I've been a business reporter for a while. I've covered Wall Street, venture capital and now private equity. I'm always looking for a scoop or something to talk about. I'm the eternal optimist and am still waiting for the Chicago Cubs to win the World Series. Yes, I believe.
CIP Capital has invested in Wilson Human Capital Group Inc. Financial terms weren’t announced. Wilson Human Capital, of Tampa, Florida, is a staffing recruitment firm.
2 min read · 17 October 2017
Summit Partners has acquired a majority stake in Harvey Performance Co. Financial terms weren’t announced. Harvey Performance, of Rowley, Massachusetts, provides products and services to increase productivity for customers in the manufacturing and metalworking industries. Piper Jaffray provided financial advice to Harvey, while Kirkland & Ellis and Ernst & Young LLP advised Summit.
4 min read · 17 October 2017
SFW Capital Partners said Oct. 17 that it has invested in DZone Inc. Financial terms weren’t announced. DZone, of Cary, North Carolina, operates DZone Media and AnswerHub. DZone provides a platform for software developer focused technical content, as well as knowledge and community management solutions for technology organizations.
4 min read · 17 October 2017
Culver Franchising System Inc said Oct. 16 that it agreed to sell a minority stake to Roark Capital Group. Financial terms weren’t announced. Culver Franchising is a fast casual restaurant chain. Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc provided financial advice to Culver’s while Foley & Lardner LLP served as legal counsel.
3 min read · 16 October 2017
3i Group Plc has acquired Smarte Carte International Holdings Inc, the Wall Street Journal reported. The PE firm paid $385 million, including debt, for the company, which provides luggage carts, lockers and massage chairs, the story said. Management will also retain a stake, the WSJ said.
1 min read · 16 October 2017
Draper Esprit said Oct. 16 that it will seek to invest up to 75 million pounds ($100 million) in top seed funds across Europe over a five-year period. The VC firm has already committed to invest in the funds of Seedcamp and Episode1 Ventures.
3 min read · 16 October 2017
Staples Solutions BV said Oct. 16 that Dolph Westerbos was named CEO effective Nov. 1. Westerbos was previously CEO of Westcon Group. In February, Cerberus Capital Management completed its buy of Staples’ European operations.
3 min read · 16 October 2017
Two Chinese investors, vying for a piece of the Chicago Stock Exchange, withdrew in the past two weeks, after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission sought more details from the participants about their bid, the Wall Street Journal reported.
2 min read · 16 October 2017
Bryan Taylor, a top tech dealmaker at TPG, is exiting the buyout shop, Bloomberg is reporting. Taylor, who led investments in software, data analytics and technology services, is leaving TPG before the firm starts its next PE fund in 2018, the story said. Taylor, a partner, joined TPG in March 2004.
1 min read · 13 October 2017
Nonni’s Foods LLC, a portfolio company of Wind Point Partners, is considering a sale, the Wall Street Journal reported. Houlihan Lokey is providing financial advice to the specialty cookie brand, which is expected to produce about $21 million EBITDA in 2018, the story said. Nonni’s, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, sells biscotti and specialty baked goods under the Nonni’s and THINaddictives brands, the WSJ said.
1 min read · 13 October 2017
