Deal briefs

3i Growth Capital has invested $57 million into Fulcrum Ltd., a Bermuda-based hedge fund administrator. The deal will provide liquidity to existing Fulcrum shareholders and help grow the Fulcrum business.

3M (NYSE: MMM) has completed the sale of its Opticom Priority Control Systems and Canoga Traffic Detection businesses to TorQuest Partners, a Toronto-based private equity firm. No financial terms were disclosed.

Advent International has taken a majority stake in German fashion discount chain Takko for €770 million from Permira.

Aequitas Capital Management has acquired Paramount Graphics Inc., a Beaverton, Ore.-based provider of commercial printing and packaging. The transaction was valued at $10.8 million. Aequitas Capital has been advising and funding Paramount Graphics since 2003.

Alinda Capital Partners has closed its debut infrastructure fund with $3 billion in capital commitments. C.P. Eaton served as placement agent. Alinda was formed last year by a team led by Chris Beale, former global head of project finance at Citigroup.

American Capital Strategies has invested $548 million in the recapitalization of Exstream Software LLC, a Lexington, Ky.-based provider of enterprise software for the design and delivery of personalized communications.

American Capital Strategies has acquired an 83 percent stake in SMG, a Philadelphia–based provider of entertainment and conference venue management services. The total deal is valued at $631 million, with American Capital providing all of the equity and debt.

American Capital Strategies has committed $100 million in private equity to Oceana Media Finance LLC, a new specialty finance company for the production and marketing of independently produced feature films.

American Capital Strategies has acquired TriVIN Inc., a Groton, Conn.-based provider of title management services to automobile lenders and electronic vehicle registration services to automobile dealers. American Capital provided $106 million in equity and debt, while TriVIN management contributed an undisclosed amount of equity.

Apax Partners and Morgan Stanley Principal Investments have completed their take-private buyout of Chicago-based insurance brokerage Hub International Ltd. for $41.50 per share. The total deal was valued at approximately $1.8 billion, including around $145 million of assumed debt. Hub was advised on the sale by Merrill Lynch.

Archer Capital and Ironbridge Capital have agreed to buy Australian healthcare firm Symbion Health Ltd. for Au$2.8 billion.

Atlantic Street Capital Management has acquired Ace Expediters Inc., an Orlando, Fla.-based logistics management company. Ace provides dedicated route delivery solutions and other third-party logistics services to a variety of customers, particularly retailers. No financial terms were disclosed.

Bain Capital has agreed to acquire Guitar Center Inc. (Nasdaq: GTRC), a Westlake Village, Calif.-based retailer of guitars, amplifiers, percussion instruments, keyboards and pro-audio and recording equipment. The total deal is valued at approximately $2.1 billion.

Bain Capital has agreed to acquire German yacht builder Bavaria Yachtbau GmbH. No financial terms were disclosed for the deal, which is expected to close on July 31.

Bain Capital has won the auction for UK food distributor Brakes PLC, which was put on the block earlier this year by Clayton Dubilier & Rice. The deal is valued at approximately £1.3 billion.

BC Partners has agreed to acquire a 76 percent stake in Bermuda-based communications satellite operator Intelsat for approximately $4.6 billion. The deal values Intelsat’s equity at around $5.03 billion, but its overall market value is $16.4 billion, once debt is included.

Birch Hill Equity Partners has acquired a majority position in Creation Technologies LP, a Vancouver-based manufacturer of complex electronics. The deal is valued at C$65 million, with part of the proceeds being used to buy out past backers CIBC Capital Partners and Callisto Capital.

The Blackstone Group is backing the management buyout of Intelenet, an Indian business process outsourcing company. The consideration has not been disclosed but the deal is thought to be worth around $200 million. Intelenet is being sold by Barclays Bank and Housing Development Finance Corporation, which set the business up as a joint venture in 2004.

Blue Equity has acquired Team Championship International, a Littleton, Colo.-based sports league and tournament organizer. No financial terms were disclosed.

