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☆ NASA shuts down $2 billion satellite refueling project after contractor Maxar is criticized for poor performance
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

NASA is shutting down a $2 billion project to test satellite refueling in space, it announced Friday, after the agency's auditor criticized the program's lead contractor, Maxar, citing "poor performance." The space agency said in a statement that the OSAM-1 — On-orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing 1 — project was being discontinued after nearly a decade of work. NASA did not respond to CNBC's request for comment on how many personnel will be affected as a result of OSAM-1's cancellation. Maxar was taken private by private equity firm Advent International in May 2023 before being split into two businesses: Maxar Intelligence, focused on satellite imagery and analytics, and Maxar Space Systems, focused on spacecraft manufacturing. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland was leading the work on OSAM-1, with Maxar Space Systems as the project's prime contractor under multiple deals.

Persons: Eric Glass, Maxar, NASA's, Goddard, General Organizations: NASA, Space Systems, CNBC, International, Maxar Intelligence, Systems, NASA's Goddard Space Flight, Maxar, U.S, Northrop Locations: Maryland, Goddard

☆ Advent to buy UK payments firm myPOS valued at over $500 million
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Amy-Jo Crowley | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Advent International has signed a deal to buy payments firm myPOS as part of the London-based buyout group's latest push into digital payments, director Fabio Cali told Reuters. The acquisition is expected to value myPOS at around 500 million euros ($542.15 million), two people familiar with the matter told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity. The payments sector has had a run of transactions recently. SumUp said last year it had raised 590 million euros in a funding round led by Bain Capital Tech Opportunities. The company is targeting a revenue run rate of 100 million euros this year, one of the people said.

Persons: Fabio Cali, SumUp, JP Morgan, PayPal Zettle, Christo Georgiev, Georgiev, Amy, Jo Crowley, Jane Merriman Organizations: Reuters, Bain Capital Tech, PayPal, House, Thomson Locations: London, Cali, Athens, Europe

CCC shares jumped on the news in afterhours trading in New York on Friday, rising 8.6% to $12.50. Founded in 1980, CCC provides software to 35,0000 companies involved in automotive claims and collision repair, including insurance firms, parts suppliers and car manufacturers. Advent, which acquired CCC from private equity firms TPG Inc (TPG.O) and Leonard Green & Partners in 2017, took CCC public through a merger with a blank-check company in 2021 at a $6.5 billion equity valuation. CCC shares have risen 32% year-to-date, more than the broader market but less than the S&P 500 software application index, which has risen 43%. CCC suffered from a drop in car insurance claims during the COVID-19 pandemic but has since seen business gradually recover.

Persons: Morgan Stanley, Leonard Green, Milana Vinn, Diane Craft Organizations: Intelligent Solutions Holdings Inc, Investment, TPG Inc, Leonard Green & Partners, CCC, Thomson Locations: New York

NEW YORK, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Barclays (BARC.L) said on Thursday it has hired two senior bankers for its financial sponsors group to oversee relationships with private equity clients. The British lender appointed Tom Vignon as a managing director in the financial sponsors group for the Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region, it said in a statement. Christian Oberle also joined Barclays as the head of its financial sponsors group in the Americas, the bank said. Oberle previously worked as a senior managing director at JPMorgan Chase (JPM.N), where he served clients including Apollo Global Management and Advent International. In recent months, the bank has appointed new leaders from within its ranks, including global co-heads of capital markets, debt capital markets and equity markets and a sole head of equity capital markets.

Persons: Tom Vignon, Vignon, Christian Oberle, Oberle, Jean, Francois Astier, Taylor Wright, Cathal Deasy, Lananh Nguyen, Rashmi Organizations: Barclays, Credit Suisse, Christian, Reuters, JPMorgan Chase, Apollo Global Management, Advent, UBS, Jefferies, Thomson Locations: Europe, East, Africa, Americas, New York

☆ Nestle buys majority stake in Brazilian premium chocolate maker
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsZURICH, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Nestle (NESN.S) is buying a majority stake in Brazilian premium chocolate maker Grupo CRM, the Swiss food group said on Thursday. Grupo CRM operates a direct-to-consumer model, with more than 1,000 chocolate boutiques under the Kopenhagen and Brasil Cacau brands and a strong, growing online presence, Nestle said. The executive has been with the company for 25 years and has built up and significantly expanded Grupo CRM, which currently only operates in Brazil. In June, Brazilian competition regulator Cade approved Nestle's acquisition of Chocolates Garoto more than 20 years after it was first announced. Among the conditions for the approval, the company agreed not to make any acquisitions that account for at least 5% of the Brazilian chocolate market for five years.

