Today's Private Equity Pulse
Blackstone launches its biggest Asia private‑equity fund at $13.1 billion
Blackstone announced the closing of a $13.1 billion fund, its largest ever dedicated to Asian private‑equity investments. The fund aims to back buyouts and growth‑capital deals across the region, underscoring Blackstone’s expanding focus on Asia’s mid‑market opportunities.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Toms Capital acquires significant stake in McCormick
City Sounds Alarm on £40bn Foreign M&A Offensive Targeting ‘Cheap’ UK Firms
A wave of foreign take‑private bids has targeted UK‑listed firms worth about $51 billion this year, pushing the total value of offers above $55 billion. High‑profile deals include a $3.4 billion offer for Tate & Lyle by US ingredient maker Ingredion and EQT’s $13.5 billion sweetened bid for Intertek, a 62% premium to market price. The surge reflects the low valuation of London‑listed companies, which trade at roughly 15 times earnings compared with 32 times in the S&P 500, making them “cheap” targets for U.S. rivals. City analysts warn the exodus could erode the UK’s capital‑market depth and call for policy changes to encourage domestic investment.
Connoisseur Completes Its S.F. Bay Area Market Entry
Connoisseur Media, the fast‑growing radio‑station owner founded by Jeff Warshaw, has completed its entry into the San Francisco‑Oakland market. The move builds on the group’s recent acquisition of San Jose stations, which were obtained through a debt‑assumption merger with Alpha Media. Kalil...
Seraya Partners Considers Sale, IPO for Offshore Wind Firm Cyan Renewables
Singapore‑based private equity firm Seraya Partners is exploring a dual‑track process for its offshore wind services subsidiary Cyan Renewables, weighing a sale or an initial public offering. The marine‑energy operator, valued at up to $2 billion, generates more than $100 million in...
Blackstone, Audax, Five Arrows Eye Pharmaceutical and Life Science Consulting Firms; Drug R&D Complexity Drives Eir Partners to Invest in...
Private‑equity firms Blackstone, Audax and Five Arrows are scouting boutique consulting firms that specialize in pharmaceutical and life‑science services, seeing them as platforms for growth. At the same time, Eir Partners announced a strategic investment in QuartzBio, a data‑analytics startup...
Family‑Owned FCE Stays Independent as Private‑Equity Rolls Up Government Contractor Benefits Market
FCE Benefit Administrators, a San Francisco‑based family firm founded in 1988, has remained independent despite a decade of private‑equity consolidation in the government‑contractor benefits administration market. The firm’s survival underscores the tension between specialized compliance expertise and the volume‑driven model favored...
Catalyst IR Handles Mobix's Potential Deal for SPD
Mobix Labs, represented by Catalyst IR, has signed a non‑binding letter of intent to acquire Special Project Delivery LLC (SPD), a privately held platform with holdings in U.S. rare‑earth properties. The proposed transaction aims to bolster Mobix’s ability to supply...
Iridium to Acquire Aireon for $366.7 Million, Expanding Satellite Connectivity
Iridium Communications announced a $366.7 million deal to acquire the remaining 61% of Aireon, bringing the sole space‑based ADS‑B surveillance system fully under its control. The transaction, split into two equal payments, positions Iridium to bundle air‑traffic data with its satellite...
SAP Moves to Own AI Data Control Plane with Dremio and Prior Labs Acquisitions
SAP announced plans to acquire data‑lake vendor Dremio and AI‑governance startup Prior Labs, positioning its Business Data Cloud as a unified AI data control plane. The move seeks to tighten data governance, boost structured decision intelligence, and increase SAP's leverage...
IQM’s $1.8 B SPAC Deal Highlights Quantum’s Long Road to Commercial Scale
Finland‑based IQM Quantum Computers filed a Form F‑4 to merge with SPAC Real Asset Acquisition Corp., valuing the firm at roughly $1.8 billion and promising $465 million in cash. The move, alongside QSE’s launch of an enterprise post‑quantum migration platform, illustrates both the...
Blackstone, CD&R Eye Magnum Buyout as Shares Dip
Blackstone and CD&R weigh take-private bids for Magnum as listed ice cream giant trades below IPO price Read more here: https://t.co/nnAr80RE7d https://t.co/ostwoGoIR2
Blackstone and KKR to Assume Control of Dental Group Affordable Care
Direct lenders Blackstone and KKR are set to take control of Affordable Care, a U.S. dental services provider, through a restructuring that slashes its debt by roughly 70%. The $1.4 billion private‑credit facility will be exchanged for a $225 million first‑lien term...
