Providence Equity Partners has offered to acquire AcadeMedia AB, Sweden’s largest independent education company with approximately 45,000 students and course attendants at around 150 locations. AcadeMedia is publicly-trade in Stockholm. The proposal would value AcadeMedia at approximately $283 million, with AcadeMedia stockholders to receive SEK165 per share (3% premium to yesterday’s closing price). www.provequity.com
Advent International has acquired UK sofa retailer DFS for an undisclosed amount. This comes less than a month after the company's founder said DFS was not for sale, despite persistent press reports of a £500 million auction.
Oak Hill Capital Partners has agreed to acquire The Hillman Companies Inc. from Code Hennessy & Simmons, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and certain members of company management. The deal is valued at $815 million, with Hillman's publicly traded trust preferred securities to remain outstanding on the NYSE-AMEX. Hillman is a Cincinnati-based distributor of hardware items to retail customers.
Global Geophysical Services Inc., a Missouri City, Texas-based provider of technology that collects seismic data for oil and gas industry, raised around $90 million via its IPO. The company sold 7.5 million shares at $12 per share, compared to plans to offer 11.5 million shares at between $15 and $17 per share. Global Geophysical will trade […]
DynaVox Inc., a Pittsburgh-based maker of software and devices that assist people in overcoming speech, raised around $140.6 million via its IPO. The company sold nearly 9.4 million shares at $15 per share (low end of $15-$17 range). DynaVox will trade on the Nasdaq under ticker symbol DVOX, while Piper Jaffray and Jefferies & Co. served […]
COPENHAGEN (Reuters) – Danish ambulance and rescue service Falck A/S said on Thursday it was exploring a public stock offering and a listing on the Copenhagen bourse, and analysts said it could be the biggest Danish offering in years. Sydbank analyst Soren Hansen estimated Falck’s market capitalisation at between 9 billion and 10 billion Danish […]
FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Goldman Sachs (GS.N) is considering a takeover of the remains of insolvent German department store chain Karstadt if no other investor emerges, two sources familiar with the situation told Reuters. Goldman Sachs as well as Deutsche Bank (DBKGn.DE) are part of the Highstreet consortium, which owns about two-thirds of Karstadt’s store space. “Is […]
Global Geophysical Services Inc., a Missouri City, Texas-based provider of technology that collects seismic data for oil and gas industry, has set the terms of its proposed IPO to 11.5 million shares being offered at between $15 and $17 per share. It would have an initial market cap of approximately $610 million, were it to […]
TPG Capital has agreed to buy American Tire Distributors Holdings Inc. for $1.3 billion, from Investcorp, Berkshire Partners and Greenbriar Equity Group. The deal is expected to close next quarter. American Tire is a Charlotte-based distributor of replacement tires to local, regional and national tire retailers.
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Private equity firm Blackstone (BX.N) is joining one of the teams bidding to buy Extended Stay, a source familiar with the situation said on Wednesday, upping the ante in the battle to control the mid-priced U.S. hotel chain. Blackstone is joining the team led by investment companies Centerbridge Partners and Paulson […]