Managers
Private equity house Key Capital Partners (KCP) has exited its interest in Gear4Music, selling its remaining shares for GBP9 million, which combined with earlier partial exits has generated a five times return on investment.
The GBP55 million turnover online musical instrument retailer has seen growth in recent years following KCP’s backing in 2012 when it took a 30 per cent stake in the company.
Established in 2003 and based in York where it has a showroom and distribution centre, Gear4Music is an online seller of musical instruments including guitars, drum kits, digital pianos, saxophones and cellos, plus recording and
Neuberger Berman has closed the NB Private Debt Fund II with USD750 million of limited partner commitments.
The fund seeks to invest in the junior debt of private equity-backed companies, including unitranche loans, second lien loans, and mezzanine debt securities.
Including the fund, Neuberger Berman manages approximately USD2.3 billion of committed capital focused on investing in the credits of private-equity backed companies in both the primary issuance market and through secondary purchases. The average investment size across the business is between USD50 million and USD100 million.
The fund’s global investor base is comprised of more than 25 institutions,
Preqin’s latest update on private equity reports that 2015 witnessed record levels of capital distributions (USD443 billion), surpassing that of the previous record high in 2014, when fund managers return USD424 billion to investors.
2015 also marks the fifth consecutive year in which capital distributions outstripped capital calls, Preqin writes. With these high levels of distributions currently seen in the industry, it seems that investors are still committed to the asset class: over half (56 per cent) of investors active in private equity are planning to increase their allocation in the longer term.
“Furthermore, private equity dry powder continues
Baird Capital’s UK-headquartered BCPE II portfolio company SGX Sensortech has completed the sale of its Air Quality Sensors (AQS) division to US-based Amphenol Corporation.
Baird Capital invested in SGX Sensortech in 2012 as part of an investment initiative targeting safety products.
AQS manufactures and supplies advanced gas sensing products for automotive, industrial and indoor air quality applications. The company's product portfolio includes MEMS, infra-red and pellistor based technologies. From its manufacturing facilities in Switzerland and Poland, the company serves a global customer base of blue chip OEMs and tier 1 suppliers across its core markets.
During Baird Capital's
Clarus Risk, an institutional risk solutions firm, is to acquire the private equity risk measurement practice and methodologies of Laven Partners, a consultancy and regulatory software publisher servicing the financial services industry.
The deal, completed on 5 October 2016, will see Laven Partners offer compliance and due diligence solutions to Clarus Risk’s client base.
The deal enables Laven Partners to continue focusing on innovation for its compliance and due diligence offering including the development of its regulatory technology software. Its risk clients will benefit from the risk reporting solution RiskMonitor, which Clarus Risk has been developing since its inception
Cinven has agreed the sale of Avio Space Propulsion, an international operator in space launchers and space propulsion, to Space2 and Leonardo-Finmeccanica together with Avio’s management.
This represents a full realisation for Cinven from its shareholding in Avio Group.
Cinven originally acquired Avio from Carlyle in December 2006, alongside Finmeccanica as a minority shareholder, for EUR2.57 billion.
At the time of the acquisition, the group comprised both aviation and space businesses.
Avio’s aviation business was sold to GE in August 2013 for a total consideration of EUR3.3 billion, generating around EUR1 billion of value for the fourth
Centaur Fund Services has launched an enhanced fund services offering, which focuses on providing services to funds specialising in private equity, real estate, venture capital and fund of private equity strategies.
The announcement comes in response to a dramatic rise in the number of private equity firms outsourcing the administration of their operations. This trend is driven by many factors, such as an increased regulatory environment, more complex structures and market pressure on firms to deliver better reporting.
Centaur’s private equity team customises its service to meet the needs of each client, considering the legal structure, investment
Technology distributor Avnet has completed its acquisition of Premier Farnell in an all cash merger for GBP1.85 per share, which equates to an equity value of approximately GBP691 million.
The acquisition was approved by Premier Farnell shareholders representing 99.9 per cent of the votes cast and has received all regulatory approvals.
The transaction is expected to be immediately accretive to earnings and, once the integration is complete, generate annual synergies of approximately USD70 million to USD80 million.
"The combination of Premier Farnell with Avnet's components business will create a truly unique distribution model that supports customers at every
Polaris has sold Car-O-Liner, a provider of hardware, software and training to equipment manufacturers and repair shops, to Snap-On.
Polaris acquired Car-O-Liner in 2012 and since then the company has developed from being a system provider to being a partner to equipment manufacturers and repair shops all over the world.
Via distributors and their own sales companies, Car-O-Liner is represented in more than 70 countries. The head office is located in Gothenburg, Sweden.
With Polaris as its owner, the company has seen a period of rapid expansion while simultaneously strengthening its position in the US and China. The
Monroe Capital has acted as sole lead arranger and administrative agent on the funding of a USD32.5 million senior credit facility to support the acquisition of Forman Mills by private equity sponsor Goode Partners.
Based in Pennsauken, New Jersey, Forman Mills owns and operates 36 stores in nine states.
Founded in 1985, the company sells off-price apparel and footwear for men, women, and children, as well as home goods.
The funding will support continued store expansion and invest in the company’s infrastructure to accelerate growth.
Events
12 November, 2026 – 8:00 am
12 November, 2026 – 5:00 pm
