Cinven is reviewing strategic options for laboratory-services company Synlab International GmbH including a potential sale, people with knowledge of the matter said.
The private equity firm has been speaking with potential advisers and could start a sale process early next year, the people said, asking not to be identified because the information is private. Cinven plans to seek a valuation of about 5.5 billion euros ($6 billion) including debt for Augsburg, Germany-based Synlab, one of the people said.
A sale of Synlab would likely attract other private equity firms, the people said. No final decision has been made, and Cinven could elect to keep the business, the people said. A spokeswoman for Cinven declined to comment, while Synlab didn’t answer phone calls seeking comment.
Cinven first invested in Synlab in June 2015, buying a majority stake from fellow private equity firm BC Partners for about 1.7 billion euros, Bloomberg News reported at the time. It combined the business with Labco SA, which it agreed to buy earlier that year for 1.2 billion euros.
Synlab, led by Chief Executive Officer Mathieu Floreani, also counts Novo A/S and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan as minority investors, according to its website. It operates across more than 40 countries, handling more than 500 million clinical tests annually, according to Synlab’s website.
Cinven also owns stakes in retailer Kurt Geiger and German drugmaker Stada Arzneimittel AG, according to its website.
The sale plan comes at a time when Cinven’s rival Apax Partners is also weighing a sale of diagnostic services business Unilabs. The buyout firm is working with advisers at Rothschild & Co. to look at options for the business, people familiar with the matter said last week.
Source: Bloomberg
Can’t stop reading? Read more
Gucci owner sells €837m stakes in Paris properties to private equity firm Ardian
Kering, the luxury group behind Gucci and Saint Laurent, has sold 60% of its stakes in three prime Paris properties to French private equity firm Ardian for €837m. The properties, located in Place Vendôme and Avenue Montaigne, house flagship stores for Balenciaga,...
IFM Investors acquires 49% stake in Splend to drive rideshare growth
IFM Investors has acquired a 49% stake in Splend, a $200m startup providing vehicle financing solutions for rideshare drivers. The investment aims to fuel Splend’s growth, enabling the company to expand its platform and fleet while strengthening its presence in key...
Private equity deal value surges to $639bn in 2024, amid rising valuations
Global private equity and venture capital deal activity saw a 24.7% increase in value in 2024, reaching $639bn, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. This growth comes despite a 6.5% decline in the volume of transactions, reflecting rising valuations and...