Western Europe

Financial sponsors table low-ball Migros bids

The private equity firms bidding for the Turkish supermarket have tabled lower than expected bids, although should the deal complete it will be one of the largest European buyout financed since the problems in the credit markets became apparent.

Gresham to profit from UK hunger for pasties(2)

Gresham, the UK mid-market buyout firm, has bought the West Cornwall Pasty company, banking on the Cornish snack’s durability in an economic downturn.

Baird and Lubar to sell healthcare design firm for $247m

Baird Capital Partners and Lubar & Co. will contribute $85 million in rollover equity to finance the acquisition by REIT Cogdell Spencer.

GP Investments matches Latin American fund record(4)

The quoted Latin American firm GP Investments has closed its fourth fund on $1.3bn with partners in the firm contributing almost a third of the capital to equal Advent International's record breaking Latin offering.

KKR signs Turkey’s largest deal(4)

Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, the US buyout firm, has bought UN Ro-Ro in its first transaction in Turkey, making it the latest firm to gain exposure to the country and the neighbouring MENA region.

Lion looks to private bidders for Wagamama(4)

Lion Capital, the European buyout firm, has called off a planned listing for Japanese restaurant chain Wagamama because a trade sale will fetch a better price as it looks to exit after two years ownership.

Macquarie consortium in $7.4bn US utility deal(3)

Puget Sound Energy, Washington state’s largest utility company, will be taken private in a $7.4 billion transaction by a consortium including Macquarie, the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and British Columbia Investment Management Corporation.

BC Partners closes $16.5bn Intelsat deal

The European buyout firm has renegotiated the financing terms of the deal signed in June despite its highly leveraged and aggressively structured package.

UK buyout firms feast before the famine(3)

The liquidity problems in the debt markets did not restrain record third quarter figures in the UK as deals were signed before the beginning August. However, big four accountant Deloitte said it expects few deals to complete in the next quarter.

UK venture firms back vibration harvesting technology(3)

A trio of VCs have clubbed together in a series B-funding round of Perpetuum, which is developing a clean tech generator to capture energy from small vibrations and convert it to electricity.