Private Markets

The private equity firm Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of former President Donald Trump, started in 2021 has announced its first deal, according to Axios. It has agreed to invest in Mosaic, a fintech company that funds residential solar installations. The deal is expected to close later in the third quarter...

Panera Bread and HUGS, restaurateur Danny Meyer’s special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), have called off a merger due to deteriorating economic conditions for initial public offerings, according to Panera parent company JAB Holding Company. The deal, which was announced in November, was predicated upon Panera’s release of its IPO...

Two weeks after saying that it would remain a public company, customer software-as-a-service (SaaS) vendor Zendesk announced it will be acquired for $10.2 billion by a consortium of private investors. Private equity firm Hellman & Friedman, investment company Permira, and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority are the lead firms in the group...

Targa Resources Corp. has announced it will acquire Lucid Energy Delaware, LLC from Riverstone Holdings LLC and Goldman Sachs Asset Management for $3.55 billion in cash. Lucid provides natural gas gathering, treating, and processing services in the Delaware Basin of New Mexico...

Private sustainability data firm EcoVadis has achieved “unicorn” status, reaching a $1 billion valuation after fundraising, the company’s Co-Chief Executive Officer told Reuters. Paris-based EcoVadis raised $500 million as companies are showing increasing interest in gauging environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) impact data...

Private equity firm Grey Rock Investment Partners has announced a partnership with carbon capture and storage (CCS) firm Vault CCS Holdings, LP, committing up to $150 million to fund additional growth of the company. CCS operations capture carbon dioxide that is formed during power generation and industrial processes...

Maine-based Covetrus, Inc. has announced it will be acquired by private investment firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R) and private equity platform TPG Capital in a $4 billion transaction. CD&R and its affiliates currently own 24% of Covetrus’ outstanding shares of common stock...

Real estate investment firm Watermark Lodging Trust, Inc. has announced a definitive agreement with Brookfield Real Estate Funds, which will acquire the high-end hospitality portfolio in an all-cash $3.8 billion deal. Brookfield will acquire all of the outstanding shares of Watermark common stock for $6.768 per Class A share and $6.699 per Class T share...

Private equity firm KKR has agreed to purchase power generation company ContourGlobal in a $2.16 billion deal aimed at enhancing its presence in renewable energy. The deal is likely to be completed, given the backing of ContourGlobal’s largest shareholder, Reservoir Capital, which holds just over 70% of the company...

The private equity firm Carlyle Group will acquire NSM Insurance Group from White Mountains Insurance Group. NSM, a specialty insurance programs administrator, is valued at about $1.78 billion...