Sale Sharks owner sells £1bn empire to Asda backer TDR Capital Business Simon Orange, the self-made millionaire who co-owns Premiership rugby club Sale Sharks, has sold his business empire to Asda backer TDR Capital in a deal worth more than £1bn. CorpAcq, which is based in Cheshire, counts more than 40 businesses as part of its portfolio including the likes of Cotton Traders. CorpAcq does not included [...]
Private equity firms under pressure to kickstart UK dealmaking Investing Private equity fund managers are coming under mounting pressure from their investors to begin striking deals after a sluggish two years hampered by political turmoil and lofty interest rates, advisers have said. While deal value ticked up through 2024, backers of top private equity funds are taking a “sterner” tone with fund managers after a [...]
Why private equity trusts could be set for a bounceback in 2025 Investing Analysts are expecting private equity trusts to bounce back in 2025 after a year in which they struggled to narrow the gap between the price of their shares and underlying value of their investments. The average private equity trust’s share price (excluding FTSE 100 giant 3i Group) currently trades more than 30 per cent below [...]
Springboks face new bid for stake by Leeds United private equity investors Ackerley Sports Group January 6, 2025 The world champion Springboks could sell off a stake of their commercial rights company to investors in Leeds United as South African rugby looks for a stronger financial footing. Seattle-based firm Ackerley Sports Group LLC is reportedly set to revive plans to invest in the 2023 Rugby World Cup winners after an initial bid foundered [...]
Breakaway rugby talks not a ‘distraction’ to Rugby World Cup, says chief January 1, 2025 World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin has insisted that talk of a breakaway franchise competition is not a distraction, stating that any investment talk is “fantastic”. Reports have circled of a LIV Golf-style breakaway in rugby union with both private equity and sovereign wealth backers, to various degrees. Details of the supposed competition, which some [...]
Women’s football and NFL: The biggest sports deals of 2024 December 31, 2024 Sport has been full of deals in 2024 with Premier League clubs being taken over, cricket selling stakes in franchise teams and transfers sending sports fans mad. But which were the standout deals of the last 12 months? Founder of SportsInvest Advisory Achille de Rauglaudre takes a look. March: Women’s football on the rise 2024 [...]
Wingstop UK bought in £400m sale by private equity giant December 23, 2024 The UK franchise of Wingstop has sold a majority stake in its business to US private equity giant Sixth Street. The terms of the deal have not been disclosed, it is understood that the value of the sale is at least £400m. While Sixth Street will take a majority stake in the company, the restaurant’s [...]
Dust off the defence manuals… private equity is coming, say advisors December 20, 2024 London’s listed firms have been warned to dust off their defence manuals and prepare for takeover bids as private equity investors limber up for a deals offensive on the London Stock Exchange next year. After a subdued year of dealmaking through 2024, private equity buyers are expected to reignite a swoop on the public markets [...]
A turbulent year for London’s markets… in four graphs December 19, 2024 “There’s always light at the end of the tunnel,” said one London Stock Exchange executive in March, just after two more firms announced they were heading for the exit. “Don’t lose your head amongst all the doom-mongering.” It is a mantra that London’s bourse has had to hold onto over the past 12 months as [...]
Grant Thornton UK partners green light private equity deal with Cinven December 16, 2024 Accountancy giant Grant Thornton UK partners have "unanimously voted in favour" of investment from private equity firm Cinven