PE Seeks Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences Consulting Firms: 7 Deals
Private equity firms are actively pursuing add‑on acquisitions in the pharmaceutical and life‑sciences consulting space, with seven deals currently in the pipeline. Blackstone, Audax, Bridgepoint and Baird are among the most vocal bidders, each targeting niche advisory platforms that serve...
FSOC Proposal Could Strip Oversight of Private Equity and Credit Firms
The Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) has floated guidance that would limit its authority to designate non‑bank financial companies, including private‑equity and credit firms, as systemically important. Consumer and environmental groups argue the change could leave climate‑related risks unchecked and...
Korean Air Finalizes $2.4B Asiana Takeover, Launches Integrated Flag Carrier
Korean Air has closed its purchase of Asiana Airlines, exchanging each Asiana share for 0.2736432 Korean Air shares and absorbing all assets and liabilities. The integrated airline will start operations on Dec. 17, aiming to boost network connectivity and cement...
Bullish to Acquire UK Payments Firm Equiniti in $4.2 B Deal
Bullish (BLSH) announced a $4.2 billion acquisition of UK payments and transfer‑agent specialist Equiniti, combining $2.35 billion of newly issued shares with $1.85 billion of assumed debt. The deal creates an end‑to‑end tokenization platform that could redefine how public‑company equity is issued and...
Japan Power Chip Alliance Talks Slow as Rohm Resists Integration
Denso has withdrawn its bid to acquire Rohm, leaving Japan’s power‑semiconductor consolidation in limbo. Ongoing talks among Rohm, Toshiba and Mitsubishi Electric are stalled by concerns over joint management control and operational integration. Meanwhile Toshiba and Mitsubishi have each launched...
Byron Allen’s $120 M Takeover of BuzzFeed Aims to Build a Global Free Streaming Service
Byron Allen is paying $20 million in cash and a $100 million promissory note to acquire a 52% stake in BuzzFeed, becoming its chairman and CEO. He plans to fuse BuzzFeed and HuffPost with his Local Now platform to launch a free, ad‑supported...
McDermott Will & Schulte Advises Amulet Capital Partners on Acquisition of TFP Fertility Group
Amulet Capital Partners, a healthcare‑focused private equity firm, is buying TFP Fertility Group, a leading fertility provider in the UK and Northern Europe, from Benefit Street Partners. The acquisition was announced on May 7, with financial terms not disclosed. McDermott Will...
Buyout Majors Maintain Appetite for Middle East Deals Despite Regional Conflict
Global private‑equity firms such as General Atlantic and KKR say the Iran‑related conflict has not derailed their Middle East strategies. Both firms report robust fundraising and continued deal flow, with General Atlantic deploying about $3 bn since 2013 and securing a...
Blackstone, KKR Acquire Affordable Care After 70% Debt Reduction
Blackstone and KKR seize control of Affordable Care in 70% debt cut Read more here: https://t.co/9dEuoBbY6p https://t.co/3fDG50OILe
LVMH Sells Fashion House Marc Jacobs to G-Star Owner WHP Global
LVMH is selling the Marc Jacobs fashion label to WHP Global, the owner of Vera Wang and G‑Star, in a deal valued at up to $850 million. The acquisition will be structured as a 50/50 joint venture with G‑III Apparel Group,...
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Q1 2026: What Closed, Who Closed It, and What's Coming Next
In Q1 2026, private‑equity platforms recorded 547 global closings, with North America accounting for 378 (69%). Healthcare surged to a 21.2% share of NA platform deals, more than double its recent 9.1% baseline, while technology fell to 32.5% of closings despite...
American Express Acquires Expense Management Company Hyper
American Express has completed the acquisition of Hyper, a cloud‑based expense‑management platform known for automated receipt capture and policy‑driven workflows. The deal is positioned to fuse Hyper’s spend‑tracking capabilities with AmEx’s corporate‑card ecosystem, creating a unified end‑to‑end solution for enterprise...
