Canadian retailer Hudson's Bay Co. (HBC) reported consolidated sales of $884 million in the first quarter of 2013, or growth of 4.2% year over year, which resulted from a 7.6% gain in HBC same-store sales. The company's board of directors also announced a shareholders dividend in the amount of $0.09375 per share. HBC was acquired by U.S. private equity firm NRDC Equity Partners in 2008, and went public last November, raising $365 million.
U.S. private equity firm Peterson Partners has finalized its previously-announced deal to privatize Toronto-based Angoss Software Corp., acquiring all of the company's shares not owned by Angoss president and CEO Martin Galligan or his associates for $0.525 per share, or $8.4 million. Angoss delivers predictive analytics to businesses.
Toronto's Penfund, a provider of junior capital to North American mid-market companies, has completed an undisclosed minority equity investment in Wakefield Canada Holdings ULC. This is Penfund's second investment in the Toronto-based company, a distributor of Castrol-branded motor oils in Canada. The firm also backed Wakefield in 2005. In 2012, Penfund closed its fourth partnership, Penfund Capital Fund IV, raising $460 million.
Toronto-based Entertainment One Ltd., which specializes in the global acquisition, production and distribution of film and television content, has agreed to acquire brand and licensing agency Art Impressions Inc., based in Calabasas, California. Financial details of the transaction were not released. Entertainment One, which bought Montréal's Alliance Films Inc. earlier this year, has been owned by British private equity firm Marwyn Invesment Management since 2007.
Delta Rigging & Tools, which is backed by Austin Ventures, has acquired Morgan City Rentals. Financial terms were not announced. Morgan City provides offshore equipment services to the energy end-market primarily in the Gulf of Mexico. Southwest Securities provided financial advice to Morgan City.
Incline Equity Partners has agreed to sell Portec Group International. The buyer is Interroll Group. Cañon City, Colo.-based Portec makes specialty conveyors.
British financial services firm Resolution Group and private equity firms TPG Capital and J.C. Flowers are bidding for Allstate Corp's Lincoln Benefit Life subsidiary, sources told Reuters.
(Reuters) - Yankee Candle Co. Inc. has withdrawn a plan to borrow money in order to pay a dividend to its PE owner, Madison Dearborn, in a sign that a wave of such lucrative deals may be coming to an end.
The Harlem Globetrotters - the highflying exhibition basketball team that has toured the world for decades - are on the block. Shamrock Capital Advisors, which owns 80% of the Globetrotters, is selling them, Reuters reports.
Northstar Travel Media, a portfolio company of Wicks Group, has acquired Your Travel Insider. Financial terms weren't announced. Founded in 2003, Your Travel Insider publishes e-newsletters Your Travel Insider, Luxury Cruise News and Your Travel Insider - Travel Tools.