|
Top Highlights
Helix, an offshore energy services company, agreed to merge with Hornbeck, a specialized provider of offshore supply vessels, according to press releases. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Helix is advised by Goldman Sachs, Baker Botts, Veriten and Joele Frank (led by Andrew B. Siegel and Michael Freitag). Hornbeck is advised by Barclays, JP Morgan, Piper Sandler and Kirkland & Ellis, according to press releases.
KKR, an investment firm, agreed to invest $1.5bn in Vertical Bridge, a US‑based owner and operator of wireless communications infrastructure, according to press releases.
KKR is advised by Barclays, Houlihan Lokey and Kirkland & Ellis. DigitalBridge is advised by Joele Frank. Vertical Bridge is advised by Centerview Partners, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Jaymie Scotto & Associates, according to press releases.
THL Partners, a premier private equity firm investing in middle market growth companies, agreed to acquire a majority stake in Celerion, a clinical pharmacology and bioanalytical sciences firm, from H.I.G. Capital, a global alternative investment firm, according to press releases. Financial terms were not disclosed.
THL Partners is advised by Edelman (led by Nicole Hakimi). Celerion and H.I.G. Capital are advised by Bank of America, Lazard, McDermott Will & Schulte and Joele Frank (led by Jonathan Keehner), according to press releases and MergerLinks data.
AMERICAS
Netflix is buying back $25bn in stock after a share decline. ( SEC Filing)
Callaway, a publisher for the Bob Dylan book, is exploring a sale or merger. ( Bloomberg)
Convenience store chain Yesway climbs on Nasdaq debut as IPO market recovers. ( Reuters)
Canadian Energy Metals taps financial advisors Citi and Jefferies to accelerate its partnership, funding, and value enhancement strategies. ( Press Release)
EMEA
Apollo nears €1.4bn deal for Forvia's interior unit. ( Bloomberg)
UK's Intertek considers EQT's $11.2bn sweetened takeover bid. ( RNS Announcement)
Air France-KLM and Lufthansa bids advance in a race for a TAP stake. ( Bloomberg)
CEZ plans partial sale of non-production assets. ( Reuters)
CVC to be a frontrunner in a Standard Life pension deal. ( Bloomberg)
APAC
Tencent and Alibaba are in talks to invest in DeepSeek at an over $20bn valuation. ( DealStreetAsia)
Bain Capital to sell a stake in Bridget Data Centres at a $5bn valuation. ( Reuters)
Sweden's EQT explores a takeover of Japan's Kakaku.com. ( Reuters)
Anglo advances a coal business sale after a setback with Peabody. ( Bloomberg)
India's John Distilleries open to further stake sale to Sazerac. ( Reuters)
Alibaba-backed Zelos is planning a Hong Kong IPO to raise about $600m. ( Bloomberg)
Tesla supplier Yangzhou Nanopore to file for a Hong Kong IPO. ( Bloomberg)
India’s richest state to prepare for a power utility IPO. ( Bloomberg)
|
COMPANIES
INVESTORS
FINANCIAL ADVISORS
|
|
Read on...
Scroll down to read deal descriptions. Your suggestions and comments support the democratisation of M&A data. If you'd like to contribute to the future editions, drop us a line.
AMERICAS
Stonepeak, an alternative investment firm specializing in infrastructure and real assets, completed the acquisition of Southern Marinas, a premier owner and operator of marinas in the United States, from KSL Capital, a private equity firm, according to press releases. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Stonepeak was advised by PJT Partners and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett. Southern Marinas and KSL Capital were advised by Lazard, Hogan Lovells and Joele Frank (led by Jonathan Keehner), according to press releases and MergerLinks data.
Gold Candle, a company that identifies and advances gold resources, completed the acquisition of Fokus Mining, a mineral exploration company focused on identifying and developing high-quality mineral assets, for CAD63m ($46m), according to press releases.
Fokus Mining was advised by Clarus Securities, Bennett Jones (led by Jean Tessier) and Lavery Avocats. Gold Candle was advised by BCF Business Law and Goodmans, according to press releases and MergerLinks data.
American Industrial Partners, an operationally-oriented middle-market private equity firm, agreed to acquire the warehouse and workflow solutions business of Honeywell, an American multinational conglomerate company, according to press releases. Financial terms were not disclosed.
American Industrial Partners is advised by Evercore, Baker Botts, Ropes & Gray and Prosek Partners, according to press releases.
Platinum Equity and Littlejohn-backed The Cook & Boardman, a provider of fully integrated access and security solutions, completed the acquisition of Exclusive Trim, a provider of turnkey interior finishing solutions, according to press releases. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Exclusive Trim was advised by PCE Investment Bankers and Mann Plyler PA (led by Andrew L. Mann and Andrew W. Plyler). The Cook & Boardman was advised by K&L Gates, according to press releases.
