Allocations
The US restaurant industry is beginning to sizzle, according to the 23rd edition of the Chain Restaurant Industry Review, which was released at the Restaurant Leadership Conference by GE Capital, Franchise Finance (GEFF).
Merger and acquisition activity increased to USD3.9bn from USD3.7bn, and the total volume of syndicated leveraged loans in the restaurant space increased almost 21 per cent last year.
In a sign that the American consumer was feeling more confident about disposable income levels, nominal restaurant sales rose 4.2 per cent to USD425.6bn in 2012. Sales are projected to increase 3.8 per cent to USD441.9bn this
A consortium comprising The Carlyle Group, Stone Point Capital and Pictet & Cie – on behalf of certain of its clients – and funds managed by Edmond de Rothschild Group, has completed its acquisition of Duff & Phelps in all-cash transaction valued at approximately USD665.5m.
The transaction was approved by the company’s stockholders at a special meeting of stockholders held 22 April 2013.
Pursuant to the terms of the merger agreement, the company’s Class A stockholders are entitled to receive USD15.55 per share of Class A common stock in cash without interest. As a result of the merger,
AXA Private Equity’s Kallista platform, an independent French producer of wind energy, is to acquire two wind farms from a company of the London-based Group HgCapital.
This acquisition, which is subject to certain conditions precedent, adds a production capacity of 23MW, bringing Kallista’s total capacity to 321 MW, making it the third biggest producer of wind energy in France.
The Enercon facilities in Bougainville and Saint-André, both located in Picardie (France), close to existing Kallista farms, will enable the company to diversify its technological mix with the introduction of a new turbine supplier. Kallista is active in both
Golden Gate Capital is to acquire Springs Window Fashions, the second largest provider of custom window covering products in the world, from Heartland Industrial Partners and interests of the Close Family.
Terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.
Headquartered in Middleton, Wisconsin, Springs manufactures and sells custom and stock window coverings and drapery hardware to retail and commercial customers, as well as independent designers, franchisors and decorators. The company was founded in 1939 and has over 4,800 employees located at nine facilities located throughout North America. Springs’ management will remain with the company and will continue to
Blackstone is to acquire Strategic Partners, Credit Suisse’s dedicated secondary private equity business with USD9bn in assets under management.
The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close by the end of the third quarter 2013. The terms of the deal have not been disclosed.
Tony James (pictured), president and chief operating officer of Blackstone, says: “We are thrilled that the people of Strategic Partners are joining Blackstone. Many of us here at Blackstone were once colleagues of the Strategic Partners team, and this gives us high confidence that it will be a seamless
Cross-border M&A remains high on the agenda for companies around the world according to a survey of 350 senior executives across high-growth and developed markets.
Nearly half of those surveyed, including more than 275 M&A strategists based in high growth or emerging markets, expect their company’s appetite for cross-border M&A to increase over the next two years. Companies from developing markets are also becoming increasingly adventurous in their M&A strategies.
The report, Opportunities Across High-Growth Markets: Trends in Cross-Border M&A, is based on a survey conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) on behalf of Baker & McKenzie.
Aquiline Capital Partners, a New York-based private equity firm investing in financial services, has completed the acquisition of Equity Insurance Group, a motor insurer based in the UK.
It was purchased from Insurance Australia Group (IAG). Equity Insurance Group includes motor insurer Equity Red Star and Equity Syndicate Management Ltd (ESML), with its associated Syndicate 218 at Lloyd’s, as well as the broking business Equity Direct Broking.
The largest motor insurance syndicate at Lloyd’s, Equity Insurance Group is one of the ten largest motor insurers in the UK and has been insuring commercial and individual customers for more
Bowmark Capital, the mid-market private equity firm, is backing the GBP30m management buy-out and expansion financing of Drake & Morgan, a London-based bar-restaurant group.
Drake & Morgan was founded in 2008 by the Imbiba Partnership, the specialist bar and restaurant investment partnership, and managing director Jillian MacLean, a leisure entrepreneur who has over 20 years’ experience in the hospitality industry.
The vision was to create an innovative new chain of bar-restaurants in London that combined a stylish, accessible and “female-friendly” environment with a unique all-day food and drink offering.
Since opening its first site, The Refinery, in
Leeds-based Help-Link, the only central heating specialist apart from British Gas to work throughout the whole of the UK, has completed a deal with NorthEdge Capital, a private equity firm.
The business, which started 15 years ago as four men in vans, has built its growth on making it simpler and more affordable for households on a budget to acquire a new boiler. Over the past year the firm has fitted 25,000 new boilers and this will rise to 40,000 over the next 12 months using 300 teams of engineers.
The deal will enable the firm to increase
JTC Group, a provider of private wealth, corporate, employee benefit and fund administration services, has acquired Ardel Fund Services Limited (AFSL), a Guernsey-based third party fund administration provider.
The move significantly boosts JTC’s numbers in this jurisdiction adding specialist fund expertise both locally and for the group.
AFSL, formerly Bachmann Fund Administration, was established in Guernsey in 1993. The team administers investment funds across a variety of asset classes, using a wide range of fund structures: both open and closed-ended companies, unit trusts and limited partnerships, including entities listed on the London Stock Exchange’s Main Market and Alternative Investment
Events
12 November, 2026 – 8:00 am
12 November, 2026 – 5:00 pm
