NMI’s Latest Deal Snags A2A Platform Dwolla
Network Merchants Inc. (NMI) announced the acquisition of Dwolla, a payments‑acceptance platform specializing in real‑time, account‑to‑account (A2A) processing. The deal, NMI’s sixth since 2021, adds roughly 400 Dwolla merchants and lifts the combined entity’s annual transaction volume to about $700 billion. NMI cites Dwolla’s FedNow and ACH expertise as a catalyst for expanding its A2A and real‑time payment stack, positioning it against rivals such as Stripe and Adyen. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed, and Dwolla’s CEO will become NMI’s COO.
20 Large Health Systems Growing Bigger
Hospital consolidation is gaining momentum after a brief post‑pandemic pause, with large health systems pursuing cross‑state mergers, acquisitions and strategic partnerships. Twenty major systems announced or plan deals this year, ranging from Atrium Health’s combination with WakeMed to Sutter Health’s...
Value Creation and Post-Deal Due Diligence More Important with Longer Hold Periods; Blackstone Injects $5 Billion Into JV with Google
Private‑equity firms are extending investment horizons, prompting advisers to stress value‑creation initiatives and rigorous post‑deal due diligence. Longer hold periods mean portfolio companies must generate sustainable growth beyond the typical three‑to‑five‑year window. Blackstone announced a $5 billion investment in a joint...
Cohere Acquires Second Company with German Ties in Reliant AI
Cohere, the Toronto‑based AI scale‑up, announced the acquisition of Montreal‑Berlin biotech data startup Reliant AI to embed its pharma‑focused capabilities into Cohere’s North platform. The deal brings Reliant’s research team, proprietary biomedical datasets and domain‑optimized technology, along with existing customers...
Dow Jones CEO: Storyful Merger Will Fuel Growth to $1bn Profit
Dow Jones will integrate its News Corp‑owned video verification firm Storyful, a deal first announced when News Corp bought Storyful for about $25 million in 2013. CEO Almar Latour says the merger will accelerate the publisher’s push to deepen content, widen...
Google AI Chips Get a $5bn Vote of Confidence From Blackstone
Blackstone is forming a joint venture with Google to build AI data centres powered by Google’s Tensor Processing Units (TPUs). The partnership includes a $5 billion equity commitment from Blackstone’s AI arm, BXN1, and aims to bring 500 MW of TPU compute...
Blackstone and Google to Form New Tech Company
Blackstone and Google have formed a joint venture to create a new technology company centered on sustainable infrastructure. Blackstone will provide an initial $5 billion equity commitment, while Google contributes its cloud, AI, and data‑center expertise. The partnership targets 500 MW of...
Deal or No Deal: Has Everlane Sold Out to Fast-Fashion with Shein Alliance?
Everlane disclosed a strategic alliance with Shein, the Chinese fast‑fashion giant, to co‑produce a limited‑edition line slated for launch later this year. The partnership leverages Shein’s ultra‑efficient logistics network while promising Everlane’s hallmark transparent pricing. Critics immediately flagged the move...
US Group Acquires Tangent to Drive European Expansion
Exadel, a US AI and digital engineering firm backed by Sun Capital Partners, agreed to acquire UK‑based digital experience agency Tangent in a multi‑million‑pound (~$6.5 million) deal. Tangent, a 90‑person team with offices across Europe, Africa and Asia, will retain its...
PE Firm Advent Invests $150 Million for Minority Stake in Iscon Balaji Foods
Global private‑equity firm Advent International is injecting $150 million for a minority stake in Iscon Balaji Foods (IBF), one of India’s largest frozen‑potato processors. The funding is part of a $215 million round that also includes 360 ONE’s $70 million participation. Advent’s capital will finance capacity...
AI: The Next Frontier of PE Deal Risk
Private‑equity firms are moving AI from a peripheral concern to a core diligence focus, probing governance, data usage, and model reliability. The rise of "shadow AI"—undocumented employee use of generative tools—creates hidden data‑leak and IP risks that traditional cyber checks...
