Western Europe

Cinven pays €675m for second hospital operator in a month(2)

The European buyout firm has made its second foray in a month into the healthcare sector - this time to buy a Spanish independent healthcare provider - exploiting a rich vein of experience in the firm stretching back a decade.

Eurazeo goes exclusive on Elis deal(3)

The French listed buyout firm is in pole position to win the auction for Elis, a French textile business, after revealing that it has entered exclusive negotiations to buy the business from rival PAI Partners.

AVP agrees bolt-on for software business(3)

Pertinence, a French intelligence software business backed by venture capital firms Advent Venture Partners and Partech International, has bought US rival Intercim.

New Look auction collapses(2)

UK retailer New Look looks likely to be refinanced rather than sold, after the final consortium targeting the company failed to agree with the vendors’ valuation and withdrew from the auction.

3i buys $57m stake in hedge fund administrator(2)

3i’s US arm has bought a stake in a Bermuda-based hedge fund administrator, in the latest move in an active year for the firm.

Select Committee to publish findings this month

The UK Treasury Select Committee will issue its preliminary findings about private equity before the end of the month. Chancellor of the Exchequer Alastair Darling has also hinted at possible changes to the tax rules in the pre-budget report later this year.

Duke Street fights tooth and nail for Oasis(2)

London-based Duke Street Capital has amassed a 34 percent stake in Oasis Healthcare and increased its bid to £88.2 million, as the battle for the UK’s biggest dental business heats up.

Hands defends carry tax(3)

Guy Hands, chief executive of Terra Firma and one of the UK private equity industry’s most forthright advocates, has defended the current tax treatment of carried interest. He believes it is right to distinguish it from other types of remuneration, since it rewards “long-term capital investment” by buyout executives.

CD&R maintains excellent distribution(3)

Clayton Dubilier & Rice recently led the $10.3 billion acquisition of HD Supply, the wholesale business of US retail giant Home Depot. It is the latest in a string of deals the US buyout firm has completed for distribution businesses. Nicholas Lockley reports.

Prince says liquidity will continue fuelling buyout boom(2)

Citigroup chief executive Chuck Prince has reportedly said his bank is “still dancing” on the back of the buyout boom which will continue to be fuelled by deeper “pools of liquidity” than the past.