Venture capital firms Cure Ventures, The Column Group and AN Venture Partners led a $106 Series A round in Tortugas Neuroscience, a neurology-focused biotech company, according to press releases.
Tortugas Neuroscience was advised by Ropes & Gray (led by Rajarshi Banerjee) and Ford Hutman Media (led by Rachel Ford Hutman), according to press releases and MergerLinks data.
National HealthCare, a senior care firm, agreed to acquire a portfolio of 35 facilities from National Health Investors a real estate investment trust, for $560m, according to press releases.
National Health Investors is advised by Houlihan Lokey, according to MergerLinks data.
Janus Henderson, a global asset manager, led a $125m Series B round in Ray Therapeutics, with participation from Adage Capital Management, Franklin Templeton, Invus, Marshall Wace, 4BIO Capital, Deerfield Management, MRL Ventures Fund, Norwest, Novo and Platanus, according to press releases.
Ray Therapeutics was advised by FINN Partners, according to press releases.
VXI Capital, an investment firm, led a $380m funding round in Blue Energy, a developer of financeable, prefabricated nuclear power plants, with participation from Engine Ventures, At One Ventures and Tamarack Global, according to press releases.
Nimble Partners, a multi-stage venture capital platform, led a $160m funding round in Reliable Robotics, a provider of autonomous aircraft systems, with participation from Eclipse, Lightspeed, Coatue, Pathbreaker Ventures, Island Green Capital, Socium Ventures, AE Ventures, RTX Ventures, Presidio Ventures, UP.Partners, KAS Venture Partners, What If Ventures, Calm Ventures, Gaingels and Mana Ventures, according to press releases.
UnitedHealth Group, a health care and well-being company, agreed to acquire Alegeus Technologies, a provider of SaaS-based benefit funding and payment solutions, from Vista Equity, a private equity firm, according to press releases. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Public Knowledge, a management consulting firm, completed the acquisition of Civic Initiatives, a consulting firm, according to press releases. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Netflix is buying back $25bn in stock after a share decline. ( SEC Filing)
Netflix plans to buy back another $25bn of its shares after a disappointing financial outlook sent its stock lower.
The board approved the program, which adds to an existing buyback authorized in December 2024 that still has $6.8bn remaining.
Callaway, a publisher for the Bob Dylan book, is exploring a sale or merger. ( Bloomberg)
Callaway Arts & Entertainment, the publisher behind Madonna’s 1992 book Sex and a recent Bob Dylan retrospective, is seeking to sell its assets or merge with a larger publishing house after filing for bankruptcy.
The company has blamed its financial distress in court filings in part on “predatory alternative lenders” that imposed costly debt. Owner Nicholas Callaway stated that during a bankruptcy hearing in New York that the business needed financing to complete Bob Dylan: Mixing the Medicine, a project that took four years and several million dollars to produce.
Convenience store chain Yesway climbs on Nasdaq debut as IPO market recovers. ( Reuters)
Shares of Yesway jumped 10% in their Nasdaq trading debut, signaling renewed investor appetite for new listings as equity markets hover near record highs.
The convenience store operator’s debut comes amid a wave of companies advancing IPO plans during the spring window, as concerns over geopolitical tensions and disruption to legacy software businesses have eased.
Canadian Energy Metals taps financial advisors Citi and Jefferies to accelerate its partnership, funding, and value enhancement strategies. ( Press Release)
Canadian Energy Metals has engaged Citi and Jefferies as lead financial advisers to advance its strategic capital initiatives, including evaluating potential partnerships and commercialization opportunities.
The company stated that the appointment of the two banks marks a key step in executing its growth strategy and unlocking shareholder value, as it explores options to support its next phase of development.
EMEA
Goldman Sachs Alternatives, an investment firm, agreed to invest $50m in BLP Digital, a provider of agentic AI-based enterprise resource planning automation, according to press releases.
Marvell Technology, a semiconductor company specializing in data infrastructure products, completed the acquisition of Polariton Technologies, a photonics company developing high‑performance plasmonic modulators and photonic integrated circuits, according to press releases. Financial terms were not disclosed.
EssilorLuxottica, a France-based global eyewear manufacturer and distributor, completed the acquisition of Faro, a manufacturer specializing in high-precision CNC milling and diamond-cutting machines, according to press releases. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Lyft, a mobility platform providing ridesharing, taxi, car‑sharing, and micromobility services, agreed to acquire the UK business of Gett, a developer of a technology travel platform intended for corporate ground transportation management, according to press releases. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Apollo nears €1.4bn deal for Forvia's interior unit. ( Bloomberg)
Apollo Global Management is nearing a deal to acquire the auto interiors business of Forvia in a transaction that could value the asset at about €1.4bn ($1.6bn).
Terms are still being finalized and may not result in a completed deal.
UK's Intertek considers EQT's $11.2bn sweetened takeover bid. (RNS Announcement)
Intertek is reviewing an improved takeover proposal from Swedish private equity firm EQT that values the British product testing company at £8.3bn ($11.2bn).
