Sat.Jan 04, 2025 - Fri.Jan 10, 2025

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BlackRock quits climate group in latest green climbdown

Financial Times: Moral Money

Worlds largest money manager had staked out position as sustainable investment leader

Stakes 112
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2 Agentic Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stocks to Consider Buying

The Motley Fool

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has been the first big usage of AI. However, the next major wave may be agentic AI. Generative AI uses generative software models to create text, image, video, or audio content in response to a user prompt. An example would be asking ChatGPT a question and getting a text response. With agentic AI, meanwhile, automated AI agents will go out and complete assigned tasks autonomously without constant human supervision.

Returns 246
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Fashion brand True Religion acquired by Acon Investments

Private Equity Insights

True Religion announced on Tuesday that private equity firm Acon Investments has acquired a majority stake in the company. SB360 Capital Partners, chaired by American Eagles CEO Jay Schottenstein, also took part in the deal. True Religion stated that the acquisition would support the expansion of its product range and global presence. The US-based clothing company will maintain its independence following the acquisition.

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Second Verse Same as the First: Guardian Returns to Digital Infrastructure Market

Private Equity Professional

Guardian Capital Partners has acquired Team LINX , a Denver-based provider of technology-related infrastructure services. LINX delivers a range of technology infrastructure products and services, including structured cabling, wireless networks, audiovisual systems, and security platforms such as access control and surveillance. Its customer base includes data centers, hospitals, financial institutions, and schools.

Returns 130
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Hungarian energy bid under review over Russia concerns, says Romanian minister

Financial Times M&A

Bucharest could mirror Spains recent decision to block a takeover on security grounds, says Sebastian Burduja

Bidding 139
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Is Palantir Stock Set to Soar Again in the New Year?

The Motley Fool

Palantir (NASDAQ: PLTR) was one of the best-performing stocks of 2024. The analytics and software management platform for government agencies, the military, and big business soared 340% for the year and sports a market cap of $167 billion as of this writing. Shareholders of Palantir no doubt appreciated the company's performance in 2024, but investors are likely looking at the new year and asking themselves: Can Palantir keep up this momentum?

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Blackstone leads $2bn deal for PE-owned accounting firm

Private Equity Insights

A Blackstone-led investor group is acquiring a majority stake in US accounting firm Citrin Cooperman, valuing the company at over $2bn, according to sources cited by the Financial Times on Tuesday. This could mark Blackstones first investment in the accounting sector. The private equity giant, managing $1 trillion in assets, is purchasing the stake from New Mountain Capital, Citrin Coopermans previous majority owner.

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2025 Macro Outlook: Policymakers Have the Pen

Blackstone

The post 2025 Macro Outlook: Policymakers Have the Pen appeared first on Blackstone.

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1 Vanguard ETF to Confidently Buy With $430 During the S&P 500 Bull Market in 2025

The Motley Fool

The S&P 500 is coming off back-to-back annual gains of more than 25% in 2023 and 2024 (including dividends), something it has only done one other time in its history dating back to 1957. In other words, the bull market is roaring. The S&P 500 is weighted by market capitalization, so the largest companies in the index have a greater influence over its performance than the smallest.

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Private credit funds take control of Alacrity in $4.3bn restructuring backed by BlackRock

Private Equity Insights

A consortium of private credit funds, including Antares Capital, Blue Owl Capital, KKR, and Goldman Sachs Asset Management, has agreed to take control of Alacrity. BlackRock had previously acquired a controlling stake in the business from private equity firm Kohlberg & Company in February 2023. The acquisition was part of a $4.3bn long-term private capital strategy.

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Yeah Baby! Highlander Acquires Juvenile Products Maker

Private Equity Professional

Highlander Partners has acquired Ergo Baby from publicly traded Compass Diversified. Ergobaby specializes in ergonomic juvenile products, including baby carriers, strollers, wraps, and nursing pillows. The companys product offerings include the Omni 360 Baby Carrier , which allows for multiple carrying positions, and the Metro+ Stroller , a compact travel stroller that fits in airplane overhead bins and is designed for city streets.

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Blackstone leads $2bn deal for majority stake in accountancy firm Citrin Cooperman

Private Equity Wire

Private investment giant Blackstone, in partnership with smaller investors, is acquiring a majority stake in Citrin Cooperman, a US accounting firm, in a deal that values the company at over $2bn, according to a report by the Financial Times. The stake is being purchased from New Mountain Capital, which originally acquired Citrin Cooperman in late 2021 for an enterprise value of about $500m, and marks the first time a major accounting firm has changed private equity hands twice, signalling a ris

Stakes 98
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Commercial Metals (CMC) Q1 2025 Earnings Call Transcript

The Motley Fool

Image source: The Motley Fool. Commercial Metals (NYSE: CMC) Q1 2025 Earnings Call Jan 06, 2025 , 11:00 a.m. ET Contents: Prepared Remarks Questions and Answers Call Participants Prepared Remarks: Operator Hello, and welcome, everyone, to the fiscal 2025 first quarter earnings call for CMC. Joining me on today's call are Peter Matt, CMC's president and chief executive officer; and Paul Lawrence, senior vice president and chief financial officer.

