Investments
Japanese volatility prompts firms to change course
In light of the market volatility prompted by last week’s devastating 9.0-magnitude earthquake in Japan, the plans of at least two private equity-related companies have been delayed to await a more stable business environment.
General Mills to acquire Yoplait stake - reports
The months’ long competition for 50% ownership of global yogurt brand Yoplait is reportedly reaching its end, with industry giant General Mills said to have sealed the acquisition deal for $2.2 billion, besting rivals including PE players and China’s...
RaQualia Pharma postpones Japan IPO
Private equity-backed RaQualia Pharma Inc., an Aichi-based specialized marketing and intellectual property firm servicing the pharmaceutical industry, has announced the postponement of its IPO onto the Osaka Stock Exchange JASDAQ Growth Market due to...
Mizuho Financial Group consolidates its affiliates
Mizuho Financial Group (MHFG), Japan’s second largest financial group, is to acquire the remaining shares it does not own in each of its affiliate companies - including Mizuho Trust Banking Co., Mizuho Securities Co., Mizuho Invester Securities Co., Mizuho...
Foster's to decide on wine business' future
Australia’s Foster’s Group is to vote on the potential spin out of its multi-billion-dollar wine business in a move that may finally give private equity players a chance at the asset.
Goldman Sachs acquires Indian hedge fund
Goldman Sachs Asset Management is set to acquire 10-year-old Indian hedge fund manager Benchmark Asset Management Co. in a move that bolsters its holdings in the market.
PE to buy Japanese restaurant chain
US private equity firm Bain Capital has emerged as a potential buyer for Skylark Co, a restaurant chain operator in Japan, which is being sold by Nomura Principal Finance, the investment arm of Japanese securities group Nomura Holdings, which currently...
Carlyle gets okay on unfortunately timed Nikkei listing
AvanSrate Inc., an LCD glass manufacturer controlled by US private equity giant The Carlyle Group, has just been approved to list on The Tokyo Stock Exchange as of the 12th of April.
Unitas, CCMP to list UK vacuum firm
Asian-based Unitas Capital, with co-investor CCMP Capital, has submitted listing filings for British vacuum brand Edwards Group, coming 43 years after the company was first taken private.
TPG finally takes control of Vishal Retail
Six months after TPG received the go-ahead to acquire the wholesale unit of distressed Indian superstore chain Vishal Retail, the PE firm has reportedly taken control of the asset, further seeing its investee Shriram Group acquiring a separate part of...
KKR puts MMI listing on hold – reports
Less than one month after news surfaced of KKR’s ambition to offload Singaporean engineering firm MMI Holdings via an IPO onto the Singapore Exchange, the PE major has reportedly cancelled its plans for a listing.
Ant sells Vario Secure to trade buyer
Ant Capital Partners will sell its fully owned portfolio company, Vario Secure Networks Inc., providers of network security services. The sale is valued at JPY 6.7 billion($81 million), and the asset will be bought by 1st Holdings, the Japanese software...
Bain could buy Skylark in Japan
US-private equity firm Bain Capital has emerged as a potential buyer of Skylark Co, a restaurant chain operator in Japan, from Nomura Principal Finance, the investment arm of Japanese securities group Nomura Holdings, which currently owns 78.6 % of the...
TPG looking at 8x return on Shriram Transport
TPG is reportedly looking to exit its stake in Shriram Transport Finance Co. (STFC), touted as India’s largest commercial vehicle lender, for as much as $1 billion, 8x its initial investment.
Standard Chartered PE makes another Indian exit - reports
Standard Chartered Private Equity-backed energy generator producer Powerica Ltd. has reportedly targeted $200 million for its upcoming June IPO, coming as the latest of Standard Chartered’s exits in the Indian market
SBI-Macquarie, Standard Chartered among GMR Airport investors
GMR Airport Holdings, a unit of Bangalore-based GMR Infrastructure - which operates two of India’s major airports - is reportedly set to receive INR15 billion ($333 million) from SBI-Macquarie, Standard Chartered Private Equity and a third unnamed PE...
StanChart invests in Indian chemicals group
Standard Chartered Private Equity, Limited (SCPEL), the private equity arm of UK’s banking Group Standard Chartered, will invest an INR850million ($18.9 million) in Privi Organics, a leading manufacturer, supplier and exporter of aroma chemicals in India,...
EQT exits blood transfusion company
European private equity firm EQT Partners has exited the blood transfusion unit of Swedish medical technology company Gambro to leading Japanese medical group Terumo Co., for $2.6 billion.
Sequoia exits Chinese retailers to SINA
A statement by SINA, one of China’s largest online media and mobile companies, has confirmed that the group and its parent company, DongXiang, are purchasing approximately 19% of the share capital of Nasdaq-listed Mecox Lane, an online retailer of clothing...
CVC-backed Nine Entertainment sells CarSales.com stake
CVC Capital Partners Asia Pacific-owned Australian TV network Nine Entertainment has sold its 49% stake in CarSales.com for a reported A$565.5 million ($569 million) to institutional investors - a move that has spurred questions about Nine’s planned IPO,...
Marunouchi Capital takes over Seijo Ishii in Japan
Tokyo-based Marunouchi Capital, a joint venture equally owned by Japanese conglomerate Mitsubishi Corp and Mitsubishi UFJ Securities, has announced it will take over the entire share capital of Seijo Ishii Co., a high-end supermarket operator in Tokyo,...
Mizuho Capital to exit Vantec in $655m deal
Hitachi Transport System Co., Ltd., a listed logistics unit of Japanese electronics maker Hitachi Group, will launch a TOB to acquire a 100% stake in Vantec Group Holding co., Ltd.
CHAMP Ventures exits TSmarine
CHAMP Ventures last week completed its first foray into the gas and oil sector, finalizing the sale of TSM Group Holdings Pty Ltd. and its subsidiaries (collectively TSmarine) to Fugro Holdings Australia Pty Ltd.
Hoyts' IPO delay highlights industry anxiety
Australia experienced an especially difficult year for IPOs in 2010. News throughout the year of delays and abandoned listing plans were consistently attributed to inclement market conditions, while trade sales seemed the only exit option. Yet, despite...