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
OpenAI Seals $10 Billion Joint Venture with Private‑equity Firms to Accelerate AI Rollout
OpenAI has finalized a $10 billion joint venture, The Deployment Company, backed by more than $4 billion from 19 private‑equity and strategic investors. The venture will be majority‑controlled by OpenAI and is designed to push its AI software into thousands of enterprise customers.
If GameStop Buys eBay, Bitcoin Payments Could Suddenly Have a 135M-Buyer Marketplace Test Case
GameStop has launched an unsolicited $55.5 billion cash‑and‑stock offer to acquire eBay at $125 per share, representing a 27% premium to the 30‑day average price and 36% to the 90‑day average. The proposal is financed half by cash and liquid assets,...
GalaxyEdge Acquisition Corporation (GLED) to Combine with Rongcheng Group in $350M Deal
GalaxyEdge Acquisition Corp (GLED) announced a definitive merger agreement with China’s Rongcheng Group, a waste‑sorting and recycling specialist, in a transaction valued at roughly $350 million. The deal combines $300 million in cash with $50 million of GalaxyEdge stock, positioning Rongcheng to become...
Pharmaceutical Executive Daily: UCB to Acquire Candid Therapeutics
UCB signed a definitive agreement to acquire privately held Candid Therapeutics for $2 billion upfront with up to $200 million in milestones. The deal, slated to close by late Q2 or early Q3 2026 pending antitrust clearance, adds a suite of T‑cell engager...
GameStop's CEO Is Annoyed You Don't Understand How He's Buying eBay
GameStop announced a $56 billion bid to acquire eBay, proposing a mix of cash and stock. CEO Ryan Cohen appeared irritated during a CNBC interview when pressed about financing, directing viewers to the company website for details. While GameStop holds a...
![Industry Report: Professional Services 1H 2026 [SDR Ventures]](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/ab3cbda8f2002cffd2cbf0f4c60eea75.webp)
Industry Report: Professional Services 1H 2026 [SDR Ventures]
SDR Ventures’ first‑half 2026 industry report finds AI reshaping professional services by automating routine work while human expertise remains essential. Private equity firms continue aggressive roll‑up campaigns in a fragmented consulting, accounting and legal landscape, driving 305 deals—by far the...
A Tumultuous Bidding War For a Mortgage REIT – The Special Situations Report Episode 65
The latest Special Situations Report podcast spotlights a fierce bidding war for mortgage REIT Two Harbors, with two of the nation’s largest mortgage lenders vying for control. It also covers Five9’s accelerated share repurchase program, which amounts to roughly 15%...
![Industry Report: Cybersecurity Services [Solganick & Co.]](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/c5827f81da34b587f074aa1477ef2af5.webp)
Industry Report: Cybersecurity Services [Solganick & Co.]
Solganick & Co.’s latest industry report shows that cybersecurity services M&A remains robust, with 105 deals in Q4 2025 and another 76 transactions through February 2026. Managed security service providers (MSSPs) are the primary focus, highlighted by deals such as...
Duravant Renames Company It Acquired
Duravant, a leading automation‑technology provider, announced that the Matthews Automation Solutions unit it bought in 2025 will operate under the new name Pyramid. The rebrand highlights Pyramid’s warehouse execution system (WES) and warehouse control system (WCS) software, as well as...
Genco Shipping & Trading to Review Diana Shipping’s Unsolicited Tender Offer
Genco Shipping & Trading (GNK) disclosed that Diana Shipping (DSX) has launched an unsolicited cash tender offer of $23.50 per share, identical to its March proposal. Genco’s board, which previously rejected the offer as undervaluing the company, is reviewing the...
Ex‑rental Owner Seeks Hands‑on Investor, Not Banker
Over the past 2-3 years, I’ve built a great relationship with this one traditional business owner. He used to run a heavy equipment rental company. Sub-$2M in EBITDA. This deal died for me at the last minute as the other...
Sound Point Leads $575M Financing for Greenbelt's Peak Utility Acquisition
Sound Point Capital Management acted as administrative agent and lead arranger on a $575 million senior secured credit facility that funds Greenbelt Capital Partners' purchase of Peak Utility Services Group. The deal highlights private credit’s expanding role in financing infrastructure assets...