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Prada explores acquisition of Versace from Capri Holdings

Private Equity Insights

Prada is evaluating a potential acquisition of Versace from Capri Holdings, with Citi acting as its adviser. Capri Holdings has engaged Barclays to identify potential buyers for Versace, attracting interest from private equity funds and other fashion groups. This development follows Tapestry’s decision in November to abandon its $8.5bn acquisition deal for Capri, the parent company of Michael Kors.

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Salt Creek Sells Roman to Matrix Adhesives Group

Private Equity Professional

Roman Products , a portfolio company of Salt Creek Capital , has been acquired by Matrix Adhesives Group , a portfolio company of Goldner Hawn. Roman Products is a manufacturer of wallcovering adhesives, primers and sealers, removers, and related tools used by professionals and do-it-yourselfers. According to the company, it is largest producer of wallpaper adhesive, primer, and removers in North America.

Capital 130
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Former KKR Korea exec departs to launch new PE firm

Private Equity Wire

Lim Hyoung-seok, a former Vice President at KKR Korea, has left the global private equity firm after nine years to establish his own private equity fund, Neos Equity Partners, according to a report by the Korea Economic Daily. Lim joined KKR Korea in 2016 as a Managing Director and played a leading role in numerous high-profile investments across South Korea during his tenure, helping position KKR as a prominent player in the countrys private equity market.

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Is IonQ a Buy?

The Motley Fool

Thanks to its soaring stock last year, quantum computing specialist IonQ (NYSE: IONQ) is a company that has people talking. Up more than 225% in 2024, the shares have clearly attracted a ton of interest from investors. But it's a new year, and the question is this: Is IonQ a long-term buy? Let's dig into that right now. Image source: Getty Images. Start Your Mornings Smarter!

Debt 245
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Global healthcare private equity deal value hits $115bn in 2024, second-highest on record

Private Equity Insights

Global healthcare private equity reached an estimated $115bn in 2024, marking the second-highest annual deal value on record, driven by a rise in large-scale transactions. The year saw five deals exceeding $5bn, up from two in 2023 and one in 2022. North America led the market, accounting for 65% of global deal value, followed by Europe at 22% and Asia-Pacific at 12%.

Assets 130
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M&A and JV Activity in Private Credit: What the Trend Could Mean for Borrowers

Private Equity Professional

The State of the Game The private credit arms race has taken the industry landscape by storm, with Ken Moelis citing the shift as the greatest change in the history of transactional finance. [1] Already enjoying years of measured growth, when banks and the broadly syndicated loan market stepped back from lending in 2023 due to market volatility, private credit stepped up, cementing private credits position as a force in financing markets.

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Obama-linked Vistria Group closes $3bn investment fund

Private Equity Wire

Vistria Group, a private equity firm based in Chicago with ties to former President Barack Obama, has successfully closed a $3bn fund, adding to the growing list of Windy City investors raising capital over the past year, according to a report by BNN Bloomberg. The new fund, Vistria Fund V, will target investments in sectors such as US healthcare and financial services.

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2 AI Robotics Stocks to Buy Before They Soar 185% and 315%, According to Wall Street Experts

The Motley Fool

Jensen Huang is the CEO of Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) , a company whose chips power the vast majority of artificial intelligence (AI) systems. At a technology conference last year, Huang made a bold declaration: "The next wave of AI is here. Robotics, powered by physical AI, will revolutionize industries." Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) , made a related prediction last year: "I think by 2040, probably there are more humanoid robots than there are people.

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OnPay secures $100m funding to enhance payroll software offerings

Private Equity Insights

OnPay, a prominent provider of payroll, HR, and benefits solutions, has raised over $100m in new funding. The funding comprises a $63m Series B round led by Carrick Capital Partners, with additional backing from AB Private Credit Investors, AllianceBernstein’s middle-market private capital platform, and existing investors. OnPay also secured a debt facility from MC Credit Partners.

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Eli Lilly in advanced talks to buy US cancer biotech for up to $2.5bn

Financial Times M&A

Scorpions drug candidate inhibits a mutation that is a major driver of breast, gynaecological and head and neck cancers

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Ardian launches Syclef continuation fund

Private Equity Wire

Private investment house Ardian has closed its newly formed and inaugural continuation fund for Syclef, a European firm specialising in the installation and maintenance of refrigeration and air conditioning systems. According to a recent release, the fund will be managed by Ardian and following a competitive auction process will be capitalised by Eurazeo as senior lead investor and Astorg as co-lead investor.