CAMP Systems International Inc., a Ronkonkoma, N.Y.–based provider of maintenance tracking information for the corporate aviation market, has completed a recapitalization. No financial terms were disclosed, except that American Capital Strategies provided a $38 million second-lien term loan. CAMP is a portfolio company of Warburg Pincus.

The Carlyle Group and Onex Partners have agreed to acquire Allison Transmission from General Motors Corp., for $5.6 billion. The $1.5 billion equity tranche would be split evenly between Carlyle and Onex. The deal is expected to close in the third quarter.

Carlyle Group has agreed to acquire healthcare specialist Manor Care (NYSE: HCR) for $6.3 billion. Carlyle will pay $67 per share, a 20 percent premium.

Carlyle/Riverstone has completed its sale of a 63 percent limited partnership interest in pipeline operator Buckeye GP Holdings LP (NYSE: BGH) to ArcLight Capital Partners, Kelso & Co. and Lehman Brothers.

Carousel Capital has acquired an undisclosed stake in Jameson Corp., a Clover, S.C.-based provider of tools and equipment for utility workers and the military.

Centerbridge Partners has agreed to acquire a majority stake in The GSI Group Inc., an Assumption, Ill.–based manufacturer and distributor of agricultural equipment for the protein production markets. Seller Charlesbank Capital Partners will retain a minority interest. No financial terms were disclosed.

Centre Partners has acquired Orion International Consulting Group Inc., a Raleigh, N.C.–based recruiting and permanent placement organization specializing in individuals leaving the military.No financial terms were disclosed for the deal.

Cerberus European Investments has acquired the assets of troubled retail software developer Torex Retail PLC. The deal is valued at £204.4 million, with Torex assuming associated liabilities that it is unlikely to be able to pay in full.

ClearLight Partners has bought Katzkin Leather Inc. from Florida Capital Partners for an undisclosed amount. Katzkin is a Montebello, Calif.-based maker of made-to-order leather interiors for automobiles and light trucks, sold to and installed by a national network of more than 2,000 independent automotive aftermarket restylers. It was advised on the deal by Goldsmith Agio Helms.

Duke Street Capital and Europa Capital Partners have agreed to sponsor a management buyout of CI Traders Ltd., a retail and leisure conglomerate that owns around 200 properties on the U.K. Channel Islands. The deal is valued at around £260 million.

Duke Street Capital has agreed to acquire Oasis Healthcare PLC, a listed UK dental services company. The 82 pence-per-share offer would value Oasis at approximately £76.9 million.

Eaton Corp. (NYSE: ETN) has agreed to sell its mirror controls unit to Englefield Capital for $111 million. The unit is part of Eaton’s automotive group.

EG Capital Group has acquired the Personal Healthcare Products business of Water Pik Technologies Inc., which is owned by The Carlyle Group and Zodiac SA. The deal is valued at $124 million ($32m of equity), according to S&P. Following the sale, what remains of Water Pik will be renamed Jandy.

Genstar Capital and Boston Ventures have acquired a majority stake in 21st Services, a Minneapolis-based provider of life expectancy information used in the life settlement industry and the secondary life insurance market. No financial terms were disclosed.

Great Point Partners has agreed to acquire an 80 percent stake in the proteomics business of Thallion Pharmaceuticals Inc., with Thallion retaining the other 20 percent.

GTCR Golder Rauner has bought Service Net Solutions Inc. from H.I.G. Capital for an undisclosed amount. Service Net is a Jeffersonville, Ind.-based administrator of extended warranty programs for OEMs and specialty retailers covering a wide range of consumer durable products.

Hicks Holdings has acquired a 40 percent stake in SafeMed, a San Diego-based provider of clinical decision support systems. No financial terms were disclosed.

HM Capital Partners has agreed to acquire Phone Directories Co., an Orem, Utah-based independent provider of yellow page directories in North America. No financial terms were disclosed.

The Home Depot has agreed to sell its Home Depot Supply unit for more than $10 billion to a buyout group comprised of Bain Capital, The Carlyle Group and Clayton Dubilier & Rice.