Paramount‑Skydance's $111B Warner Bros. Deal Wins Shareholder Vote but Sparks Massive Opposition
Paramount Skydance secured shareholder approval for its $31‑per‑share, $111 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, but a coalition of over 4,700 Hollywood talent, labor unions and Democratic lawmakers has launched a public campaign warning the deal would deepen media consolidation and...
Recharge Buys Shopify Subscription Platform Skio for $105 Million Cash
Recharge completed a cash acquisition of Skio for $105 million, rewarding the YC‑backed startup’s $8 million funding round with a roughly 13‑times return. The deal underscores how a product‑first, no‑sales‑team model can still generate a sizable exit in the competitive subscription‑billing market.
AI‑Driven Travel Roll‑up: Long Lake Buys Am
Biiiiiiiiiiig fintech news today: Long Lake Management, a startup backed by @generalcatalyst, agreed to acquire @AmexBusiness Global Business Travel (Amex GBT) for approximately $6.3 billion. This is probably mixed news for @tryramp, @brexHQ, and @Navan. Validation that there's an opportunity, but new...
Long Lake Management to Acquire Global Business Travel Group for $6.3 Billion in Cash
Long Lake Management announced a cash acquisition of Global Business Travel Group for $6.3 billion, offering Amex GBT shareholders $9.50 per share—a 60.2% premium to the prior close. The deal, backed by investors such as General Catalyst and Koch Equity Development,...
BASF’s Q1 Investment Spike Reveals €124M AgBiTech Purchase
A look at the AgBiTech Acquisition by @BASF. In Q1 2026 BASF announced the acquisition of AgBiTech. One thing to note from their report is the “Investments” line. The AgBiTech acquisition was finalized in Q1 and investments were up ~€120 million...
The Pipeline: SDC Halfway with $1.5bn, Infranity Nears €3bn Target, Stonepeak Leads $6bn Utility Deal
SDC announced it is halfway to its $1.5 billion target for its fifth digital infrastructure fund, having secured roughly $750 million. European manager Infranity is close to closing a €3 billion (~$3.3 billion) fund aimed at core infrastructure assets. In the United States, Stonepeak...
UCB to Acquire Maker of Antibody Treatments for Autoimmune Diseases
UCB announced a definitive agreement to acquire a privately held biotech that develops monoclonal antibody treatments for autoimmune diseases. The target company’s portfolio includes candidates for rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and multiple sclerosis, complementing UCB’s existing immunology assets. Financial terms were...
GameStop Is Making a Bid to Buy eBay in a Deal Its CEO Admits Could Be ‘Totally, Totally Foolish’
GameStop, the $12 billion meme‑stock retailer led by Ryan Cohen, has announced a bid to acquire eBay for roughly $46 billion, a valuation about four times its own market cap. The proposal would rely on substantial debt financing as GameStop seeks to...
Audax Sale of HVAC Service Provider Nextech Progresses, Sources Say; More PE Deals Expected in Roofing, Landscaping and Remodeling
Audax Group is advancing the sale of Nextech, its HVAC service platform, after months of confidential marketing. Sources say the company is being valued at roughly $500 million and a buyer could be secured by the third quarter of 2024. The...
Mercedes Bid for Alpine Could Be Blocked by FIA Multi-Team Rule Change
Mercedes is among four bidders for a 24% stake in Alpine, a deal valued at roughly $450 million. FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem signaled that the governing body is reviewing a rule to prohibit multi‑team ownership, which could block Mercedes’ minority purchase....
ADNOC Drilling Completes 80% MBPS JV Acquisition, Adding 22 Rigs Across GCC
ADNOC Drilling announced the completion of its purchase of an 80% stake in MB Petroleum Services (MBPS), a joint venture with MB Holding. The deal brings 22 drilling and work‑over rigs and a foothold in Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and...
Bain Capital, Sixth Street and Harvest Partners Back Power Home Remodeling
Bain Capital, Sixth Street and existing backer Harvest Partners have jointly backed Power Home Remodeling in a fresh financing round. Harvest Partners will continue as the company’s largest shareholder, while the new capital from Bain and Sixth Street bolsters growth...