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How The Trade Desk Stock Gained 63% in 2024

The Motley Fool

Shares of The Trade Desk (NASDAQ: TTD) rose 63.3% in 2024, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. That's a market-smashing success story even in a year where the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) market index increased by 23.4%. The omnichannel advertising specialist shocked the Street with a steady stream of positive surprises in last year's earnings reports.

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Richard Lichter launches Causeway Equity Partners to address fundraising gap

Private Equity Insights

The founder of Newbury Partners, Richard Lichter, has started a new venture to support small private equity firms struggling with fundraising gaps. Causeway has introduced a fund aimed at capitalizing on a unique opportunity. This is due to the sluggish fundraising environment, which has impacted even strong firms with excellent track records. Known as Seasoned Primaries, these funds are 25% to over 50% committed at final closing, closely resembling traditional secondaries.

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Blackstone Invests $300 Million at a $5 billion Valuation in DDN, AI and Data Intelligence Solutions Leader, to Fuel Further Rapid Growth

Blackstone News

The post Blackstone Invests $300 Million at a $5 billion Valuation in DDN, AI and Data Intelligence Solutions Leader, to Fuel Further Rapid Growth appeared first on Blackstone.

Investing 111
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BlackRock private equity fund takes more than $600mn hit on investment

Financial Times M&A

Alacritys restructuring puts it under control of private credit lenders including Antares, Blue Owl, KKR and Goldman

Investing 111
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If I Could Buy Only 1 "Magnificent Seven" Stock in 2025, This Would Be It

The Motley Fool

Since artificial intelligence (AI) emerged as the capital market's next big obsession a couple of years ago, the term " Magnificent Seven " began to gain steam. That name is used to collectively describe the world's largest technology businesses, each of which is carving out a unique pocket within the broader AI market. Here are the returns of each Magnificent Seven stock in 2024: Start Your Mornings Smarter!

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Upcoming $300m strategic partnership between Mashura and Warburg Pincus

Private Equity Insights

Mashura, a leading healthcare inventory intelligence platform, has announced a $300m strategic partnership with a newly established financing vehicle backed by Warburg Pincus, a pioneer in private equity growth investing. The partnership will support Mashura’s efforts to expand its customer base in the US and internationally, drive innovation in its solutions, and strengthen integration partnerships.

Financing 130
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Western investors ‘stupid’ to shun arms industry, says Nato official

Financial Times: Moral Money

Rob Bauer calls on banks, pension funds and rating agencies to change outdated policies in face of rising threats

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GSK nears $1bn deal for biotech developing drug for rare tumour

Financial Times M&A

IDRx tests treatment for digestive system cancer that affects 4,000 to 6,000 people a year in US

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Why Palantir Stock Climbed 12.7% in December

The Motley Fool

Palantir (NASDAQ: PLTR) stock posted another month of strong gains in December's trading. The company closed out the period with its share price up 12.7%, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. Palantir was one of 2024's hottest stocks, and it ended the stretch with another month of double-digit gains. The company's share price rose in conjunction with new contract wins and reports of a potentially disruptive new partnership aimed at making waves in the defense industry.

Returns 246
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KKR in battle with Bain Capital over $4bn takeover of Fuji Soft

Private Equity Insights

KKR pushes Fuji Soft to file lawsuits against Bain Capital, alleging violations of a non-disclosure agreement. According to a letter sent to Fuji Soft’s board on Monday, the US private equity firm is urging Fuji Soft to seek an injunction in order to stop Bain Capital’s alleged violation of an NDA, in light of a public battle between the two PE giants over the acquisition of the $4 billion Japanese software company.

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Point72 launches private credit strategy led by former Blackstone exec

Private Equity Wire

Point72 Asset Management, the hedge fund founded by Steve Cohen, is entering the booming private credit market with a new strategy headed by Todd Hirsch, a former senior managing director at Blackstone, according to a report by Reuters citing an internal company statement. The move signals Point72s ambition to tap into the growing demand for private credit, which has become a key focus for alternative asset managers.

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Investment banks prepare for 2025 crunch

Financial Times M&A

Boutiques counting on M&A rebound to support elevated valuations and star hires

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1 Nvidia-Backed Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock to Buy Hand Over Fist in 2025 (Hint: It's Not SoundHound AI)

The Motley Fool

Generally speaking, when businesses generate excess profits, they may choose to invest in areas such as research and development (R&D), bolster marketing budgets, or increase hiring efforts in certain departments. However, from time to time, a company may invest in other businesses and acquire a small equity stake. In 2024, a 13F filing revealed that semiconductor giant Nvidia has ownership positions in six publicly traded companies -- Applied Digital , Arm Holdings , Nano-X Imaging , Recurs