Credit/Special Situations
Centerbridge leads $352m restructuring of Australia-listed miner
Centerbridge Partners will support a $352 million restructuring plan for Boart Longyear, an Australia Securities Exchange-listed mining services provider that has struggled as falling commodities prices prompt a scaling back in exploration.
Avenue Capital bolsters Asia team ahead of planned fundraise
Avenue Capital Group has hired two executives from PAG – Anil Gorthy and Dan Galanter – to lead its Asia business, with a new regional fund planned for the coming year.
Japan's REVIC invests $10m in restaurant chain
The Regional Vitalization Corporation of Japan (REVIC) has invested JPY1 billion ($10 million) in Tokyo-listed restaurant chain Friendly.
NAB offloads $1b UK loan portfolio to Cerberus
The National Australia Bank (NAB) has agreed to sell a GBP625 million ($1 billion) portfolio of mostly distressed UK property loans to New York private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management.
Distress fundraising: In credit?
Whether disillusioned by the returns from conventional private equity or seeking to diversify their exposure, LPs are more open to Asia credit strategies. The returns are there, provided you pick the right strategy.
PAG buys Commerzbank’s Japanese real estate business
A PAG-led consortium has acquired a portfolio of around EUR700 million ($954 million) in primary subordinated loans held by Commerzbank’s Japan real estate subsidiary, plus local operations and staff.
China's Sailing, Sanpower buy bankrupt US retailer
Sailing Capital and Chinese retail conglomerate Sanpower Group have bought Brookstone, a US luxury-gadget retailer, for more than $173 million at a bankruptcy auction.
Clearwater in partial exit from India's Diamond Power Infra
Asia special situations investor Clearwater Capital Partners has part-exited India's Diamond Power Infrastructure by selling a 5.5% stake for INR271 million ($4.57 million) via an open market transaction.
Clearwater sells jack-up rig to Middle East buyer
Asia special situations investor Clearwater Capital Partners has sold a jack-up rig built in a Singapore shipyard to a drilling services partnership between the Saudi Arabian government and Schlumberger.
Japan Industrial Solutions invests $98m in Unitika
Turnaround specialist Japan Industrial Solutions (JIS) has agreed to acquire a stake in listed textiles manufacturer Unitika for JPY10 billion ($98 million).
Aion makes India breakthrough
The decisive victory recorded by new Prime Minister Narendra Modi in India’s general election has removed a lingering element of uncertainty regarding economic and foreign investment policy, but it cannot save companies from their past misdeeds.
LPs buy into SSG’s special sits story
Direct lending has gained traction among PE investors in Asia who see an opportunity to meet the capital needs of small businesses that are unable to tap conventional sources of financing. SSG Capital is keen to differentiate itself from the mainstream.
SSG raises $915m for Asia special situations fund
SSG Capital Partners has closed its third Asia special situations fund at the hard cap of $915 million after approximately five months in the market.
India to see rise in restructuring opportunities - PE survey
India will see a sharp increase of corporate restructurings over the next 12 months, driven by corporate debt and liquidity issues, according to a PE industry survey by global business advisory firm AlixPartbers.
RBI panel backs PE to buy up to 40% of distressed Indian banks
A panel appointed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to review banking industry governance has recommended that private equity firms, including sovereign wealth funds, be allowed to buy up to 40% of distressed lenders.
Aion reaches $825m final close on India distress fund
India's Aion Capital Partners - a joint venture formed by Apollo Global Management and ICICI Venture - has reached an $825 million final close on its maiden special situations fund.
Apollo, ICICI eye $750m close on India distress fund - report
ICICI Venture Funds Management, the private equity unit India's ICICI Bank, and US PE firm Apollo Global Management are expected to reach a $750 million final close a joint fund set up to focus on distress opportunities in India.
PE-invested mining services provider enters administration
The Anywhere Group (TAG), an Australian provider of temporary accommodation for the mining sector, has gone into administration owing Singapore-based PE firm Crest Capital Asia A$9.5 million ($8.4 million).
Australia distress: Sifting the strain
The low-hanging fruit created by the post-global financial crisis troubles of highly-leveraged Australian companies has mostly been picked. Distress investors are looking in smaller and less obvious places
KKR’s Kravis highlights India distress openings
KKR plans to capitalize on corporate indebtedness in India by investing in companies with distressed balance sheets that have difficulty raising capital through conventional channels, according to Henry Kravis, the private equity firm’s co-founder and...
India to allow LBOs for distressed assets
Indian banks will be allowed to support leveraged buyouts of distressed companies by “specialized entities” according to plans released by the Reserve Bank of India. Under a liberalized regulatory regime for asset sales, sector-specific private equity...
ASA calls for Billabong delay over Oaktree, Centerbridge deal
The Australian Shareholders Association (ASA) has called on Australian surf wear company Billabong International to delay a shareholder vote on a decision that could give PE creditors Oaktree Capital Management and Centerbridge Partners as much as 40.8%...
Contrarians bullish on India investment opportunities
Private equity players are upbeat on investment prospects in India, arguing that those looking to commit capital now will benefit when the country's weak economy eventually rebounds.
KKR reaches $2b final close on special situations fund
KKR has reached a final close of $2 billion on its KKR Special Situations Fund (KSSF), double its original target of $1 billion. It will make distressed and event-driven investments in Europe, Asia and North America.