Mergers and Acquisitions in April 2022
According to Business Intelligence Bureau Van Dijk, April demonstrated a busy trading period with 111 transactions recorded for the month. Overseas acquirers were also fairly active during this time with a recording of 32 deals.
The largest transaction of the month was the £950 million acquisition of Park Holidays UK Ltd by Sun Communities Inc. The acquirer is one of the largest owners and operators of manufactured housing, recreational vehicle and marina properties and is a perfect complement to Park Holidays UK’s business model. Park Holidays UK Director Tony Clish said, “The acquisition will trigger an exciting new period of growth for the company. The domestic holiday market continues to gain traction in the post-Brexit and post-pandemic environment, and we are seeing ever-increasing demand for UK holidays. This partnership with Sun will bolster our ability to acquire new parks and continue driving up the quality standards by making an additional investment in our existing parks. Our two companies share precisely the same values in terms of delivering an exceptional experience to customers at realistic value-for-money prices.”
Another significant deal recorded was the £478 million acquisition of Greencoat Capital Holdings Ltd by Schroders plc. Following the acquisition, Greencoat Capital will be known as Schroders Greencoat and has invested in wind, solar, bioenergy and heat infrastructure, and managed GBP 6.8 billion of assets on behalf of its clients as of the end of December 2021. Schroders Group Chief Executive, Peter Harrison commented on the transaction, “The completion of Greencoat Capital transaction expands our offering in an area of high client demand. Institutional investors in the UK and globally are looking for renewable infrastructure investments which provide, long-dated, inflation-linked returns.”
Other high value deals for this month include the acquisition of Reckitt Benckiser Group plc’s E45 and other sub brands by Karo Pharma AB for £200 million; Air Partner plc by Wheels Up UK Ltd for £85 million; Seedrs Ltd by OpenDeal Inc. for £76 million; CIP Merchant Capital Ltd by Corporation Financiere Europeenne SA for £19 million; and Electric Blue Ltd by Blink Holdings BV for £19 million.
Liquid Thinking Ltd was acquired by Motio Ltd for £770 thousand. Michael Johnstone, Chief Operating Officer at Motio commented, “This acquisition, some might say, was inevitable given the long-term commercial relationship Motio has with Liquid Thinking and the obvious benefit that the acquisition provides in terms of margin flow through. Developing our relationship with them [Liquid Thinking] to a management and leadership roles with our existing collaborative strength under one roof, albeit it from the UK, provides a fresh new set of opportunities. We are excited about the growth possibilities that this acquisition presents in Australia and international markets.”
Some of the overseas deals that took place during this reporting period include the acquisition of Clausing Industrial Inc. by Timesavers Acquisition LLC; Draintech LTd by Transtecno Srl; EBCO Ltd TVS Motor (Singapore) Pte Ltd; Pedal Pulses Ltd by Best World Investments Pte Ltd; and Barton Willmore LLP nu Stantec Inc.
The safety and security services sectors proved to be active this period with a number of deals taking place. Some of these acquisitions include Xcell Misting Ltd by Johnson Controls Inc.; Momentum Support Ltd by ABM Industries Inc.; and SOC.OS Cyber Security Ltd by Sophos Ltd.
To conclude, M&A activity in April spans across a number of sectors, with some significant deals contributing to this month’s overall figure. The UK maintains appeal from both the UK and global buyers, with active public trade buyers and private equity investors. Our expert advisers can help you realise the maximum value of your company. Whether you are considering exit strategy options or exploring other opportunities, you can call our team in confidence on 0203 441 2003. Alternatively, you can use our free, online valuation calculator to determine the value of your company.