PowerGEM Secures Growth Capital From General Atlantic and Acquires Telos Energy
PowerGEM, a 26‑year‑old grid‑simulation software firm, announced a strategic growth investment from General Atlantic’s BeyondNetZero fund and the purchase of engineering consultancy Telos Energy. The capital boost and acquisition aim to accelerate PowerGEM’s AI‑driven platform for grid reliability and market...
Aveanna Expects ‘Zero Impact’ From Home Health Moratorium
Aveanna Healthcare Holdings announced that the recent Medicare enrollment moratorium for home health and hospice will have "zero impact" on its operations and financial guidance. The company is progressing toward closing its $175.5 million acquisition of Family First Homecare in late...
Norlee Group Acquires Ireland Electric, Sixth Add‑On in Heartwood Roll‑Up
Norlee Group, a Heartwood Partners portfolio company, closed its sixth add‑on acquisition on May 7, 2026, buying Georgia‑based Ireland Electric Corporation. The deal deepens Norlee’s footprint in the Southeast electrical contracting market and underscores Heartwood’s roll‑up strategy.
Brookfield to Acquire Air Freight Services Provider WFC- #CapitalMarkets #Finance
Brookfield Asset Management announced it will acquire World Freight Company (WFC), the world’s largest general sales and service agent for air cargo. WFC connects more than 300 airlines with 16,000 freight forwarders across 3,500 trade lanes in over 80 countries....
Welsh Carson Targets $5bn for Latest Flagship
Welsh Carson announced the launch of its 15th flagship fund, aiming to raise roughly $5 billion. The vehicle will concentrate on mid‑market buyout opportunities, with a geographic emphasis on North America. Documents shared at a recent limited‑partner meeting detail the fund’s...
Marc Jacobs Sale Signals End of NYFW Era
LVMH selling Marc Jacobs to WHP, parent company of Vera Wang, Rag & Bone and G-Star. G-III, owner of Donna Karan, will also acquire part of the brand. Could it be the end of a NYFW era?
Ascend Brings Alabama-Based Jackson Thornton Into the Fold
Ascend, the Arlington‑based platform backed by Alpine Investors, has acquired Alabama accounting firm Jackson Thornton, adding 30 partners and more than 160 professionals. The deal, whose financial terms were not disclosed, marks Ascend’s second M&A this year after the January...
Talk Back to Television: Manik Bambha, Co-Founder & President, ViewLift
Manik Bambha, co‑founder and president of ViewLift, discussed the company’s rapid expansion in the OTT market, highlighting its partnership with sports‑streaming giant DAZN and the rollout of a new ad‑supported tier for publishers. ViewLift now powers over 300 streaming apps,...
Roche Signs Agreement to Acquire AI Pathology Leader PathAI
Roche announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire PathAI, the AI‑focused digital pathology company, pending regulatory approval. The deal is intended to accelerate Roche’s use of artificial‑intelligence tools for drug discovery, companion diagnostics and clinical trial enrichment.
AI‑Powered Insight Loops Give CIOs a New Product Edge
Marchex announced a pending $200 million acquisition of Archenia to scale AI‑bundled solutions that already double per‑customer revenue for half its top accounts, while Exterro launched an autonomous AI subpoena manager that cuts manual work by up to 95% and promises...
As Funding Dollars Dwindle, Newsroom Tech Companies Are Heeding the Call for Consolidation
Funding for newsroom technology startups has dried up, prompting a wave of consolidation. Indiegraf, known for its content management system, announced its third acquisition in three months, buying News Revenue Hub’s donation‑management platform RevEngine. The deal, part of a broader...
General Atlantic Invests in PowerGEM
General Atlantic has entered a financing round for PowerGEM, a developer of high‑pressure hydrogen storage systems. The firm joins existing investor TA Associates, which has supported PowerGEM since 2024. The new capital is earmarked for scaling production capacity and expanding...
James Wise on Why the Sovereign AI Unit Criticism Is Wrong – and the One Company He Wishes He’d Backed
James Wise, partner at Balderton Capital, joins the Sifted Podcast to discuss his latest venture as chair of the UK government’s Sovereign AI Unit, a £500 million (~$635 million) fund aimed at accelerating artificial‑intelligence research. He explains the fund’s early investments in...
How to Write a Perfect M&A Information Memorandum (Guide)
The information memorandum (IM) is the cornerstone document sellers use to market a business in an M&A transaction. It must be well‑written, professionally presented, informative, transparent, and realistic to attract qualified buyers. Larger firms often hire investment banks or legal...
