DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Telecom Italia CEO confident grid sale will go well
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ROME, June 15 (Reuters) - Telecom Italia's (TLIT.MI) (TIM) plan to sell its prized landline grid asset to reduce debt "should and can go well", CEO Pietro Labriola said on Thursday, as sources said bids have not met top shareholder Vivendi's (VIV.PA) expectations. U.S. fund KKR (KKR.N) and a rival consortium comprising state lender CDP and Australian fund Macquarie (MQG.AX) presented revised bids for the grid last week. Two sources with knowledge of the matter have told Reuters that KKR's offer is the most generous at around 23 billion euros ($24.93 billion) overall, still short of the more than 30 billion euros sources close to Vivendi have said it wants. Labriola said there was also a back-up plan to improve TIM's prospects, should the asset sale not be possible. TIM's financial debt stood at almost 26 billion euros at the end of the first quarter of 2023.

Persons: Pietro Labriola, Labriola, Alvise Armellini, Gavin Jones, Elaine Hardcastle Organizations: Telecom, KKR, Macquarie, Reuters, Vivendi, Thomson Locations: Rome

MILAN, June 10 (Reuters) - U.S. fund KKR (KKR.N) strengthened its lead in the race to secure the landline grid of Telecom Italia (TIM) (TLIT.MI) when it offered to raise its bid by up to or over 2 billion euros ($2.2 billion), two people with knowledge of the matter said. The value of KKR's offer could top 23 billion euros overall, widening the gap with a rival proposal by a consortium comprising Italian state lender CDP and Australian fund Macquarie (MQG.AX). The improved offer would still be short of a valuation of more than 30 billion euros for the grid sought by TIM's top shareholder Vivendi (VIV.PA). Sources had previously told Reuters that both Labriola and some leading Italian officials already saw KKR as the strongest bidder prior to Friday's proposal. TIM's board meets to review the proposals on June 19 and is expected to take a decision on June 22.

Persons: Pietro Labriola's, Labriola, KKR, Macquarie, Akriti Sharma, Elvira Pollina, Marguerita Choy, Leslie Adler Organizations: MILAN, KKR, Telecom Italia, Macquarie, Vivendi, Reuters, TIM, Thomson Locations: ServCo, NetCo, Bengaluru, Milan

☆ KKR, CDP rival consortium readying new bids for Telecom Italia's grid
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Elvira Pollina | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MILAN, June 8 (Reuters) - U.S. fund KKR (KKR.N) and a rival consortium comprising state lender CDP and Australian fund Macquarie (MQG.AX) are readying to submit slightly improved bids for Telecom Italia's (TIM) (TLIT.MI) network ahead of a June 9 deadline, sources said. KKR and the CDP-led consortium offered 21 billion euros($22.5 billion) and 19 billion euros, respectively, for TIM's domestic landline grid and its submarine unit Sparkle, sources have previously said. Their approach for TIM's grid is part of a plan to combine Open Fiber with the former phone monopoly infrastructure, which has been complicated by antitrust issues. People familiar with the matter told Reuters last month the Treasury CDP joining forces with KKR for TIM's grid, with one source saying government officials were pushing for CDP to drop its separate proposal. But Macquarie is raising about a possible alliance between CDP and KKR, other sources said at the time, citing clauses in the Open Fiber shareholder pact.

Persons: Macquarie, Pietro Labriola's, Elvira Pollina, David Evans Organizations: MILAN, KKR, Macquarie, Telecom Italia's, TIM, Reuters, Treasury, Vivendi, Telecom, Thomson

☆ KKR to acquire Circor in $1.6B deal: All Circor employees get stake in company
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

In this videoShare Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailKKR to acquire Circor in $1.6B deal: All Circor employees get stake in companyCNBC's Leslie Picker joins 'The Exchange' to discuss the benefits of employee stock ownership, different private equity models, and KKR's move to acquire Circor for $1.6 billion.