Hunt Private Equity Group and BB&T Capital Partners has closed its acquisition of Ginsey Industries Inc., a Bellmawr, N.J.-based maker of bath products like juvenile toilet training seats. No financial terms were disclosed.

Jones Apparel Group Inc. has agreed to sell high-end fashion retailer Barneys New York to Dubai-based Istithmar for $825 million. The sale is expected to close in the third quarter.

KBC Private Equity has sold its 30 percent stake in audiovisual production house D&D Media Group to Palamon Capital Partners, for an undisclosed amount. D&D specializes in drama, entertainment and factual entertainment for both television and other media. KBC Private Equity first invested in D&D Media Group in August 2002.

Kachi Partners has acquired Photo Stencil, a Colorado Springs, Colo.-based manufacturer of stencils and other tooling used in the printed circuit board assembly process. No financial terms were disclosed.

Madison Dearborn Partners has agreed to acquire Nuveen Investments Inc. (NYSE: JNC), a Chicago–based provider of diversified investment services to institutional and high-net-worth investors. The total deal is valued at $6.3 billion, including $550 million in existing debt, with Nuveen stockholders to receive $65 per share in cash, a 20 percent premium to the previous closing price.

Macquarie Group has acquired St Louis-based America’s Water Heater Rentals LLC from Angelo Gordon & Co. and FTR Capital Partners for $95 million. AWHR is the largest home water heater rental business in the United States with a portfolio of 125,000 rented appliances.

Marlin Equity Partners has acquired Ultra*Pro, a Commerce, Calif.-based manufacturer and marketer of storage products for sports and gaming collectibles, photographs and multi-media products.Ultra*Pro also manufactures and distributes a leading line of scrapbooking tools and supplies, marketed under the 7gypsies brand name.No financial terms were disclosed.

MITY Enterprises Inc. (Nasdaq: MITY) shareholders have approved a $21.50 per share buyout by Sorenson Capital Partners and Peterson Partners. MITY makes institutional furniture.

Norwest Equity Partners has completed its sale of Des Moines, Iowa-based logistics company Jacobson Cos. to Oak Hill Capital Partners. No financial terms were disclosed.

Olympus Partners has agreed to acquire 95 Chili’s Grill & Bar restaurants located in the Northeastern and mid-Atlantic region from Brinker International Inc. (NYSE: EAT). The deal is valued at $155 million.

OnCap has completed its acquisition of pizza chain operator CiCi Enterprises from Levine Leichtman Capital Partners. The deal was reported to be worth approximately $250 million, including $50 million of equity from OnCap. North Point Advisors managed the sale process.

Pegasus Capital Advisors has acquired a majority stake in LED Effects, a Sacramento, Calif.–based provider of LED lighting design and engineering. No financial terms were disclosed. As part of the deal, Govi Rao, a senior executive at Philips Lighting North America, will join LED Effects as its new president and CEO.

Pershing Square Capital Management has come out in opposition to the pending $5.3 billion buyout of Ceridian Corp. (NYSE: CEN) by Thomas H. Lee Partners and Fidelity National Financial. Pershing is Ceridian’s largest shareholder with around a 15 percent stake and has retained Lazard to seek superior offers.

Quintana Energy Partners has agreed to acquire AmerCable Inc. from Industrial Growth Partners for $212 million. AmerCable is an El Dorado, Ark.-based manufacturer of jacketed electrical cables used in extreme operating environments.

RedZone Capital and Six Flags Inc. have acquired television producer Dick Clark Productions Inc. for $175 million. Red Zone will take a 60 percent stake, while Six Flags will take the remaining 40 percent.

RFE Investment Partners has acquired Metal Systems Inc., a Chattanooga, Tenn.-based provider of custom metal enclosures and operating centers that protect low, medium and high voltage electrical equipment. No financial terms were disclosed.

The Riverside Co. has acquired AutomationSolutions, a Beverley, Mass.-based provider of engineered automation solutions for original equipment manufacturers in the Northeastern United States. No financial terms were disclosed, except that Riverside used its Micro-Cap Fund, which focuses on companies with EBITDA of $3 million or less.

