Investments
India’s Flipkart raises $150m in fourth round of funding
Indian online retailer Flipkart has raised $150 million from existing investors Accel Partners and Tiger Global Management in its fourth round of funding.
Unitas backs Chinese casual dining chain Babela’s
Unitas Capital has invested $40 million in Chinese restaurant chain Babela’s Group, best known for operating an Italian-themed casual dining chain that has over 120 outlets in Shanghai and Beijing, as well as in tier-two and tier-three cities. The company...
Asian investors back eco-fuels producer LanzaTech
The Malaysian Life Sciences Capital Fund led a $55 million Series C round of financing for low-carbon fuels producer LanzaTech. Petronas Technology Ventures and Dialog Group, also Malaysian firms, participated in the round, as did existing investors Khosla...
Ashmore among the suitors for Milestone Capital – report
Milestone Capital, the Indian private equity firm set up by Ved Prakash Arya, who died last year, is attracting interest from Ashmore Investment Management as well as a clutch of local financial services players. Arya’s family are seeking around INR3...
CDB fails to land RBS aviation unit despite making highest bid
China Development Bank (CDB) made the highest bid for Royal Bank of Scotland’s aviation-leasing unit but lost out on the transaction due to concerns about its ability to close the deal. The asset was sold to Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG) for...
IL&FS signs off five real estate part-exits in 4Q
IL&FS Investment Managers (IIML) completed partial exits from five of its investments in Indian real estate in the fourth quarter of 2011. It also invested INR7.7 billion ($154 million) in the three months to December 2011.
SBI, Edelweiss create $100m India PIPE fund
SBI Holdings and Edelweiss Financial Services have agreed to set up a fund focused on investments in listed small and mid-cap companies in India. The vehicle, known as EW SBIH Crossover Fund and based in Mauritius, will have initial capital of $100 million,...
MCap-backed Jyothy Labs secures $110m loan
Jyothy Laboratories, the Indian consumer products maker backed by MCap Fund Advisors, has raised an INR5.5 billion ($110 million) loan to refinance its debt.
Lone Star wins approval for KEB sale
Embattled buyout firm Lone Star has finally gained approval from the necessary parties for the sale of its 51% stake in Korea Exchange Bank to Hana Financial Group.
Wolseley exits Freshmax to Maui Capital
Wolseley Private Equity has fully exited Australian fruit and vegetables supplier Freshmax through a secondary sale to Maui Capital, an Auckland-based private equity firm. The deal closed before the end of 2011, giving Wolseley enough time to return money...
GMR Infrastructure nears PE investment in roads business
GMR Infrastructure is close to sealing a INR6 billion ($120 million) private equity investment in its highways business, which will enable the company to finance a INR75 billion project it won last year to build a road between Ahmedabad and Kishangarh...
Advantage Partners to buy Japanese homebuilder
Advantage Partners will acquire Japanese homebuilder Yasuragi in a take-private transaction worth JPY13 billion ($166 million). The private equity firm has agreed to pay JPY627 per share for all outstanding shares in Yasuragi, a 60.8% premium on Thursday’s...
Comtec Solar to repurchase bonds from TPG for $77m
Chinese solar wafer manufacturer Comtec Solar will pay TPG Capital RMB491 million ($77 million) to repurchase convertible bonds and reduce its debt ratio.
Carlyle completes another China Pacific Insurance sell-down
The Carlyle Group has completed another sell-down of China Pacific Insurance Group, offloading 18 million shares and reducing its stake in the company to 4.94% from 5.15%. The private equity has now generated nearly $3.7 billion through four sales since...
SC Lowy in talks for $125m Kingfisher deal - report
Distressed debt specialist SC Lowy is said to be in talks with India’s second-largest airline, Kingfisher, about a possible $125 million investment.
Vogo expects strong returns on full exit from Tong Yang Life - Update
Vogo Investment expects to see an IRR of at least 20% on its initial investment in Tong Yang Life Insurance as negotiations with potential strategic buyers near a close. The private equity firm is seeking to exit 60.7% of its 64% stake in the business...
CHAMP PE-backed Accolade Wines in China acquisition
Accolade Wines, a portfolio company of CHAMP Private Equity, has purchased a majority stake in Chinese wine distribution business Shanghai CWC Wine Trading. The acquisition is intended to serve as a platform for Accolade’s expansion into the fast-growing...
Red Fort closes second real estate fund at $500m target
Red Fort Capital has completed a final close of its second real estate fund at $500 million, coming mere weeks after the firm said it was targeting this amount from investors.
Olympus invests $100m in DM Healthcare, India Value Fund exits
Olympus Capital Asia Investments has invested more than INR5 billion ($100 million) for a minority stake in DM Healthcare, in a deal which enabled existing investor India Value Fund to exit the company.
Nalanda Capital boosts stake in Indian pipe manufacturer
Nalanda Capital, the Singapore-based private equity firm set up by Pulak Prasad, former managing director at Warburg Pincus India, has increased its holding in Ratnamani Metals & Tubes. The company manufactures piping for use in a wide range of industries.
Mandala Capital in JV with Australia’s Water Resources Group
Mandala Capital, a South Asia private equity firm that invests in the agricultural sector, has entered into a joint venture with Australia’s Water Resources Group that will target the desalination opportunities in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Baring backs China’s Ambow Education
Baring Private Equity Asia is no newcomer to the education sector. The private equity firm’s portfolio currently includes four assets in the private tutoring space and it added a fifth last week following the purchase of a stake in Ambow Education Holding...
Dunkin’ Donuts exit reflects consumer appeal
Fast food is a popular commodity among private equity investors in Southeast Asia who are drawn to any asset that could be interpreted a play on rising regional consumption.
IPO woes: Looking for an exit
With the public markets all but closed for IPOs, what other exit routes are available to investors?