Greetings from Providence, where I’m currently sitting in a hotel room overlooking the Grace Church. Quite lovely. Back to Boston shortly, however, for tonight’s TechStars event and a party related to the LogMeIn IPO (I’m determined to be in two places at once).
Top Three
The Blackstone Group and Lion Capital have confirmed that they are in talks to sell Orangina Schweppes Group to Japan’s Suntory Holdings. Blackstone and Lion paid around $2.6 billion to acquire the beverage-maker in 2006.
Select Medical Corp., a Mechanicsburg, Penn.-based operator of specialty hospitals, has set its IPO terms to 33.33 million common shares being offered at between $11 and $13 per share. It would have an initial market cap of approximately $1.94 billion, were it to price at the top end of its range. Welsh Carson Anderson & Stowe holds a 65.8% pre-IPO stake, while and Thoma Cressey Bravo holds a 10% stake. www.selectmedicalcorp.com
Charlesbank Capital Partners has closed its seventh fund with $1.5 billion in capital commitments. The Boston-based firm focuses on mid-market LBOs, management buyouts and growth equity transactions. It previously raised $1 billion for its sixth fund in 2005.
VC Deals
arGEN-X, a Dutch drug company focused on antidoby discovery and development, has raised €9.5 million in Series A funding. Forbion Capital Partners and LSP co-led the round, and were joined by KBC Private Equity, BioGeneration Ventures and seed backers Erasmus MC Biomedical Fund and Thuja Capital Healthcare Funds.
Care Dynamix, a provider of nationwide preventative health services like in-school vaccination programs, has raised $7 million from H.I.G. Ventures.
VitaPath Genetics, a Foster City! , Calif.-based molecular diagnostics company focused on genetic mutations, has raised $6 million in Series A funding. Mohr Davidow Ventures led the round, and was joined by return backer X/Seed Capital.
Buyouts Deals
Business Monitor International Ltd., a London-based provider of country risk analysis and macroeconomic forecasting, has received a minority equity investment from Spectrum Equity Investors. No financial terms were disclosed.
MSC Software Corp. (Nasdaq: MSCS) said that it has received a buyout offer from an unnamed private equity firm, which would top a prior $7.63 per share offer from Symphony Technology Group and Elliott Management.
National Express (LSE: NEX), a UK bus and train operator, said that it has begun talks with a consortium whose $1.3 billion buyout offer was initially rebuffed. The group includes CVC Capital Partners and Spain’s Cosmen family, the latter of which is National Express’ largest shareholder.
PE-Backed M&A
Tejas Completion Solutions, a Houston-based provider of design, engineering and testing services to the completions segment of the oilfield services market, has acquired the inflow control device and reservoir fluid modeling business of Ziebel Tulsa LLC. The deal was financed by Tejas sponsor Intervale Capital. No pricing terms were disclosed.
PE Exits
General Atlantic has sold around 15.6 million shares in UK outsourcer Xchanging PLC (LSE: XCH). The move cuts General Atlantic’s ownership stake to approximately 9.99 percent.
PE-Backed M&A
Brookfield Asset Management said that it has held a US$320 million first close on a new fund to invest in Columbian infrastructure. The total target is $400 million, with Toronto-based Brookfield providing around 30 percent.
China Construction Bank is targeting 2.6 billion yuan ($380m) for its first yuan-denominated private equity fund.
Human Resources
Matthew Allard has joined Thomas Weisel Partners Group as a managing director focused on financial sponsors. He previously served in the same position with Banc of America Securities.
Peter Cohen has joined The Blackstone Group as head of its global media advisory practice. He previously was with J.P. Morgan, where he focused on the publishing and information services markets.
Neil Flanagan has joined Welsh Carson Anderson & Stowe as a member of the firm’s Resources Group. He previously was CFO of Honeywell’s consumer ! products group.
Robert Goldbaum has agreed to join Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP as a partner in the firm’s corporate department, with a focus on transactions in the investment management industry. He previously was a principal with HighView Investment Group.
Dan Google has stepped down as a principal with Easton Capital, according to VentureWire. He will now oversee VC and private equity investments for the family office of the owners of Caithness Energy LLC. www.eastoncapital.com
Victor Kats has joined Ascension Health Ventures ! as an investment manager. He began in June, and previously was VP of c orporate business development with Allscripts. www.ascensionhealthventures.org
Michael McShane has joined Advent International as an operating partner, with a focus on the oil and gas services and equipment sectors. He is the former chairman and CEO of Grant Prideco.
Greg Metz has joined Ropes & Gray as a Chicago-based partner in the firm’s private equity practice. He previously was with Kirkland & Ellis.
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