The US Megadeal Set to Spark a Fight over the Cost of the AI Boom
Project Astra, a $420 billion merger between leading US chipmaker Nvidia and AI‑software firm OpenAI, has been announced to create a vertically integrated AI powerhouse. The deal combines Nvidia's GPU dominance with OpenAI's generative models, promising faster, cheaper AI compute for...
Everlane’s Sale to Shein Is Another Nail in the Coffin for Millennial DTC Brands
Everlane’s majority owner L Catterton sold the brand to fast‑fashion giant Shein for $100 million, a deal that clears roughly $90 million of debt. The transaction underscores the collapse of the millennial‑focused direct‑to‑consumer (DTC) wave that once dominated online apparel. Similar exits, such...
Everlane Is The Next Millennial Brand To Fall
SHEIN’s $100 million acquisition of Everlane marks the end of the latter’s independent, purpose‑driven era. The deal underscores how direct‑to‑consumer (DTC) brands that built their appeal on transparency and ethical sourcing are now struggling with soaring customer‑acquisition costs and fragile supply...
Tim Lamb Group Completes Sale of Seven Firelands Automotive Group Dealerships in Northern Ohio
Tim Lamb Group announced the completion of seven dealership sales in northern Ohio, finalizing transactions that transferred Firelands Automotive Group locations to Feldman Automotive Group, Diehl Automotive Group, and Baumann Auto Group. The last deal closed on May 5, 2026, marking Feldman’s...
Could New Zim Offer Start Bidding War?
ZIM Integrated Shipping Services shareholders approved a $4.2 billion takeover by Germany’s Hapag‑Lloyd and Israel’s FIMI Opportunity Funds, creating a New Zim entity that keeps 16 Israel‑flagged vessels and a government golden share under national control. A competing all‑cash offer of...
MBS Logistics to Be Acquired by AD Ports Group
AD Ports Group has signed a binding agreement to acquire German freight forwarder MBS Logistics, a company that generated €205 million (approximately $223 million) in revenue in 2025. The acquisition brings MBS’s network of 26 offices and over 450 professionals across Central...
What Goes Into M&A Valuations
The article breaks down the two primary components of CPA firm merger valuations: capital and goodwill. Capital is measured by adjusting accrual‑based equity for the fair market value of fixed assets, work‑in‑process and receivable reserves, and is typically paid in...
Shein Reportedly (and Confusingly) Acquires Everlane
Shein is set to acquire sustainable apparel brand Everlane for roughly $100 million, a deal approved by Everlane’s board. The acquisition comes as Everlane seeks to clear about $90 million in debt that has hampered growth. Private‑equity firm L Catterton, which took a...
Is Magnum Already About to Disappear From the Stock Market?
Less than six months after Unilever spun off its premium ice‑cream arm, rumors surfaced that private‑equity firms Blackstone and Clayton, Dubilier & Rice are evaluating a takeover of The Magnum Ice Cream Company. The speculation, reported by Reuters, has caught analysts...
KKR Explores Potential $3bn Bay Club Sale
KKR is weighing a sale of The Bay Club Company that could fetch roughly $3 billion. The private‑equity firm has tapped Moelis & Co. and Morgan Stanley to manage the early‑stage process. Since KKR bought the West Coast premium‑membership operator in...
Premier Inn Owner Under Pressure: Sell Now, Demands Activist Investor
U.S. hedge fund Corvex Management, which owns about 7% of Whitbread PLC, has written to the board demanding an immediate sale of the Premier Inn owner. The activist argues the company’s assets are undervalued and that Whitbread’s recent five‑year overhaul, including...
Sale of Azores Airlines Set; Icelandair, Binter Interested
Portugal’s state‑owned SATA has set a definitive timeline for the privatization of Azores Airlines, with Icelandic carrier Icelandair and Spanish regional airline Binter emerging as the leading interested parties. The sale follows a series of stalled bids, EU interventions, and...
Shein Buys Everlane in US$100m Deal, Reports Claim
Chinese fast‑fashion giant Shein is reported to be acquiring US apparel brand Everlane for roughly $100 million, according to Puck News and subsequent coverage. The deal, valued at about $100 million, would bring Everlane’s sustainability‑focused lineup under Shein’s expansive e‑commerce platform. Neither...
