Beltone VC and Citadel Exit Bosta with 75% IRR
Beltone Venture Capital and UAE‑based Citadel International exited their joint investment in Egyptian logistics startup Bosta, generating a 75% internal rate of return. The deal marks Beltone's fifth exit since its 2023 launch and the second through the Beltone‑Citadel fund. Both firms highlighted the strong fundamentals of Egypt’s startup ecosystem as a driver of the result. The exit underscores the value of disciplined, cross‑border capital deployment in the region.
Fuse Launches Fuse Venture Partners III, for Undisclosed Target Size
Fuse Venture Partners announced the launch of its third venture fund, Fuse Venture Partners III, without disclosing the target capital amount. The new vehicle follows two prior funds that attracted notable limited partners such as the Argyros Family Foundation and...
Cantaloupe-365 Deal Targets Fast-Growing Unattended Retail Market
The acquisition of Cantaloupe by 365 Retail Markets is now complete, merging Cantaloupe’s payment‑processing and connected‑vending expertise with 365’s self‑checkout and POS platforms. The combined firm will expand into sports venues, transit hubs, manufacturing campuses and senior‑living communities, targeting the...
Capital Calls Get an AI Overhaul
Allvue, a fund‑administration software provider, and professional services firm RSM have unveiled a new agentic AI operating model designed to overhaul capital‑call processes. The AI platform automates routine fund workflows, reduces manual data entry, and delivers more transparent communications to...
The Business Owner’s Succession Timeline: Planning Your Exit, Step by Step
Sequoia Financial Group outlines a multi‑year succession roadmap that starts 5–10 years before an owner’s exit and culminates in a coordinated post‑sale transition. The framework blends business valuation, tax structuring, leadership development, and estate planning to preserve value and legacy....
Brookfield to See ‘Largest Fundraising Year Ever’ in 2026, Says CEO Teskey
Brookfield Asset Management expects 2026 to be its largest fundraising year, according to CEO Craig Teskey. Year‑to‑date, the firm has secured $6 billion for its seventh flagship private‑equity fund, roughly half of the $12.5 billion target. The rapid capital accumulation reflects strong...
DBJ Asset Management Actively Pursuing New GP Partnerships
DBJ Asset Management announced it will broaden its buyout exposure in 2026 by seeking new general‑partner (GP) relationships. The firm aims to allocate additional capital to mid‑market private‑equity deals, particularly in North America. DBJ plans to co‑invest alongside GPs, targeting...
Technology Is Helping PE Investors Tap Into Sports Fandoms, Says Dynasty Equity’s Don Cornwell; Why Dealmakers Should Never Skip an...
Dynasty Equity CEO Don Cornwell says technology is reshaping private‑equity investment in the sports ecosystem. Advanced data analytics, digital ticketing and fan‑engagement platforms let investors monetize fandoms more precisely than ever. Cornwell highlights that Dynasty’s portfolio—from franchise ownership to league‑adjacent...
Apollo Is Buying Two Trade Show Companies and Merging Them in a $1.5 Billion Deal
Apollo Global Management announced a $1.5 billion acquisition of trade‑show operators Emerald Holding and Questex, merging them into a single B2B events platform. Emerald shareholders will receive $5.03 per share, a 42.1% premium, while the price for Questex remains undisclosed. The...
Mayfair Equity Partners to Sell OVO Retail Energy Business to EON
Mayfair Equity Partners has agreed to sell its OVO retail energy business to German utility E.ON. The transaction includes OVO's operating company, its approximately 1.5 million UK residential customers, and the OVO brand name. While the financial terms were not disclosed,...
H&K Services B.V. Acquired by Svanehoj
Svanehoj, the Danish marine pump specialist, acquired Dutch firm H&K Services B.V. on May 1, 2026, expanding its marine service and aftersales footprint in the Benelux region. H&K will operate under the Svanehoj EPS brand from its Stellendam workshop, located near the...
Blackstone to Acquire Skroutz in $74 Million Deal
Blackstone’s private‑equity funds have signed a definitive agreement to buy a majority stake in Greece’s leading online marketplace Skroutz for an enterprise value of €635 million (about $747 million). Skroutz, founded in 2005, hosts over 26 million products from roughly 9,000 merchants and...