Persons: Arnd, Nestle, Valor Economico, Renata Moraes Vichi, Laurent Freixe, Cade, John Revill, Friederike Heine, Janane Organizations: Nestle, REUTERS, Rights, Grupo CRM, Brasil, Advent International, Valor, Grupo, Thomson Locations: Konolfingen, Switzerland, Swiss, Brazil

☆ Factbox: Subway to sell itself to Roark Capital
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Thomas White/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsAug 24 (Reuters) - Roark Capital snapped up Subway in a $9.55 billion deal, sources said on Thursday, after it outbid several private-equity groups. The pair then started franchising Subway restaurants, with the first outlet outside of Connecticut being opened in Massachusetts a year later. For 2022, Subway posted a 9.2% year-over-year increase in same-store sales, thanks to its "Subway Series" menu - a lineup of 12 new signature sandwiches. In March, Goldman Sachs' (GS.N) asset management arm, PE firms Bain Capital, TPG, TDR Capital, Advent International and Roark Capital emerged among the list of suitors for the sandwich chain. Reuters reported earlier this week, citing sources that Roark Capital was in the lead to acquire the chain for well over $9 billion after attaching conditions to some of the windfall the two families that own it would get.

Persons: Thomas White, Roark Capital, Fred DeLuca, Peter Buck, DeLuca, Buck, Arby's, Quiznos, Burger, Jared Fogle, Chidsey, John Chidsey, Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Roark, Deborah Sophia, Granth Vanaik, Varun, Anil D'Silva Organizations: REUTERS, Subway, KFC, Bain Capital, TPG, TDR, Advent International, Roark Capital, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Bridgeport , Connecticut, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Bahrain, Subway, United States, Burger, U.S, North America, Bengaluru

Aug 24 - Subway has agreed to sell itself to private equity firm Roark Capital in a deal valuing the sandwich chain at more than $9 billion, sources said, ending a long-drawn auction that saw several bids from buyout firms. The deal will make Roark Capital one of the largest restaurant operators in the world. It controls Inspire Brands, the owner of restaurant chains including Jimmy John's, Arby's, Baskin-Robbins and Buffalo Wild Wings. Subway said in February it was exploring a possible sale, drawing interest from private equity firms including Roark, Advent International, TDR Capital and TPG as well as Goldman Sachs' asset management arm. The restaurant chain had then hoped to fetch more than $10 billion, owing to its strong brand and international business.

Persons: Roark, Jimmy John's, Neil Saunders, GlobalData, Goldman Sachs, Anirban Sen, Deborah Sophia, Arun Koyyur Organizations: Roark Capital, TDR, Sycamore Partners, Brands, Baskin, Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Subway, Advent, TDR Capital, TPG, Thomson Locations: U.S, North America, New York, Bengaluru

These conditions, known as an earn-out, defer payment on part of the deal consideration, the sources familiar with the matter said. The arrangement helped bridge a gap in the valuation expectations between Roark Capital and the DeLuca and Buck families that own Subway, according to the sources. The deal will make Roark Capital one of the largest restaurant operators in the world. Subway said in February it was exploring a possible sale, drawing interest from private equity firms including Roark, Advent International, TDR Capital and TPG as well as Goldman Sachs' asset management arm. Roark and Subway have 12 months to close the deal, which has a 4% breakup fee, sources said.

Persons: Roark, DeLuca, Buck, Jimmy John's, Neil Saunders, GlobalData, Goldman Sachs, Anirban Sen, Abigail Summerville, Deborah Sophia, Arun Koyyur Organizations: Roark Capital, TDR, Sycamore Partners, Brands, Baskin, Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Subway, Advent, TDR Capital, TPG, Thomson Locations: U.S, North America, New York, Bengaluru

