The Carlyle Group is investing $26 million India's Value & Budget Housing Corp., Reuters reported Thursday. The money will be used to fund the building of new, affordable homes. Privately-held VBHC was co-founded by former Citigroup executive Jaithirth Rao.
1 min read · 26 August 2011
Yahoo, Google, DirecTV and Amazon.com are among those prepping bids for online television site Hulu, Reuters reported. The deadline for initial bids for the site – jointly owned by News Corp., Walt Disney Co., Comcast Corp.'s NBC and Providence Equity Partners – was extended to the end of this week. South Korea’s SK Telecom is also believed to be prepping a bid. Hulu’s owners hope to fetch as much as $2 billion in the sale, Reuters reported.
2 min read · 25 August 2011
Investors Temasek Holdings, Seatown Holdings and RRJ Capital Master are pouring $150 million into Clean Energy Fuels Corp., a North American natural gas fuels provider, Reuters reported. The investment, in the form of 7.5 percent notes that can be converted into Clean Energy shares at $15 apiece, is expected to close by the end of August, Reuters said.
2 min read · 25 August 2011
3ality Digital, which is backed by Clearlake Capital Group, has acquired Element Technica. Terms of the deal were not released. The combined company will provide of end-to-end stereoscopic 3D solutions – including camera rigs, image processors, and accessories – for the motion picture and broadcast industries. Headwaters MB acted as financial advisor to 3ality Digital.
3 min read · 25 August 2011
India's SREI Infrastructure Finance is planning to raise $1 billion to invest in roads, power and ports, Reuters reported Thursday. The firm aims to raise $500 million in a first closing. SREI Infrastructure has already invested $200 million in India’s infrastructure via two similar funds.
2 min read · 25 August 2011
Publicly traded Astro-Med Inc. has added Mitchell Quain to its board of directors. Quain is a partner at private equity firm One Equity Partners. Previously, he was executive chairman of Register.com, and he currently serves on the boards of MagneTek, Handy & Harman, Titan International and Hardinge. Astro-Med is a manufacturer of specialty high tech printing systems, electronic medical instrumentation, and test and measurement data acquisition systems.
2 min read · 25 August 2011
Plato Learning Inc. has made an unsolicited bid for educational software company Renaissance Learning Inc., topping an earlier bid by the private equity firm Permira, Reuters reported. Plato has offered $15.50 per share in cash, which is a 7% premium on Renaissance Learning’s closing price Wednesday. Permira offered $14.85 per share last week, or $440 million.
1 min read · 25 August 2011
Telecom equipment maker Avaya Holding Corp., which is owned by Silver Lake Partners and TPG Capital, plans to list its shares on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “AVYA,” Reuters reported Thursday. The company filed in June for a $1 billion IPO. Avaya was taken private in 2007 in an $8 billion deal.
1 min read · 25 August 2011
High Ridge Brands, which owns the North American Zest personal cleansing franchise, has acquired from Unilever the Alberto VO5 brand and marketing rights in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. The company also bought the rights to the Rave brand and marketing rights worldwide. Terms of the acquisition were not released. High Ridge Brands is owned by Greenwich, Conn.-based firm Brynwood Partners.
3 min read · 24 August 2011
Media company Ziff Davis Inc. has acquired Focus Research Inc., a venture-backed provider of online research and leads. Formed in 2005, Focus has raised money from Lightspeed Ventures, Trinity Ventures and GGV Capital. Terms of the acquisition by Ziff Davis were not released. Focus Research will be renamed “Ziff Davis B2B Focus” and will operate as a stand-alone unit. The business will continue to operate out of its current offices in San Francisco.
3 min read · 24 August 2011
