A succession of funding deals by deep-pocketed sovereign wealth funds have thrown a life preserver to some of the world’s biggest private tech firms whose high valuations have come under scrutiny in the past year, Reuters reported. With overall funding for startups slowing down by a third to US$25.5 billion in the last two quarters, according to data from CB Insights, high-profile ventures are turning to government funds or institutional money to create "private IPOs" rather than to venture capitalists or chancing public listings. These capital injections have helped to keep valuations high as other tech ventures have been marked down by some earlier backers.
Real estate-focused private equity firm KingSett Capital is set to acquire 50 percent of Scotia Plaza, Canada's second tallest office building, from Dream Office REIT and H&R REIT, sources told Reuters. The potential sale comes about four years after Dream Office REIT, then called Dundee REIT, acquired two-thirds of the 2 million square-foot Scotia Plaza complex. H&R REIT bought the rest. The total sale price was about $1.3 billion.
Canada's Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc and Japan's Seven & i Holdings Co Ltd have submitted indicative offers to acquire U.S. convenience store retailer CST Brands Inc (CST.N), sources told Reuters. Couche-Tard and Seven & i, the owner of U.S. convenience store chain 7-Eleven, are competing against several other bidders for the company, including a consortium of U.S. private equity firms Blackstone Group LP and Apollo Global Management LLC. CST's market capitalization is currently estimated at about US$3.4 billion.
Bank of Montreal said that it would acquire Greene Holcomb Fisher, a U.S. mergers and acquisitions advisory firm, in a push to strengthen its investment banking business in the United States, particularly in the Midwest, Reuters reported. The move will help Toronto-based BMO, Canada's fourth biggest lender, double its U.S. M&A business, based on the number of deals, and better serve and attract private equity clients.
Jeld-Wen Holding Inc, a maker of doors and windows, filed with U.S. regulators on Wednesday to raise up to US$100 million in an initial public offering of its common stock, Reuters reported. The final size of the IPO could be different. The Charlotte, North Carolina-based company has been backed by Canadian private equity firm Onex Corp since October 2011. Onex currently has an 83 percent ownership interest in Jeld-Wen.
The private equity group of Brookfield Asset Management has wrapped up its fourth fund, raising US$4 billion earmarked for mid-market buyouts, turnarounds and other special situations. Brookfield Capital Partners IV’s total came in 14 percent above the fund’s original target of US$3.5 billion. BCP IV is Toronto-based Brookfield’s largest private equity fund to date, raising more money than all of its predecessors combined.
Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc received a joint takeover offer from Japan's Takeda Pharmaceutical Co Ltd and TPG Capital Management LP this spring that the Canadian specialty drug-maker rejected, a source told Reuters. Takeda and the U.S. private equity firm were ready to offer a substantial premium to Laval, Québec-based Valeant, whose stock had fallen about 65 percent this year up to the close of trade on April 22 as the drug-maker was not just seeking a new head but was also hit by an accounting scandal, the source added.
Australia's antitrust watchdog on Thursday raised fresh concerns about a planned A$9.1 billion (US$6.5 billion) takeover of rail and port giant Asciano Ltd, potentially forcing the Canadian-led buyout consortium to restructure the deal, Reuters reported. The buyout group, led by Canada's Brookfield Asset Management and including investors from China, the Middle East and Australia, may have to appease the regulator by offering to sell some assets. Brookfield struck a deal in March with Australian stevedoring company Qube Holdings Ltd to acquire Asciano and divide its ports and railways businesses among participating investors.
Video conferencing equipment maker Polycom Inc said on Monday it received a revised proposal from a private equity firm that could be "superior" to Mitel Networks Corp's offer, Reuters reported. San Jose, California-based Polycom, which agreed to be bought by Ottawa's Mitel for about US$1.96 billion in April, said it intends to engage in discussions with the private equity firm, identified as Sponsor 1.
Tony James, president and COO of Blackstone Group LP, will be one of the star attractions at next week’s annual conference of the Canadian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (CVCA). James, Blackstone’s No. 2 executive, will deliver the opening keynote address at the Toronto event on Wednesday, May 25th.