Signage and cars are displayed in honor of SentinelOne, a cybersecurity firm’s IPO, outside the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., June 30, 2021. SentinelOne has hired investment bank Qatalyst Partners to advise on discussions with potential acquirers, including private equity firms, the sources said. Private equity firms have been prolific investors in the cybersecurity sector. In November 2021, an investor consortium led by private equity firm Advent International acquired McAfee Corp for $14 billion. Tech-focused private equity firm Thoma Bravo has also been a serial acquirer in the sector, having bought Ping Identity, ForgeRock, Sailpoint Technologies and Magnet Forensics Inc, among others.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, SentinelOne, Qatalyst, SentinelOne's, Daniel Loeb's, Morgan Stanley, Thoma, Milana Vinn, Anirban Sen, Conor Humphries, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, SentinelOne, Qatalyst Partners, CrowdStrike Holdings, U.S ., Tiger Global, Sequoia Capital, Insight Partners, Redpoint Ventures, Advent International, McAfee Corp, Tech, Thoma Bravo, Sailpoint Technologies, Magnet Forensics, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, View , California, New York, Israel, cybersecurity

☆ Carlyle Group stake purchase values Quest Global at $2 bln, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Kane Wu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Quest Global investors Bain Capital and Advent International will exit in the transaction, while Quest Global will repurchase its own shares, Carlyle said in a statement. Ajit Prabhu, chairman and CEO of Quest Global, will acquire an additional stake, Carlyle said. Representatives for Bain Capital, Advent and Quest Global declined to comment on Quest Global's valuation in the deal. Established more than 25 years ago, Quest Global focuses on engineering, research and development services for the design, product development and operations of complex engineering systems. In 2016, Bain Capital and Advent, together with Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC Pte Ltd (GIC.UL), jointly bought a minority stake in Quest Global for $350 million.

Persons: Carlyle, Issei Kato, HONG KONG, Ajit Prabhu, GIC, Kane Wu, Yantoultra Ngui, Jason Neely, Mark Potter Organizations: REUTERS, Carlyle Group, Quest Global Services, Global, Quest Global, Bain Capital, Advent, Quest, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, HONG, Singapore, Asia, Hong Kong

[1/2] The Subway restaurant logo is seen on a napkin in this illustration photo August 30, 2017. Subway expects to fetch well over $9 billion in a deal, and it remains uncertain whether TDR and Sycamore can meet its price expectations, the sources said. Private equity firm Advent International, which had teamed up with Goldman Sachs Asset Management on a bid for Subway, has dropped out of the process, the sources said. Goldman Sachs (GS.N) may decide to team up with one of the other bidders, the sources added. Subway, Roark and TDR did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Persons: Thomas White, Goldman Sachs, Roark, Jimmy John's, Jimmy John’s, TDR, Fred DeLuca, Peter Buck, Anirban Sen, Abigail Summerville, Nick Zieminski Organizations: REUTERS, TDR Capital, Sycamore Partners, Roark Capital, International, Goldman Sachs, Management, Subway, Bloomberg News, JPMorgan Chase &, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Sycamore, Champaign , Illinois, Milford , Connecticut, Bridgeport , Connecticut, The Milford , Connecticut, U.S, New York

July 26 (Reuters) - Private equity firms Haveli Investments and General Atlantic have agreed to acquire business software vendor Certinia from Advent International for nearly $1 billion including debt, according to people familiar with the matter. Haveli, which was launched by former Vista Equity Partners president Brian Sheth, and General Atlantic will buy Advent's majority stake in Certinia as well as a minority stake held by Technology Crossover Ventures (TCV), the sources said. Haveli, General Atlantic and Advent declined to comment. Austin, Texas-based Haveli has invested in some technology ventures since it was launched by Sheth in 2021. Haveli has launched a fund seeking more than $3 billion for software deals, which will include this one.

Persons: Brian Sheth, Salesforce, Milana Vinn, Anirban Sen, Jamie Freed Organizations: Haveli Investments, General Atlantic, Advent International, Vista Equity Partners, Technology Crossover Ventures, Certinia, Siemens, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Cisco Systems, Philips, Sheth, Haveli, Apollo Global Management, Thomson Locations: Certinia, Haveli, General, Jose , California, Austin , Texas, New York

Worldpay comprises the bulk of the FIS merchant business, which processes payments for companies. GTCR's offer prevailed over Advent International, another buyout firm that was also vying for the business, the sources said. If the negotiations conclude successfully in the coming days, FIS plans to keep a minority stake in the business, the sources said. FIS, which started in 1968 and serves big financial services corporations, has cut thousands of jobs since the review began. Chicago-based GTCR manages more than $35 billion in assets and invests across sectors, including financial services.

