Robert Daniel
Phoenix Natural Resources, a new Houston oil-and-gas firm, said it received a $250 million equity commitment from Kayne Anderson Energy Funds and Phoenix managers. The company will use the funds to acquire and develop oil and natural gas assets in North America, Phoenix said in a statement. Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors L.P., the Los Angeles […]
Ardian, the Paris investment firm, agreed to sell a majority stake in Novacap to Eurazeo and Merieux Développement. Terms weren’t disclosed. Ardian said in a statement that it would retain a minority holding in Novacap. The deal is subject to regulatory clearances. With Ardian’s support in the past five years, Novacap, the Lyon, France, chemicals group, expanded internationally, making six acquisitions, Ardian said. Eurazeo is the Paris investment firm while Merieux, of Lyon, is a healthcare-focused fund with investments in diagnostics, medical devices and more.
Advent International closed the sale of Aeropuertos Dominicanos Siglo XXI to a subsidiary of Vinci SA. Terms weren’t disclosed. Advent acquired Aerodom, operator and developer of six airports in the Dominican Republic, in September 2008. Advent said that Latin American airport and infrastructure sector is a key focus, with the firm investing in the sector for 19 years and having backed 16 companies. In Latin America broadly, Advent has raised more than $6 billion from institutional investors and has invested in more than 50 companies there. Vinci, based in Rueil-Malmaison, France, has interests in concessions and construction.
Ankura Consulting Group, the Washington business-advisory firm, acquired Marotta Gund Budd & Dzera, the New York turnaround and restructuring firm. Terms weren’t disclosed. MGBD advises investors, directors and senior management as well as creditors of underperforming companies, Ankura said in a statement. MGBD expands Ankura’s practice in turnarounds and restructuring, the firm said.
Halifax Group, the Washington private-equity firm, named three of its principals as partners and members of the investment committee: Scott Van Duinen, Scott Plumridge and Chris Cathcart. Van Duinen and Plumridge source and manage investments while Cathcart heads the firm’s business development. Halifax is investing out of Halifax Capital Partners III LP, which closed in 2012.
A division of Z Capital Group LLC, the Lake Forest, Illinois, alternative-investment manager, plans to acquire Pink Taco, a concept restaurant with locations in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Terms weren’t disclosed. Z Capital Partners, the firm’s private-equity-management arm, is the largest holder of Real Mex Restaurants and plans to use that chain’s experience to expand Pink Taco, Z Capital Group said in a statement. Pink Taco was founded in 1999 by the restaurateur Harry Morton, who will continue to lead its strategic marketing, Z Capital said.
An affiliate of Woodbury Health Products Inc, the Floral Park, New York, distributor of incontinence and catheter-related supplies, purchased certain assets of Advanced Medical Group. Advanced Medical is the Suwanee, Georgia, distributor of home urological supplies. Terms weren’t disclosed. Woodbury, which distributes its products from a facility in Wilmington, North Carolina, is owned by funds that are managed by MTS Health Investors LLC, the New York healthcare-focused private equity firm.
Strattam Capital, the Austin, Texas, private equity firm, agreed to buy a majority stake in Blacksmith Applications Inc, the Lawrence, Massachusetts, developer of software for the consumer-packaged-goods industry. Terms weren’t disclosed. Blacksmith said in a statement that its management will retain a “significant” stake. It didn’t specify how much. Blacksmith’s platform enables users to “better manage their contracts, more effectively deploy pricing discounts and promotional offers and gain insight into the effectiveness of their trade spend,” the company said. Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati is Strattam’s legal advisor. Canaccord Genuity is Blacksmith’s financial advisor and Gesmer Updegrove LLP is providing legal advice.
Agdata, the Charlotte, North Carolina, provider of data-management and analytics solutions for the agriculture and animal-health industries, named Andy Zupsic chief executive and said it acquired Focus Technology Group. Zupsic previously was chief operating officer at Sovos Compliance, where he’d led units for professional services, client support, compliance services and tax research. As Agdata CEO Zupsic succeeds Richard Bettison, who was named a board adviser. Focus Technology will be integrated with Agdata’s Animal Health Division, which provides data-enabled solutions to veterinarians, manufacturers, feed mills and specialty pet markets. Agdata was acquired by Vista Equity Partners, the San Francisco private equity firm, in July 2014.
A subsidiary of investment manager and merchant banker Four Wood Capital Partners LLC launched a capital-markets joint venture with Tigress Financial Partners LLC, the investment bank and brokerage. The two New York firms said the offerings, serving particularly middle-market institutions, would include strategic advice and investment banking, securities underwriting and capital-markets execution, investment research, trade execution and risk management.