The Riverside Co. has acquired American Home Inspectors Training Institute, a Waukesha, Wis.-based provider of home inspection products, services and education to home inspectors. No financial terms were disclosed for the deal, which was made out of Riverside’s Micro-Cap Fund.

RJD Partners is leading a BIMBO transaction worth £50 million for the purchase of specialist fleet outsourcing business TransLinc. TransLinc is one of the country’s foremost suppliers of specialist vehicles to local authorities, primarily on a contract hire basis. The business has significant potential for consolidation.

Sageview Capital and KKR Private Equity Investors, the publicly-traded fund of KKR, have agreed to acquire a 70 percent stake in ACTS LP, the Montreal-based maintenance, repair and overhaul subsidiary of ACE Aviation Holdings. The deal gives ACTS an enterprise value of approximately $975 million.

Sierra Nevada Partners has acquired HelioPower Inc., a Californian solar energy company. No financial terms were disclosed. Capital Advice LLC advised Sierra Nevada on the deal.

Sterling Capital Partners and Citigroup Private Equity have completed their $535 million take-private buyout of Educate Inc., a Baltimore–based provider of supplemental education products and services to the pre-K-12 market. Educate stockholders received $8 per share. They included Apollo Management, which held a majority stake in Educate via its position in Sylvan Learning.

Summit Partners has acquired a minority stake in LiveOffice, a Torrance, Calif.–based provider of managed messaging security, archiving, and compliance solutions. No financial terms were disclosed.

Summit Partners has invested in Noël Group subsidiary Nomacorc, a manufacturer of synthetic wine closures with facilities in both the U.S. and Belgium. No financial terms were disclosed.

Summit Partners has completed its acquisition of an 85 percent stake in Life of the South Corp., a Jacksonville, Fla.-based provider and administrator of payment protection products. The deal was valued at more than $100 million.

Sun Capital Partners has agreed to acquire the fabrics division of Interface Inc. (Nasdaq: IFSIA). The transaction is valued at up to $70 million, including a $63.5 million up-front cash payment.

Synergy Enterprises LLC has acquired Domain Home, an Edison, N.J.–based retailer of upscale home furnishings, from UK-based Aga Foodserve Group. Aga will retain a 15 percent equity position in Domain Home. No financial terms were disclosed.

TA Associates and Rho Ventures, the Palo Alto venture arm of Rho Capital Partners, completed a majority recapitalization of intranet provider IntraLinks. Rho has been a major shareholder in IntraLinks since 2001, and will continue to hold a significant stake in the company. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

TA Associates has completed its acquisition of UK-based fund manager Jupiter Asset Management from Commerzbank for justunder $1.47 billion

TA Associates has sponsored a $102.5 million recapitalization of Twin Med LLC, a Santa Fe Springs, Calif.-based medical supplies distributor serving long-term care facilities throughout the United States.

TGF Management Corp. has sponsored a recapitalization of M&M Manufacturing Co., a Fort Worth, Texas-based fabricator of custom sheet metal products, primarily serving the air distribution and ventilation market. No financial terms were disclosed for the deal, which was done in partnership with company management. TGF is an Austin, Texas-based private equity firm.

Thoma Cressey Bravo has completed its take-private buyout of Embarcadero Technologies Inc., a San Francisco-based provider of data management solutions. The total deal was valued at approximately $200 million, with Embarcadero stockholders receiving $7.20 per share. Morgan Stanley advised Embarcadero on the deal, while Wells Fargo Foothill has committed to provide leveraged financing.

Virgo Capital has led an acquisition of Accord Human Resources, an Oklahoma City- and Tampa, Fla.-based provider of outsourced human resource solutions. No financial terms were disclosed for the deal.

Whole Foods Market (Nasdaq: WFMI) plans to sell all 35 Henry’s and Sun Harvest store locations, and a Riverside, Calif. distribution center, to Smart & Final Inc., a Los Angeles-based food retailer owned by Apollo Management. The deal is contingent on Whole Foods prevailing in its current battle with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission over its proposed merger with Wild Oats Markets.