Persons: GTCR, Johnson, Kellogg, Shaw, Jana, Anirban Sen, David French, Milana, Greg Roumeliotis, Richard Chang Organizations: YORK, GTCR, Fidelity National Information Services, FIS, International, Financial Times, General Electric Co, Toshiba Corp, Jana Partners, Reuters, Black Knight Inc, Global, Service, Thomson Locations: Worldpay, Jacksonville , Florida, Chicago, New York

☆ Mediobanca buys Arma Partners to boost tech advisory offer
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Valentina Za | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The acquisition, which Mediobanca expects to boost its fee income by 10%, comes ahead of a new three-year strategy CEO Alberto Nagel will unveil on May 24. In the same year, it advised Germany's Aareal Bank (ARLG.DE) on the sale of a stake in its $1.1 billion software unit Aareon to Advent International. The deal will boost earnings per share, based on last year's figures, Mediobanca said, without elaborating. With 86 staff and some $100 million in yearly revenue, Arma was founded in 2003 by Paul-Noël Guély, a former head of software and services investment banking at Goldman Sachs. Arma has offices also in Munich, a U.S. presence and a network of affiliated advisory firms in Japan, Australia, Israel, Turkey and Brazil.

☆ Investment consortium to buy Syneos Health in $7.1 bln deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 10 (Reuters) - An investment consortium, comprising of Elliott Investment Management, Patient Square Capital and Veritas Capital, has agreed to buy Syneos Health Inc (SYNH.O), in a deal valued at $7.1 billion, including debt, the contract research firm said on Wednesday. Syneos said the consortium will pay about $43 per share in cash, which represents a premium of about 12% to the company's last close of $38.45. The deal comes at a time when Syneos faces challenges in winning new business, as many of its clients, which includes medium-sized biotechs, have cut spending as they have found it difficult to raise funding in a post-COVID-19 market downturn. Deal comes days after a private-equity groups including Warburg Pincus and Advent International agreed to buy Baxter International (BAX.N) biopharma solutions unit for $4.25 billion. Reporting by Bhanvi Satija and Khushi Mandowara in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh KuberOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Investment consortium to take Syneos private for $4.46 billion
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 10 (Reuters) - An investment consortium, comprising of Elliott Investment Management, Patient Square Capital and Veritas Capital, has agreed to take Syneos Health Inc (SYNH.O) private for $4.46 billion, the contract research firm said on Wednesday. Syneos said the consortium will pay about $43 per share in cash, which represents a premium of about 12% to the company's last close of $38.45. The acquisition is valued at $7.1 billion including debt. Syneos, which helps pharmaceutical companies with clinical trials and marketing their drugs, currently carries a debt of nearly $3 billion. The company reported a total backlog of contracts of $9.83 billion, as of March 31, 2023, down from $11.63 billion at the end of the first quarter of 2022.

☆ Baxter Selling Biopharma-Solutions Arm for $4.25 Billion
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Colin Kellaher | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Baxter expects net after-tax proceeds of about $3.4 billion from the sale. Photo: Kristoffer Tripplaar/Sipa USA/Associated PressBaxter International on Monday said it agreed to sell its biopharma-solutions unit for $4.25 billion, as the medical-products maker continues to streamline its focus. The Deerfield, Ill.-based company is selling the unit to private-equity firms Advent International and Warburg Pincus .

The buyout consortium has turned to other private equity firms to help fund the deal as direct lenders, one of the sources added. There is no certainty that Warburg Pincus and Advent will successfully complete negotiations to acquire the unit and Baxter may still opt to sell to another bidder or keep the business, according to the sources. Baxter, Warburg and Advent did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Baxter's biopharma solutions unit supports drugmakers in the formulation, development and commercialization of drugs typically given by infusion or injection, such as biologics and vaccines. The company said dialysis operations, which are a part of Baxter's renal care unit, had become a drag on its margin.

☆ Subway comes up with $5 billion debt plan to clinch $10 billion-plus sale, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

This is weighing on how much the private equity firms are offering to buy companies. So far, bids for Subway have ranged between $8.5 billion and $10 billion, one of the sources said. Barclays, a major player in the market for WBS financing, is one of the banks in discussions about long-term financing, the sources said. JPMorgan's financing package also offers the option of a preferred equity component with a roughly 15% interest rate, the sources said. This is a more expensive route that private equity firms may not opt for, three of the sources added.

