Peregrine to complete its Ryckman Creek project, a depleted oil and gas reservoir that is being converted into a gas storage facility, Reuters said.
1 min read · 04 August 2011
