Western Europe

PE groups stalk Telecom Italia mobile arm

Buyout firms Permira, The Carlyle Group and Apax Partners are reportedly mulling separate bids for TIM, the mobile unit of Telecom Italia, in what would be Europe’s biggest ever buyout.

Qatari firm makes £12bn Sainsbury’s approach

Qatar-based investment vehicle Three Delta has confirmed its preliminary bid approach to Sainsbury’s, the UK supermarket chain that rejected a £10 billion offer from a private equity consortium in April. The company’s share price soared this morning.

Apax-backed Incisive buys US rival

US banker Bruce Wasserstein’s investment vehicle has agreed to sell publishing business American Lawyer Media to Apax Partners-backed Incisive Media for $630 million.

GMT targets growth after latest telecoms deal(3)

The communications sector specialist has done yet another deal in the European cable TV and telecoms area with the acquisition of Melita Cable, a Maltese provider valued at about €170 million. It believes broadband migration, internet telephony and pay-TV services will provide the main growth opportunities.

Duke Street clinches CI Traders take-private(3)

Duke Street Capital and a consortium of other buyout firms has had its £260 million bid for UK retailer CI Traders accepted – soon after the company rejected a bid from Alchemy Partners.

Carlyle to pay $4.9bn for healthcare services provider(3)

The Carlyle Group is adding a healthcare services provider to its portfolio, in the midst of several weeks of whirlwind activity.

Montagu to tie up car deal in a month

The UK mid-market firm hopes to complete its buyout of British Car Auctions in the next month and to benefit from long-term growth trends in the UK and abroad.

Cerberus sells German residential portfolio for €1.6bn

Pirelli RE and Deutsche Bank have agreed to buy German property group BauBeCon from Cerberus, in a transaction valued at €1.6bn.

CVC snaps up chemicals business from AlpInvest(3)

AlpInvest Partners has sold Belgian chemical producer Taminco to CVC Capital Partners for €800 million.

Montagu buys hair styling business from LDC(2)

Lloyds Development Capital has made an exit from the company behind iconic hair-styling brand ghd after just 12 months, selling it to Montagu Private Equity for £160 million.