Sony Strikes Almost $4bn Deal to Buy Blackstone’s Portfolio of Music Rights
Sony Music Publishing agreed to acquire Blackstone’s music‑rights portfolio for close to $4 billion, marking one of the largest deals in the entertainment‑rights market. The transaction includes a catalog of roughly 100,000 songs that generate around $300 million in annual royalties. The...
Providence Equity-Backed 365 Retail Markets Acquires Retail Tech Firm Cantaloupe
Providence Equity‑backed 365 Retail Markets announced the acquisition of Cantaloupe, a retail‑technology provider headquartered in Troy, Michigan. The deal adds Cantaloupe’s software suite to 365’s existing portfolio of point‑of‑sale and inventory solutions. While financial terms were not disclosed, the move...
Private Equity Lashes Out at New Research on Carried Interest
The Treasury’s new analysis estimates that reclassifying carried interest as ordinary income could add about $200 billion in annual tax revenue. Private‑equity and venture‑capital firms have launched a coordinated backlash, arguing the change would undermine incentives for long‑term investment. Lawmakers on...
Blue Owl Trims Software Sector Exposure
Alternative asset manager Blue Owl Capital is cutting its software exposure in its flagship private credit vehicle, dropping the share of software assets from 19% to 16% in the first quarter. The reduction reflects natural loan repayments and a deliberate...
Side Letter: Stress Test
The latest Side Letter briefing notes that the mid‑market private‑equity sector remains broadly resilient, though isolated stress points persist. Carlyle highlighted its robust liquidity position, emphasizing ample cash buffers and credit lines. KKR attributed a recent 15‑times return on an...
Investor Intentions: DBJ Asset Management Actively Pursues New GP Partnerships
DBJ Asset Management (DBJAM) announced it will expand its private‑equity exposure in 2026, actively courting new general‑partner (GP) relationships. The initiative is part of a broader push to diversify the firm’s portfolio and capture higher‑return opportunities in private markets. DBJAM...
Why Hailey Bieber Refused to Sell Rhode for Less than $1 Billion
Hailey Bieber sold her skin‑care label Rhode to e.l.f. Beauty for $1 billion in May 2025, a price she set as a non‑negotiable goal. The deal, concluded just three years after Rhode’s launch, keeps Bieber on board as founder, Chief Creative Officer,...
JinkoSolar Sells 75% Majority Stake in US Manufacturing Business
JinkoSolar has sold a 75.1% stake in its U.S. manufacturing arm, Jinko Solar (US) Industries, to private‑equity firm FH Capital while retaining a 24.9% minority interest. The Jacksonville, Florida plant currently produces 2 GW of solar modules and is slated for...
High-Profile Virginia Winery to Be Acquired by Start-Up
Veritas Legacy Partners LLC, a newly formed investment vehicle led by health‑tech architect Kurt Wassenaar and real‑estate investor Eric Trebour, will acquire Veritas Vineyards & Winery in Nelson County, Virginia, with closing expected in early summer 2026. The winery’s British...
M&G Spies Opportunities at Borders of Europe’s Defence Push
M&G’s private‑markets chief Emmanuel Deblanc says private equity can help Europe meet its defence ambitions by funding energy‑resilience projects, accelerating tech development and repurposing existing factories for defence production. He argues that capital‑rich investors are uniquely positioned to bridge gaps...
Ooh Media Auction Lifts the Unmade Index
Ooh Media announced a second takeover offer from private‑infrastructure investor I Squared Capital, valuing the company at roughly $508 million USD. The bid lifted Ooh Media’s share price 7.14% to $1.35, pushing its market capitalisation to about $470 million USD, the first...
Coller Emerges as Sole Lead on Verdane’s €600m-Plus Multi-Asset CV
Coller Capital has been appointed the sole lead investor for Verdane’s multi‑asset continuation vehicle, which targets more than €600 million (approximately $650 million) of assets. The transaction is co‑underwritten by StepStone, adding further capital support. Included in the portfolio is the Arrive...
AI M&A Surges as Software Captures Nearly Three-Quarters of North American Deals
Artificial intelligence‑related mergers and acquisitions in North America surged to a record 1,634 deals between 2021 and 2025, with 2025 alone seeing 589 transactions—a 57% year‑over‑year jump. AI’s share of total M&A climbed from roughly 2% in 2021‑2022 to over...