Whitehawk Therapeutics Raises $87.5 Million in Private‑Placement, Stock Jumps 28%
Whitehawk Therapeutics announced a securities purchase agreement for an $87.5 million private‑placement equity financing on May 13, 2026. The announcement lifted the Nasdaq‑listed stock 28.04% to $4.98, undersc the market’s appetite for biotech capital via private‑equity‑style deals.
Discovery to Acquire Glencore's Kidd Operations in $1.2 B Deal, Boosting Canadian Gold Capacity
Discovery Corp. disclosed an agreement to purchase Glencore’s Kidd gold operations for roughly $1.2 billion, a move that could double its annual output and add strategic mineral assets. The deal follows strong Q1 earnings and comes as other Canadian miners, like...
Byron Allen Bought BuzzFeed. He Wants Starz Next
Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group purchased a majority stake in BuzzFeed for $20 million in cash with a $100 million earn‑out, adding the BuzzFeed and HuffPost brands to his portfolio of free‑ad streaming assets like Local Now. The deal complements his existing holdings,...
MOBX to Acquire U.S. Defense Rare Earth, Critical Minerals Company
Mobix Labs (Nasdaq: MOBX) announced a non‑binding Letter of Intent to acquire Special Project Delivery LLC, a U.S. firm that builds sovereign supply chains for rare earth elements, critical minerals and energy‑storage materials. The deal would extend Mobix’s existing national‑security...
Senate Introduces Let Kids Play Act to Ban Private‑Equity ‘Vulture Practices’ in Youth Sports
Sen. Chris Murphy and Rep. Chris Deluzio unveiled the Let Kids Play Act, a federal bill that would prohibit private‑equity firms from imposing so‑called “vulture practices” on youth‑sports leagues. The legislation mandates full refunds of junk fees, cancels predatory contracts...
Bloomberg: Leveraged Lending Insights – 5/11/2026
U.S. leveraged loan issuances surged to $34.75 billion through April 13, marking the first week since February that launches topped $30 billion. The market, which had stalled amid Iran‑related geopolitical tension and AI‑driven volatility, saw weekly volumes spike to nearly $57 billion in mid‑January...
Akamai to Acquire AI and Browser Security Firm LayerX for $205 Million
Akamai announced an all‑cash acquisition of LayerX for roughly $205 million. LayerX, a startup focused on AI‑driven browser security, brings a platform that monitors user and agentic activity across browsers, apps, and IDEs. The deal, expected to close in Q3 2026, adds...
BlackRock, Temasek, Abu Dhabi Launch $30B Infrastructure Fund
BlackRock's GIP, Temasek, and Abu Dhabi heavyweights launch $30bn Gulf and Central Asia infrastructure platform Read the full report here: https://t.co/UGslOUSRCv https://t.co/diCiwCQ8Z6
The Flattery Trap: Why Unsolicited Offers Rarely Deliver What Business Owners Deserve
The guest post from Aberdeen Advisors warns that unsolicited M&A offers often trap business owners by anchoring negotiations and limiting leverage. It explains that strategic buyers use direct outreach to control the process before owners can benchmark their value. A...
Tate & Lyle Gets Up to £2.7 Billion Offer From Ingredion
Tate & Lyle Plc has received a conditional takeover offer from US‑based Ingredion Inc. valued at up to £2.7 billion (approximately $3.5 billion) and 615 pence per share (about $7.85). The proposal would likely take the historic British ingredients maker private and remove...
Iridium Comm Acquires Majority Stake in Aireon for $366M
.@IridiumComm to purchase the 61% of air traffic surveillance service @AireonLLC it doesnt already own for $366.7 million from @navcanada @AirNav_Ireland #ENAV @NATS and @Naviair , paid 50% at closing , the rest at 1-year anniversary, plus...
Brookfield to Acquire World Freight for $1.2 Bn
Brookfield set to buy World Freight Company from EQT and PAI in $1.2bn deal Read more here: https://t.co/mXiRyITZcC https://t.co/RcagFOsJiv
VNET Shares Surge 25% as CATL‑Linked Investors Target 38% Stake
VNET Group Inc. shares leapt 25% to $11.28 after PJ Millennium I and II funds, linked to battery maker CATL, signed a deal to purchase up to 650 million Class A shares, representing a 38.1% ownership stake. The transaction injects fresh capital...