Persons: CNBC's Leslie Picker Organizations: KKR

☆ How to land a job with Blackstone, Apollo, KRR, and other private equity titans
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Kaja Whitehouse | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Private equity is often seen as the Holy Grail of finance jobs — but breaking in can be challenging. We also have data on private equity pay and the industry's top recruiters. Here is what we found about pay at private equity firms, including Blackstone, Apollo, and Bain Capital. Private equity recruiting has been starting earlier than ever Getty ImagesPrivate equity firms like to recruit young talent from investment banks. These days, the private equity recruiting process has started earlier than ever, resulting in middle-of-the-night interviews with offers being made — and blown up — all before Labor Day.

Persons: —, bymuratdeniz, Blackstone, Samantha Lee, Drew Angerer, Skye Gould, Jon Gray, Grace Koo, Read, Carlyle, Alex Crisses, Thoma Bravo, Warburg Pincus, Wharton's, Axel Springer Organizations: Blackstone, KKR, Service, Apax Partners, Oaktree, of Foreign Labor, Apollo, Bain Capital, Labor, General Atlantic, PJT Partners, Partners, dealmakers, Wall, University of Michigan Locations: Carlyle, Blackstone, Axel

☆ KKR to take machinery maker Circor private in $1.6-bln deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 5 (Reuters) - KKR & Co Inc (KKR.N) said on Monday it will buy industrial machinery maker Circor International Inc (CIR.N) in a $1.6-billion deal and take it private, as the private equity firm looks to double down on investments in the flow-control market. Flow-control products help manage and control liquids and gases using equipment or services such as pumps, valves, compressors and meters. Circor, which has about 3,100 employees, makes pump and valve systems for sectors including oil and gas, industrial, aerospace and defense. "KKR will help us expand our presence in the flow-control space," Circor's Chief Executive Officer Tony Najjar said. Evercore, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Ropes & Gray LLP advised Circor, while Citi and Kirkland & Ellis LLP were KKR's advisers.

Persons: Tony Najjar, Gray, Circor, Ellis, Nathan Gomes, Priyamvada, Savio D'Souza, Shinjini, Shounak Organizations: KKR, Co Inc, Circor, U.S . Department of Defense, Street Journal, Morgan Securities LLC, Ropes, Gray LLP, Citi, Kirkland, Ellis LLP, Thomson Locations: J.P, Bengaluru

☆ When it comes to your Wall Street internship, revert to the mean
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Wall Street's summer internship is officially here as investment banks open up their doors to eager college students. The 10-week internship program represents a critical juncture for aspiring Wall Streeters. Lucky for you, Insider's Emmalyse Brownstein has a foolproof guide for how to navigate your Wall Street internship, mapping out the key dos and don'ts. Read more about everything you should, and shouldn't, do during your Wall Street internship. One to watch at Goldman Sachs.

Persons: Dan DeFrancesco, Lydia Warren, we've, Goldman Sachs, Let's, Wall, Brownstein, Banks, Read, Brad Pitt's, He's, you've, Leo Bogdanov, KKR's, Nishi Somaiya, John Waldron, Daniel Pinto, Balyasny, Jane Fraser, We've, Jeffrey Cane, Hallam Bullock Organizations: KKR, nab, Citadel, Goldman, JPMorgan, Millennium, UBS, LinkedIn Locations: Hawaii, Wall, New York, London

☆ KKR built a new client portal on AWS that helped the PE giant cut costs by 50%. An exec breaks down 3 things he wishes he knew ahead of time.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Bianca Chan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

KKR built a new client portal to replace a legacy one built using vendor tech. KKR had a problem with its client portal. When clients faced issues with the portal, KKR had no visibility into what was causing the problem and could only open a ticket with the vendor, he said. In 2020, KKR embarked on a total rebuild of its client portal, which eventually launched in the summer of 2021. The new portal was built on AWS, where KKR has already moved much of its technology and infrastructure.