China’s Zhaojin Mining Eyes Overseas Gold Assets as M&A Heats Up
China’s Zhaojin Mining Industry Co., a leading Shandong‑based gold producer, is actively seeking overseas acquisitions. Chief Investment Officer Xu Jianzhuo said the firm is targeting gold mines in West Africa—specifically Côte Ivoire, Ghana and Guinea—where European and U.S. miners are pulling...
James Packer Takes Stake in OnlyFans
Australian media heir James Packer, through his vehicle Consolidated Press Holdings and U.S. firm Architect Capital, acquired a 16% minority stake in OnlyFans' parent Fenix International for A$739 million (about US$535 million). The transaction values the platform at roughly A$4.3 billion, or US$2.9 billion,...
The Bidding War Begins as Ooh Media Receives Second Takeover Offer
Australian outdoor advertising firm Ooh Media has received a second, higher takeover bid from infrastructure investor I Squared Capital, offering $1.45 per share and valuing the company at roughly $508 million USD, up from private equity firm Pacific Equity Partners’ $1.40...
Mobile Home Residents See Rents Soar Under New Corporate Owners
Private‑equity firms and large investors are buying manufactured‑housing communities and sharply raising lot rents, as illustrated by Smoky Palms North in Clinton, Tenn., where rents jumped from $275 to $650. Across the nation, institutional owners now account for roughly 23%...
EBay Permanently Bans GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen for Putting Its Community ‘at Risk’ Following Takeover Attempt
eBay announced it has permanently banned GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen from its marketplace, citing that his actions put the eBay community at risk. Cohen had recently floated a $55.5 billion hostile takeover proposal for eBay and was also selling high‑priced GameStop...
Rocket Lab Has Signed An Agreement To Purchase Motiv Space Systems
Rocket Lab announced on May 7, 2026 that it has signed an agreement to acquire California‑based Motiv Space Systems, with the transaction slated to close in the second quarter of 2026. The deal will rebrand Motiv as Rocket Lab Robotics and bring...
Jardine C&C Said to Explore Sale of Car Dealership in Malaysia and Singapore
Singapore‑listed Jardine Cycle & Carriage, a Jardine Matheson subsidiary, is exploring a sale of its car dealership operations in Malaysia and Singapore. The potential transaction could value the business between $250 million and $350 million. Jardine Matheson holds roughly 85% of C&C,...
Red Hot Chili Peppers Sells Recorded Music Catalog to WMG for Over $300 Million
The Red Hot Chili Peppers have sold their recorded‑music catalog to Warner Music Group for more than $300 million. The purchase was made through WMG’s $1.2 billion joint venture with Bain Capital, which targets both recorded and publishing rights. The catalog, covering the...
LPs Are Lowering Their Return Expectations, but Don't Expect Fundraising to Get Easier
Private equity limited partners have trimmed return expectations after a decade of low rates and high valuations, now targeting 15‑20% net IRR and 1.8‑2.3× net MOIC for top managers. Recent vintages are delivering net DPI below 1×, well short of...
Huayou Cobalt: Proposes to Acquire 100% Equity in Atlantic Lithium for $210 Million
Huayou Cobalt announced a $210 million deal to acquire 100% of Atlantic Lithium, securing the Ghana‑based Ewoyaa lithium project. The asset contains 36.8 million tonnes of JORC‑compliant resources at an average 1.24% Li₂O grade, equating to roughly 1.13 million tonnes of LCE. The...
EXp Expands Platform with Acquisition of NextHome
eXp World Holdings announced the acquisition of NextHome, a franchise network with over 500 locations, and will begin trading on Nasdaq under the new ticker AGNT. The deal, whose financial terms were not disclosed, integrates NextHome’s proven franchise model into...
Mattel Shareholder Pushes Company to Explore Sale
Mattel disclosed that it is in dialogue with activist investor Southeastern Asset Management, which owns more than 4% of the company and is urging the board to explore strategic alternatives, including a sale to private‑equity, a rival toy maker such...