EQT has increased its offer to £54 ($73) per share in cash after Intertek’s board rejected an earlier £51.50 ($69.7) per share bid, saying it undervalued the business.
Air France-KLM and Lufthansa bids advance in a race for a TAP stake. ( Bloomberg)
Portugal has invited Air France-KLM and Deutsche Lufthansa to submit binding bids for a minority stake in TAP, advancing both airlines to the next stage of the sale process.
The government approved a proposal from state holding company Parpública to move forward with both initial offers after they met all required criteria.
CEZ plans partial sale of non-production assets. ( Reuters)
Czech power utility CEZ is preparing to spin off non-production assets, including electricity, gas distribution, and trading operations, and sell up to a 49% stake in the unit to investors.
The move could raise funds for a share buyback that would give the state full control over CEZ’s power generation assets.
CVC to be a frontrunner in a Standard Life pension deal. ( Bloomberg)
CVC Capital Partners is emerging as the frontrunner to form a UK pension partnership with Standard Life.
The private equity firm is assembling a consortium for the potential deal, while Standard Life aims to announce a partner by the end of the first half of 2026. Discussions are ongoing and may not result in a finalized agreement.
APAC
The Japanese government has asked Seoul-based private equity firm MBK Partners to cancel its planned acquisition of machine tool maker Makino Milling Machine, invoking a national security law for only the second time.
Makino’s machine tools are widely used in defense applications, and Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said in parliament that the deal could undermine national security. Makino’s shares fell as much as 10% in Tokyo.
Tencent and Alibaba are in talks to invest in DeepSeek at an over $20bn valuation. ( DealStreetAsia)
Chinese tech giants Tencent Holdings and Alibaba Group are in discussions to invest in artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek.
DeepSeek, owned by hedge fund High-Flyer Capital Management, is aiming to raise funding at a valuation exceeding $20bn, with early discussions reportedly drawing strong investor interest. Talks are ongoing and may not result in a deal.
Bain Capital to sell a stake in Bridget Data Centres at a $5bn valuation. ( Reuters)
Bain Capital is seeking to sell at least a 40% stake in Bridge Data Centres in a deal that could value the Singapore-based data infrastructure company at about $5bn.
The Boston-based firm has hired Citigroup and JP Morgan to run the sale, which has attracted interest from multiple private equity and infrastructure investors. Talks are ongoing and may not result in a finalized transaction.
Sweden's EQT explores a takeover of Japan's Kakaku.com. ( Reuters)
EQT is exploring a potential takeover of Japanese price comparison website operator Kakaku.com.
The plan is still at an early stage, and there is no certainty that the Swedish private equity firm will proceed with a formal tender offer for the company.
Anglo advances a coal business sale after a setback with Peabody. ( Bloomberg)
Anglo American has at least three potential bidders for its Australian steelmaking coal business after a previous sale to Peabody Energy was derailed in 2025 following a mine fire.
Stanmore Resources, Mitsubishi, and PT Buma Internasional Grup are among the suitors for the assets, and a deal or announcement could come in the coming months. The sale process is being advised by Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley.
India's John Distilleries open to further stake sale to Sazerac. ( Reuters)
John Distilleries is open to selling additional shares, including the founder’s remaining stake, to US spirits group Sazerac following an earlier transaction that valued the Indian liquor maker at about INR40bn ($426m).
Sazerac already owns around 60% of the privately held company after acquiring stakes, including from Gaja Capital, nearly a decade ago.
Alibaba-backed Zelos is planning a Hong Kong IPO to raise about $600m. ( Bloomberg)
Zelos Technology, a Chinese robovan operator, is planning an initial public offering in Hong Kong that could raise about $600m.
The company, formally known as Jiushi Suzhou Intelligent Technology, is in discussions with banks regarding the potential listing. Details such as timing and structure have not yet been finalized and may change.
Tesla supplier Yangzhou Nanopore to file for a Hong Kong IPO. ( Bloomberg)
Chinese battery materials maker Yangzhou Nanopore Innovative Materials Technology has filed confidentially for an initial public offering in Hong Kong that could raise at least $200m.
The company is working with banks, including BNP Paribas, on the planned listing and is targeting to go public by the end of 2026. Details such as timing and size remain subject to change.
India’s richest state to prepare for a power utility IPO. ( Bloomberg)
Maharashtra, India’s richest state, has begun preparations for an initial public offering of its power distribution utility.
Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution is working with SBI Capital and Deloitte on the proposed share sale, which could raise between $500m and $1bn. The plan is still at an early stage, and details such as timing and structure may change.
|
Connect the World of Dealmakers
Expand your network of fellow Dealmakers by inviting your colleagues and coworkers.
Join Now
If you know someone who might enjoy this briefing forward this email. Subscribe to a Daily Review.
|
|
|
|
|
