Investments
Buy, buy, buy
While official data out of the PRC varies, most market observers report increasing M&A activity in all segments of the market. Consensus is this will continue for the foreseeable future, and that private equity will want to be more involved
An industry still standing
Just one month before the annual event of the cherry blossoms would make Japan one of the most beautiful countries in the world, a 9.0 earthquake hit east of Honshu on March 11, giving rise to a tsunami estimated about 14 meters height and further leading...
Malaysian funds swap Apollo Hospital stakes
Malaysian sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional Bhd has invested INR470 crore ($104 million) in leading Indian healthcare chain Apollo Hospitals, taking a 8.82 % stake from Bisikan Bayu Investments, another Malaysian government fund.
CVC invests $269 million in Indonesian media group
European private equity firm CVC Capital Partners will invest 2.35 trillion rupiah ($269 million) in the cable TV and internet units of Jakarta-based media group PT First Media, taking a strategic partnership position, the company announced.
AXA buys CBs in China funeral services company
AXA Direct Asia II, LP, has announced in a filing with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, that it will pay $12.5 million to subscribe to zero coupon convertible bonds of Sage International, a Chinese company engaged in funeral services. The bonds can be converted...
Khazanah may sell Pos stake
Malaysian sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional Bhd. is reportedly looking to offload its 32.2% stake in Pos Malaysia Bhd., a Malay postal services company, by April 12.
Walden International invests in Indian loan portal
VC firm Walden International has reportedly invested $6 million in A&A Dukaan Financial Services Pvt Ltd., the parent of Indian loan and insurance quotation website BankBazaar.com, as part of a second round of funding.
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,...