Inside Blue Owl’s Liquidity and Monetisation Playbook
Blue Owl, the fast‑growing GP‑stakes specialist, disclosed its internal liquidity playbook in documents prepared for a limited‑partner investment committee. The firm relies on a mix of secondary sales, dividend recapitalisations and structured co‑investments to turn illiquid GP‑stake holdings into cash....
PolyPeptide Shortlists EQT and IDG Capital as Bidding Process Advances
Swiss contract drug maker PolyPeptide Group has narrowed its sale process to two private‑equity bidders, EQT AB and IDG Capital, as the auction moves to the next phase. US‑based Altaris remains engaged but has not been shortlisted. PolyPeptide, valued at...
Pelagic and Clear Ocean Open Door to Golden Energy Offshore Deal Options
Golden Energy Offshore Services’ two largest shareholders, Clear Ocean Partners and Pelagic Partners, have launched a strategic review of their stakes in the Oslo‑listed offshore vessel owner. The review may lead to a partial or full disposal of their holdings,...
Is Estée Lauder Companies Nearing a Sale of Too Faced, Smashbox and Dr. Jart+?
Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) has received final bids to sell its under‑performing brands Too Faced, Smashbox and Dr. Jart+. The sale, rumored since January 2026, could close within weeks. Simultaneously, ELC is negotiating a roughly $40 billion merger with Spain’s Puig, for which...
Associa Expands Into Europe with Acquisition of Mediterráneo Global
Associa, the largest U.S. community‑management firm, announced the acquisition of a majority stake in Spain’s Mediterráneo Global, marking its first foray into Europe. Mediterráneo Global manages nearly 10,000 residential communities and serves over 400,000 homeowners with a 500‑person workforce. The...
Prime Creative Media Acquires ITS International
Prime Creative Media, through its subsidiary Prime Global Publishing, has acquired ITS International and its sister title Global Highways from Route One Publishing. The deal builds on Prime’s 2024 purchase of Aggregates Business Europe and International, further deepening its foothold...
Blackstone and CD&R Mull Magnum Bid Amid Share Price Slump
Private equity giants Blackstone and Clayton, Dubilier & Rice are weighing a bid for Magnum Ice Cream after its shares fell to about €13 ($14) from a peak of €16.5 ($18). The company, which debuted in December with a €7.8bn...
Thoma Bravo Weighs Sale of Command Alkon Stake at up to $1.75bn Valuation
Thoma Bravo is testing the market for its 55% stake in construction‑software firm Command Alkon, hiring Evercore to run a sale that could value the company at $1.5‑$1.75 billion. Command Alkon, which posted over $230 million in revenue and roughly $92 million of...
Digest: Publicis Buys LiveRamp for $2.2bn; Netflix Expands Ad Tier
Publicis Groupe agreed to buy data‑collaboration platform LiveRamp for $2.2 bn cash, a roughly 30% premium, to embed identity‑ and AI‑driven capabilities into its agency network. LiveRamp will stay a neutral, interoperable platform with CEO Scott Howe reporting to Publicis chief...
Ambuja Cements Emerges as Sole Bidder for Bankrupt Jaypee Cement
Ambuja Cements, backed by the Adani Group, has lodged a INR 5.8 bn (≈US$60 m) bid for the insolvent Jaypee Cement, becoming the sole bidder after My Home Group withdrew its lower offer. Lenders argue the proposal falls short of the INR 8.8 bn (≈US$92 m)...
Shein to Acquire Everlane in $100m Deal
Chinese fast‑fashion giant Shein agreed to acquire San‑Francisco‑based Everlane for roughly $100 million, ending the brand’s prolonged financial strain. Everlane, known for its sustainability and radical transparency, had previously taken a $25 million loan to stay afloat and was owned by L Catterton,...
Bain Capital Announces Final Close of Asia Fund VI at $10.5 Bn
Bain Capital announced the final close of its Asia Fund VI, raising $10.5 billion, including roughly $9.1 billion in external commitments, well above the original $7 billion target. The fund’s capital was completed by Bain partners, employees and related entities, making them the single...