Persons: Leo Bogdanov, KKR's, Bogdanov, Serverless, it's, Axel Springer Organizations: KKR, Amazon Web Services, AWS Locations: Axel

"With loan terms tougher and tighter, the option for private credit providers is on steroids," said Drew Schardt, head of investment strategy at Hamilton Lane, one of the largest investment firms in private markets. Pietrzak sees "attractive" assets in auto and consumer lending. POISED TO GAIN SHAREInvestors providing private credit comprise 12% of the $6.3 trillion U.S. commercial credit market, according to Fitch Ratings. "The tightening of lending standards creates opportunities for private credit to gain share," said Lyle Margolis, Fitch's head of private credit. While private credit funds have grown swiftly, the risks they pose to the financial system appear limited, the Federal Reserve wrote in a report this month.

MILAN, May 15 (Reuters) - Australian fund Macquarie (MQG.AX) is raising legal hurdles over a plan backed by Italy's Treasury for state lender CDP to join forces with U.S. fund KKR (KKR.N) to buy Telecom Italia's (TIM) landline grid, three sources said. People familiar with the matter told Reuters this month the Treasury would welcome CDP joining forces with KKR for TIM's prized grid, with one source saying government officials ware pushing for CDP to drop its separate proposal. But Macquarie is raising legal issues about a possible alliance between CDP and KKR, three sources close to the matter told Reuters late on Monday. CDP and Macquarie are co-investors in Open Fiber, a smaller rival to TIM. One of them said Macquarie was aiming to improve its offer with CDP ahead of next month's deadline.

MILAN, May 15 (Reuters) - Australian fund Macquarie (MQG.AX) is raising legal hurdles over a plan backed by Italy's Treasury for state lender CDP to join forces with U.S. fund KKR (KKR.N) in a deal to buy Telecom Italia's landline grid (TIM) (TLIT.MI), three sources said on Monday. But Macquarie is now raising legal issues about a possible alliance between CDP and KKR, three sources close to the matter told Reuters on Monday. CDP and Macquarie are co-investors in Open Fiber, a smaller rival to TIM. One of them said Macquarie was aiming to improve its offer with CDP ahead of the June 9 deadline. Separate sources with knowledge of the matter had said this month KKR had expressed its willingness to work further on its bid.

NEW YORK, May 8 (Reuters) - KKR & Co Inc (KKR.N) said on Monday its after-tax distributable earnings fell 26% year-on-year in the first quarter due to a sharp drop in asset sales from its private equity portfolio and lower transaction fees. KKR and other private equity firms cashed out on fewer investments during the quarter as inflation, higher interest rates, geopolitical tensions and financial market volatility weighed on dealmaking. After-tax distributable earnings, which represents the cash available for paying dividends to shareholders, fell to $719.3 million, down from $974 million posted a year. For its quarterly fund performance, KKR said its private equity portfolio gained 2%, infrastructure funds added 7%, leveraged credit funds grew 4%, while opportunistic real estate funds fell 3%. In comparison, the private equity funds of Blackstone and Carlyle appreciated by 2.8% and 1%, respectively.

☆ KKR's Henry McVey: Our theme of corporate carve-outs with large conglomerates will accelerate
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | 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 EmailKKR's Henry McVey: Our theme of corporate carve-outs with large conglomerates will accelerateHenry McVey, KKR's balance sheet CIO, joins 'Squawk on the Street' to discuss why McVey's bullish on Japan, the impact of China's reopening on Japan's prospects, and more.

☆ Apple continues to quietly build on its fintech ambitions
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

In payments, specifically, its made progress via Apple Pay, the Apple Wallet, and the Apple Card. On Monday, Apple took another step deeper into financial services, announcing the launch of a high-yield savings account (4.15%) via its Apple Card. And now, as Goldman tries to salvage what's left of its consumer dreams, Apple continues to roll on. What's not clear, though, is what type of terms Goldman gets for serving as the back-end partner partner. Click here to read more about the top eight executives shaking up payments, including a key leader at Apple Pay.