This is weighing on how much the private equity firms are offering to buy companies. So far, bids for Subway have ranged between $8.5 billion and $10 billion, one of the sources said. This is a more expensive route that private equity firms may not opt for, three of the sources added. To be sure, Subway is allowing bidders to use any financing route they want, as long as they can show they can secure committed financing. TPG and Bain were part of a group that owned Burger King when John Chidsey, who is now Subway's CEO, headed that burger fast-food restaurant chain.

☆ Advent International joins list of suitors for sandwich chain Subway - Sky News
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 13 (Reuters) - Buyout firm Advent International is among a list of firms that remain in contention to buy sandwich chain Subway, Sky News reported on Monday. The firm joins rival bidders including Goldman Sachs' asset management arm, Bain Capital, TDR Capital - the joint owner of Asda - and TPG, according to the report. Advent had previously invested in entertainment retailer HMV and currently has investments in companies such as Laird International and McAfee Corp, among others. Advent International and Subway did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. The Wall Street Journal in January reported that a potential sale could value Subway at more than $10 billion.

☆ M&A bankers trip over their cracked crystal balls
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Liam Proud | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

The M&A pipeline generally has three components: announced deals that are almost certain to happen; announced deals that may not get over the line; and deals that have neither been announced or perhaps even conceived. Reuters GraphicsThere’s a much tighter relationship between equity markets and M&A, implying that CEOs pursue corporate marriages when their share prices are high. One common way to get around this problem is to look at the value of announced deals as a percentage of total worldwide market capitalisation. WEAKNESS IN NUMBERSUnsurprisingly, given all the uncertainty, some bankers take their pipeline estimates with an appropriately large pinch of salt. Reuters GraphicsFollow @liamwardproud on TwitterCONTEXT NEWSCompanies announced $3.6 trillion of mergers and acquisitions in 2022, according to Refinitiv, compared with $5.7 trillion in 2021.

☆ JPMorgan names Anu Aiyengar sole head of global M&A
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Anirban Sen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Signage is seen at the JPMorgan Chase & Co. New York Head Quarters in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., June 30, 2022. REUTERS/Andrew KellyNEW YORK, Jan 12 (Reuters) - JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N) on Thursday named Anu Aiyengar as the sole head of its global mergers and acquisitions (M&A) franchise after co-head Dirk Albersmeier stepped down from the role, cementing her status as the only female executive leading global M&A on Wall Street. Albersmeier will take on a new "wholly client and transaction-focused role" within JPMorgan, according to the memo. "Going forward, Anu will be the sole head of our global M&A business and Dirk will focus exclusively on providing our clients with first-class M&A advice and continuing to mentor the next generation of M&A leaders," the memo said. Aiyengar, a JPMorgan veteran of more than two decades, has led the bank's M&A franchise since she was promoted to the role alongside Albersmeier in 2020.

☆ Watch CNBC's Morgan Brennan's full interview with Advent International Chair & Managing Partner David Musaffer
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWatch CNBC's Morgan Brennan's full interview with Advent International Chair & Managing Partner David MusafferPrivate equity firm Advent International's Chair & Managing Partner David Musaffer discusses his company's move to acquire space infrastructure and imagery company Maxar for $6.4 billion and take the company private.

☆ India's Yes Bank completes transfer of $5.81 bln worth bad loans to J.C. Flowers
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BENGALURU, Dec 19 (Reuters) - Indian private lender Yes Bank (YESB.NS) said on Monday it completed the transfer of bad loans worth 480 billion rupees ($5.81 billion) to private equity firm J.C. "This transaction would further strengthen our balance sheet, allowing the bank to focus fully on growth and profitability as future strategic objectives," Yes Bank Chief Executive Prashant Kumar said in a statement. Yes Bank's gross bad loan ratio edged down to 12.89% at the end of the September quarter from 13.45% at the end of June. Last week, Yes Bank also concluded allotting shares and share warrants worth $1.1 billion to private equity firms Carlyle (CG.O) and Advent International, in its bid to boost its capital and fund growth. read more($1 = 82.6430 Indian rupees)Reporting by Chris Thomas in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju SamuelOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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