![[Update] Zaggle Revises DICE Deal Structure, Cuts Acquisition Cost To ₹68 Cr](https://inc42.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=90/https://asset.inc42.com/2024/12/zaggle-MA-social-.png)
[Update] Zaggle Revises DICE Deal Structure, Cuts Acquisition Cost To ₹68 Cr
Zaggle has restructured its planned acquisition of DICE, lowering the purchase price to roughly ₹68 crore (about $8.2 million) from the earlier ₹123 crore estimate. The revised deal targets only DICE’s AI‑enabled spend‑management platform, its intellectual property, enterprise contracts and about 100 technology...
Private Equity Outlook: What Matters for Long-Term Investors
Vanguard’s private‑equity outlook emphasizes disciplined manager selection, diversification, and cost awareness as the keys to unlocking high‑single‑digit net returns over the next decade. While elevated borrowing costs and a slowdown in exits create short‑term headwinds, secondary‑market activity is rising, offering...
Investor Intentions: Montana Capital Partners Deploying Across Climate and Social Impact via Discretionary Mandate
Montana Capital Partners (MCP) announced that it will allocate capital through a discretionary mandate focused on climate‑related and social‑impact investments. The firm plans to source deals across renewable energy, sustainable infrastructure, and inclusive finance, leveraging its existing network of LPs....
The “People’s Airline” And the Enterprise AI Gold Rush
This week’s enterprise AI landscape saw a flurry of high‑profile deals, highlighted by a joint venture between Anthropic and OpenAI aimed at scaling AI tools for businesses. SAP announced a $1 billion investment in German startup Prior Labs to bolster its...
FinTech Futures: Top Five News Stories of the Week – 8 May 2026
Long Lake Management agreed to buy American Express Global Business Travel for $6.3 billion in an all‑cash deal funded by equity from its investors and debt from major banks. PayPal announced a three‑division operating model designed to save about $1.5 billion over...
CrossCountry Raises Its Two Harbors Bid to $12 per Share
CrossCountry Mortgage has increased its bid for Two Harbors Investment to $12 per share, matching United Wholesale Mortgage’s latest offer. The move follows a surge in Two Harbors’ stock price, which traded above $12 in early May. UWM’s original share‑swap...
Lee Jeans up for Sale in Surprise Kontoor Move
Kontoor Brands announced that it is putting its Lee denim label up for sale after designating the brand and its $195 million Q1 revenue as discontinued operations. The move follows strong buyer interest and is intended to free resources for Wrangler...
Hostile Takeover: Examples and Strategies for Investors
Hostile takeovers let acquirers seize control of a target without board approval, typically by offering shareholders a premium of 20%‑50% above market. Strategies include tender offers, proxy fights, bear hugs, toehold accumulation, and activist‑investor tactics, each with distinct cost and...
Siris Capital to Triple Its Money with Equiniti Sale; Remote Healthcare Demand Pulls PE to Telehealth
Siris Capital Group is preparing to sell its portfolio company Equiniti, a UK payroll and HR technology provider, at a price that would triple the private‑equity firm’s original investment. The deal, expected to close later this year, underscores Siris’s ability...
Celsius Now Controls a Fifth of the US Energy Drink Market
Celsius Holdings reported that one in five energy drinks sold in the United States in Q1 2026 came from its portfolio of Celsius, Alani Nu and Rockstar, delivering $782.6 million in revenue—a 138% year‑over‑year jump. The surge was powered by the 2025 acquisitions...
US Private Equity Firm Acquires Controlling Stake in JinkoSolar’s American Operations
U.S. private‑equity firm FH Capital has signed a definitive agreement to purchase a 75.1% controlling stake in JinkoSolar’s U.S. subsidiary, leaving the Chinese parent with a 24.9% minority interest. The deal covers Jinko’s 2‑GW solar panel assembly plant in Florida,...
Blue Owl Marks up SpaceX Holding by 36% in Q1
Blue Owl Capital raised the valuation of its SpaceX holdings by roughly 36% in Q1 2026, marking the shares at over $526 each versus $387 at the end of 2025. The firm sold about half of the stake at a...
Private Equity Taps Junk Market for Dividends as Exits Stall
Private equity firms are increasingly tapping Europe’s high‑yield (junk) debt market to fund dividend recapitalizations as traditional exit routes weaken. Heightened volatility from the Iran war and lingering AI‑related market anxiety has limited cash‑out opportunities, prompting firms to extract value...