Audax Advances Bidders Into Second Round of Sale Process for Nextech, Sources Say
Audax has moved the Nextech sale into a second‑round bidding phase, with interested parties valuing the commercial HVAC specialist at roughly $1.5 billion, or about 15 times its EBITDA. The process, now in its advanced stage, reflects strong private‑equity appetite for climate‑control...
Blackstone, Saudi Wealth Fund Collect £4m Dividends From Four Morrisons Stores
Private equity giant Blackstone and the Saudi sovereign wealth fund collected about $5.1 million in dividends from four Morrisons supermarket properties. The assets, bought for roughly $140 million in a 2023 sale‑and‑leaseback deal, were financed with an $84 million loan from Israel’s Leumi...
Cybersecurity M&A Roundup: 33 Deals Announced in April 2026
April 2026 saw a surge of cybersecurity consolidation, with 33 deals announced across the sector. Notable transactions include Airbus buying French firm Quarkslab to bolster European sovereign cyber capabilities, and Palo Alto Networks’ $120‑140 million acquisition of AI gateway startup Portkey....
More Eye-Popping Mergers Ahead: Comcast And Charter?
Comcast and Charter are exploring a merger that would unite roughly 26 million video subscribers, representing about 20 percent of U.S. households. The deal is driven by two forces: a 15‑year decline in traditional pay‑TV subscriptions and the need to bolster weakening...
The Security Advantage in M&A Deals: 5 Foundations for Secure Collaboration
The article outlines five security foundations that must be embedded in M&A collaboration environments, starting with the decision where data is hosted—whether in a private cloud, on‑premise, or a custom AI model. It stresses that encryption, granular access controls, audit...
South Africa: Edge Growth-Managed Abadali Fund in Engineering Services Deal
Edge Growth Ventures has invested capital from its Abadali Fund into Siyanqoba, a 100% black woman‑owned engineering firm in Mpumalanga, South Africa. The funding, part of the government‑backed Abadali Equity Equivalent Investment Programme partnered with J.P. Morgan, will finance specialised...
Verdict on Serta LME Uptiers Expected Soon
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has overturned a 2023 summary judgment that favored lenders in the controversial Serta Simmons liability management exercise (LME). The case returned to bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez, who is expected to align with the appellate...
Long‑term Acquisitions Gamble on Static Competition; Know when to Exit
The thinking exercise when it comes to buying a company and holding it for a long period of time... Doing that, you’re basically hoping that, over a generation time frame, the competitive environment doesn’t change, which, in a way, is a...
Diana Takes Genco Battle Directly to Shareholders with Tender Offer for Stock
Greek tanker owner Diana Shipping has launched a cash tender offer to acquire all remaining shares of rival Genco Shipping & Trading. The bid follows months of stalled talks with Genco’s board, which declined to discuss Diana’s all‑cash proposal or...
Morning SPAC News Roundup: May 4, 2026
The May 4, 2026 Morning SPAC News Roundup, authored by Nicholas Alan Clayton, compiles the latest special‑purpose acquisition company (SPAC) activity for the week. While the full content is gated behind a subscription, the post typically highlights new SPAC filings, merger announcements,...
Musk Eyes Spirit Takeover to Launch AI‑powered Airline
There are rumors that Elon Musk may be exploring a takeover of the bankrupt Spirit Airlines, with ambitious plans to revolutionize the air travel experience. Imagine the possibilities: Optimus humanoid robot flight attendants, seamless Starlink connectivity, AI-powered travel planning, frictionless payments...
SAP Expands Data Platform with Dremio, Prior Labs Acquisitions
.@SAP acquires @Dremio, @PriorLabs as it builds out its data platform plan https://t.co/78ISBnRjAP SAP said it will acquire Dremio, an open data lakehouse player, in a move that aims to use SAP Business Data Cloud combine SAP data with non-SAP...
Integrum, Lightyear and Ontario Teachers’ to Invest in Wealth Management Advisor Allworth Financial
Integrum Capital, Lightyear Capital, and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan have announced a joint investment in Allworth Financial, a boutique wealth‑management advisory firm. The three investors, who have previously backed Allworth, are deepening their commitment to the firm’s growth strategy. While...