☆ Why big investors like Carlyle and Ares are zeroing in on Hollywood and sports deals — and driving private credit in media to new highs
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Rebecca Ungarino | Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

And Ares raised $3.7 billion for a fund last fall geared specifically toward sports, media, and entertainment investments across private debt and private equity. Unlike private equity investing, where managers take stakes in companies or buy them, private credit investors lend to businesses and make money on interest payments. (Private investment firm KKR's media, entertainment, and sports portfolio includes Insider parent company Axel Springer.) Carlyle's $146 billion credit arm has also provided capital to Clair, a media tech company that specializes in live production services and audio products. The strategists said driving that uptick are private credit defaults that include so-called softer forms of default, like breaching a loan's terms and conditions, along with private credit portfolio companies having generally lower ratings and less diversified businesses.

HONG KONG, March 17 (Reuters) - Chinese private equity firm DCP Capital aims to sell its Singaporean portfolio firm MFS Technology, which makes flexible printed circuit boards, for at least $550 million, two people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. The sale is targeting primarily financial sponsors, but also strategic buyers, according to the two sources and a separate person with knowledge of the transaction. BDA Partners and Jefferies are advising DCP on the sale, the sources said. The Chinese firm bought a controlling stake in MFS in 2018 from Navis Capital Partners and Novo Tellus Capital Partners for an undisclosed amount. Reporting by Kane Wu in Hong Kong and Yantoultra Ngui in Singapore; Additional reporting by Julie Zhu in Hong Kong; Editing by Kenneth MaxwellOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Pakistani fintech startup Trukkr raises $6.4 mln, gets lending licence
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Ariba Shahid | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KARACHI, Pakistan, March 7 (Reuters) - Trukkr, a fintech platform for Pakistan’s trucking industry, said on Tuesday it had raised $6.4 million in a funding round and also received a non-banking financial company (NBFC) licence. Trukkr offers Pakistan’s small- and medium-sized trucking companies a transport management system and supply chain solutions, and is unique in providing fintech to digitise the largely unbanked and undocumented industry. The seed funding round was led by U.S. based Accion Venture Lab and London based Sturgeon Capital. Haitou Global, Al Zayani Venture Capital and investor Peter Findley also participated in the round, Trukkr said in a statement. Adamjee told Reuters that Pakistan's $35 billion a year trucking industry is growing at 10% annually despite limited rail and water freight infrastructure.

☆ Telecom Italia boosted by rival offer for landline grid
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Elvira Pollina | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TIM is betting on a sale of its most prized asset to cut its 25 billion euros debt pile and fund an overhaul of the revenue-starved group. Both offers value TIM's grid, which is Italy's main piece of telecoms infrastructure, in the region of 18 billion euros ($19.2 billion), sources familiar with the matter said. "The news is positive for TIM as a second approach increases its bargaining power," broker Equita wrote in a research note. The shares were up around 3.5% at 0.32 euros at 0900 GMT, levels not seen since last April. Regulation issues remain a hurdle for the new bidders, as CDP and Macquarie own TIM'smaller rival Open Fiber.

CDP has teamed up with Australian infrastructure fund Macquarie (MQG.AX) to bid for Italy's most important telecommunications infrastructure, for which U.S. investment firm KKR (KKR.N) has already presented an offer. One of the people familiar with the matter said that CDP board members were set to meet at 3 p.m. (1400 GMT) to approve the offer. In recent weeks, sources have told Reuters that CDP-Macquarie and KKR have both set an 18-billion-euro ($19 billion) enterprise value for TIM's grid. CDP's offer would also involve TIM's smaller fibre-optic network rival Open Fiber, which is owned by CDP and Macquarie and would be folded into TIM's grid down the road. Under Italian rules, Rome has the power to block unwanted interest for assets of strategic importance such as TIM's grid.

CDP has teamed up with Australian infrastructure fund Macquarie (MQG.AX) in the offer for Italy's most important telecommunications infrastructure, which would compete with one submitted by U.S. investment firm KKR (KKR.N). In recent weeks, sources have told Reuters that CDP and Macquarie were ready to value TIM's grid at around 18 billion euros ($19 billion), including some 6 billion euros of debt. An offer from CDP and Macquarie leaves several scenarios open, two government officials said, without elaborating. Besides owning 10% of TIM, CDP controls fibre optic rival Open Fiber. Meloni's predecessors, Mario Draghi and Giuseppe Conte, have both backed plans to combine TIM's and Open Fiber's grids.

