James Taylor

The Carlyle Group and Riverstone Holdings have teamed up to back The Ensus Group, which is planning to build the UK’s first bioethanol plant.

Cadbury Schweppes has announced plans to split its beverage and confectionery units into two separate businesses, amid speculation that private equity firms are planning bids for at least one of the divisions.

French IT firm Atos has denied receiving a €4 billion buyout offer from Permira and US hedge fund Centaurus Capital, in what would be an unusual example of a private equity firm and a hedge fund working together to take a company private.

SVG Capital has reaped the rewards of backing UK buyout firm Permira – the group has out-performed the stock market by about ten per cent a year since 1996, and saw a 24 percent rise in net asset value in 2006. However, it warned of trickier times ahead.

Esprit Capital Partners has sold its stake in fraud software business Neteconomy, as it hits the exit trail ahead of another fundraising round.

As expected, UK-listed buyout group 3i has sold UK car park operator NCP to Macquarie for £790m, realising a substantial profit just a year and a half after buying the company.

Sovereign Capital has again utilised its favoured buy-and-build strategy by combining three businesses that supply maintenance services to social housing.

The private equity consortium linked with a bid for Sainsbury has reportedly made its first tentative approach to the UK retailer, as it considers making a bid ahead of its April 13 deadline.

Saga, the UK leisure group owned by Charterhouse Capital Partners, is considering a £2.5 billion flotation on the London stock market, which could yield a lucrative return on the buyout firm’s initial investment.

HgCapital’s listed private equity investment trust saw net asset value increase by 20% after another strong year for the firm.