From $150k to $5B: Bet on Yourself
In 1973, George Lucas was offered $500k to direct Star Wars. His counter: $150k + merch & sequel rights. After minting billions, he sold LucasFilm to Disney for $4B in 2012. Lucas turned $350k into $5B+ and the world's greatest collection...
Burry's GameStop‑eBay Praise Misread as Oversimpl
Think this headline is a biiiiiiit of a misread or at the very least a drastic oversimplification of Burry’s thoughts on the proposed tie-up. *BURRY SAYS GAMESTOP BID FOR EBAY 'MAKES PERFECT SENSE' $GME $EBAY More here: https://t.co/LM9ZfauUTs
Ebusco Is in Talks with Strategic Investors over Potential Sale of Bus Division
Ebusco disclosed that it is in advanced talks with strategic investors about selling a controlling stake in its bus division. The company posted 2025 revenue of €76.6 million (about $84 million) but still recorded a net loss of €71 million (≈$78 million) after cutting...
SOLV Energy Bolsters Utility Platform with Roberson Waite Acquisition
SOLV Energy expands utility infrastructure platform with acquisition of Roberson Waite Electric #energysky -- via pv magazine usa: https://t.co/Bje3Dui1oP
Real Deal Outcomes: What Happens After Buying
3 Real Business Deals (What Actually Happens After You Buy) https://t.co/PmkHIRS7pL #BuyABusiness #BusinessAcquisition #Entrepreneurship #SmallBusiness #DealMaking #ETA #BusinessTips #Investing https://t.co/MvNHqP8UhR
Forrest Said to Sell Wyloo’s Yangibana Rare Earths Stake in Pivot to Nickel
Australian mining magnate Andrew Forrest is putting Wyloo Metals' 60% stake in the Yangibana rare‑earths project up for sale, with bids due by end‑May. The Western Australian deposit, which has already seen about $132 million (A$200 million) spent on infrastructure, still needs...
Cohen Proposes GameStop Issuing Stock to Acquire eBay
Ryan Cohen tells CNBC GameStop could issue more stock to buy the much larger eBay: CNBC $GME $EBAY
Carlyle Combines Knack and EqualizeRCM for AI-Driven Revenue Platform
Carlyle merges Knack RCM and EqualizeRCM to build AI-native healthcare revenue cycle platform Read the full story here: https://t.co/S4YaeVbFCv https://t.co/8wLsNx9jZC
ARCHIMED to Acquire Esperion Therapeutics for ~$1.1B
Archimed announced a definitive agreement to acquire Esperion Therapeutics for up to $1.1 billion, taking the company private and delisting it from NASDAQ. Esperion shareholders will receive $3.16 in cash per share plus a contingent value rights (CVR) package worth roughly...
Nilörngruppen Board Recommends Accepting Trimco's $97M Cash Offer
Nilörngruppen AB's board has unanimously recommended that shareholders accept Trimco Group Ltd.'s public cash takeover offer of SEK 878 million ($97 million) at SEK 77 per share. The recommendation follows a fairness opinion from Stockholm Corporate Finance AB and an irrevocable commitment from major...
GameStop Bids $55.5 B for eBay in $125‑per‑share Cash‑stock Offer
GameStop Corp. has lodged a non‑binding proposal to buy eBay Inc. for an aggregate equity value of about $55.5 billion, offering $125 per share split evenly between cash and GameStop stock. The bid lifts eBay shares 12.3% and GameStop shares 8.2%...
Mobius Renewables Acquires Air Liquide’s Biogas Assets Across US, France, Norway, Sweden
Mobius Renewables closed a deal to buy Air Liquide’s biogas production assets in the United States, France, Norway and Sweden. The portfolio adds six landfill‑gas RNG sites, five farm‑waste sites and a majority stake in Redo Biosolutions, expanding Mobius’s annual...
StepStone Alums Launch Advisory Shop to Build Customized Portfolios for Smaller LPs
Former StepStone executives Brey Jones and John McGuinness have launched Thirdpath, an advisory firm that builds customized private equity and private credit portfolios for institutional investors. The boutique targets smaller limited partners seeking tailored exposure rather than standard fund allocations....