Meloni's administration wants to secure public control of TIM's grid, but there is no common ground within the government on how to achieve this. KKR, which has already invested 1.8 billion euros ($1.9 billion)on TIM's grid, has now bid for a controlling stake in a unit comprising the entire TIM's domestic fixed access network and submarine cable business Sparkle. Ceding control of TIM's grid is a main plank of TIM Chief Executive Pietro Labriola's efforts to cut the former phone monopoly's 25 billion euro net debt and revamp its struggling domestic business. TIM's confirmed its board would meet on Friday to discuss KKR's offer and "take appropriate decisions". CDP's potential offer has been hampered in part by regulatory concerns given it is the main investor in TIM's fibre-optic rival Open Fiber, people familiar with the matter said.

☆ Telecom Italia says KKR has agreed to govt request to extend bid for grid
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Trading information for KKR & Co is displayed on a screen on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., August 23, 2018. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid//File PhotoFeb 21 (Reuters) - Telecom Italia (TIM) (TLIT.MI) said on Tuesday U.S. fund KKR & Co Inc (KKR.N) has extended the non-binding offer for its prized landline grid by four weeks to March 24 following a government request. Earlier this month KKR, which already owns a minority stake in TIM's landline grid, submitted a non-binding bid for a controlling stake in a unit comprising TIM's domestic fixed network and submarine cable unit Sparkle. A day later, Italy expressed its intention to implement its goal of putting Telecom Italia's grid in state hands. TIM said its Board of Directors will meet on 24 February to discuss KKR's non-binding offer.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index (.STOXX) closed 0.1% higher ahead of a slew of economic data due later this week. Telecom Italia (TIM) (TLIT.MI) fell 2.7% as a government-sponsored offer rivalling KKR's bid for the former phone monopoly's prized grid failed to materialise over the weekend. The EURO STOXX index (.STOXXE), which houses major companies in the eurozone, inched down 0.1%. On the economic front, euro zone consumer confidence rose by 1.7 points in February from January, as expected, figures showed. Forvia, the European car parts maker born from Faurecia's (EPED.PA) takeover of Hella (HLE.DE), forecast stable 2023 sales, sending Faurecia nearly 2.3% higher.

☆ Telecom Italia shares fall in absence of CDP counter-bid for grid
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MILAN, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Telecom Italia (TIM) (TLIT.MI) shares dropped as much as 3% in early trade on Monday as a government-sponsored offer rivalling KKR's bid for the former phone monopoly's prized grid failed to materialise over the weekend. Italian state lender CDP has yet to receive key government backing to submit an offer together with Australian fund Macquarie, sources familiar with the matter said, dampening speculation fuelled by media reports last week. Telecom Italia shares fell by 2.8% by 0818 GMT against a flat Italy's blue chips index (.FTMIB)CDP, which is TIM's second largest investor, and Macquarie (MQG.AX) are looking to finalise an offer before Friday when the TIM board is scheduled to discuss a response to an approach from U.S fund KKR (KKR.N) for a controlling stake for the same asset. Reporting by Elvira Pollina Editing by Keith WeirOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ European shares flat as Telecom Italia drags eurozone stocks
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Shreyashi Sanyal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The pan-European STOXX 600 index (.STOXX) was flat after opening marginally higher. That also boosted oil prices, lifting European energy stocks (.SXEP) by 0.3%. The EURO STOXX index (.STOXXE), which houses major companies in the eurozone, dipped 0.1%. Telecom Italia (TIM)(TLIT.MI) shares dropped 3% as a government-sponsored offer rivalling KKR's bid for the former phone monopoly's prized grid failed to materialise over the weekend. The European autos and auto parts sector index (.SXAP) rose 0.6%.

Search resuls for: "KKR's"

25 mentions found