Keppel to Let M1-Simba Deal Lapse; M1 to Be Restructured with Focus on ‘Rightsizing’
Keppel announced it will let the M1‑Simba sale‑and‑purchase agreement expire on May 21, after Singapore’s regulator halted its consolidation review. The group immediately activated a “Plan B” to retain majority control of M1 and launch a 90‑day rightsizing program aimed at cutting...
As IPO Momentum Fades, VCs Embrace Partial Exits and M&A
Venture capital firms are shifting away from IPOs toward secondary sales, founder buybacks, and strategic M&A as public market conditions deteriorate. In India, 51 secondary VC transactions totaling $1.1 billion were recorded in 2025, while startup mergers and acquisitions remained robust...
Publicis to Buy US Data Company in $2.2bn Deal as It Deepens AI Marketing Push
Publicis Groupe announced a $2.2 billion acquisition of US data‑focused marketing firm Cheetah Digital, combining cash and stock components. The deal is designed to embed advanced AI capabilities into Publicis' existing creative, media, and data services. Completion is expected in early...
OpenAI Paid $100 Million for a Talk Show. James Murdoch Is Eyeing an Even Bigger Deal. The Hot New Asset...
James Murdoch’s Lupa Systems is in late‑stage talks to buy New York Magazine and the Vox Media podcast network for $300 million or more, aiming to fuse premium journalism with creator‑driven audio. Earlier this year OpenAI paid over $100 million for the tech talk...
Ryan Cohen's eBay Bid Has Been Absurd All Along
eBay’s board rejected Ryan Cohen’s unsolicited $55 billion offer, labeling it non‑credible. Cohen, who rose to prominence by steering GameStop’s meme‑stock rally, has faced criticism for the feasibility of the bid. Analysts point to eBay’s 63% stock gain and strong earnings...
BODE Enters Next Phase of Growth Through Strategic Partnership with Waterland
BODE, a German specialist in rail door and access systems, has entered a strategic partnership with European private‑equity firm Waterland, which will acquire the company from Schaltbau Group, itself majority‑owned by Carlyle. The deal includes a co‑investment by BODE’s senior...
Intuitive Machines Buys Goonhilly Earth Station
Intuitive Machines of Texas announced the acquisition of Goonhilly Earth Station, including the UK‑based group's COMSAT assets and 44 antennas worldwide. The purchase follows years of collaboration, during which Goonhilly’s deep‑space‑rated antennas supported Intuitive Machines’ IM‑1 and IM‑2 lunar lander...
NextEra and Dominion in Talks over Tie-Up to Create $400bn US Utility Giant
U.S. power giants NextEra Energy and Dominion Energy are in advanced talks to combine their operations, potentially forming a utility company worth roughly $400 billion. The proposed tie‑up would merge NextEra’s renewable‑focused generation portfolio with Dominion’s extensive transmission and regulated assets,...
Brand Holding Firm NYC Alliance Acquires Derek Lam 10 Crosby
NYC Alliance, the brand‑holding firm behind Juicy Couture and Frye, announced the acquisition of Derek Lam 10 Crosby’s brand assets on April 30. The New York‑based contemporary womenswear label, founded in 2011 and previously owned by Public Clothing Company, joins Alliance’s growing portfolio. The deal...
Captrust Acquires $1.25B Pennsylvania RIA
Captrust Financial Advisors, which manages about $1.2 trillion, announced the acquisition of Stillwater Capital Group, a Pennsylvania‑based RIA with $1.25 billion in client assets. The deal adds a fifth Captrust office in the state and brings a small team of advisors, planners...
Intuitive Machines Buys British Ground Station Company
Intuitive Machines, a lunar lander startup, has agreed to acquire British ground‑station operator Goonhilly Earth Station Ltd. and its U.S. subsidiary Comsat for £37 million ($49.6 million), split between cash and stock. The purchase adds 30‑ and 32‑meter deep‑space antennas in Cornwall...
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...
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...