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Permira Mergers and Acquisitions Summary

Private Equity Firm Profile

In the last 3 years, Permira has acquired 11 companies. It has also invested in 3 others.

Permira’s most common sectors for investment areinternet software and services (12%) and information technology (8%) . The Firm’s most common investment types include buyout (lbo, mbo, mbi) (33%) and secondary buyout (28%). In total, Permira has invested in 19 US states and 28 different countries. Its largest (disclosed) acquisition occurred in 2006 when it acquired FreeScale Semiconductor for $17.6B.

In the last 3 years, Permira has exited 8 companies. The Firm’s most common exit type is trade sale (33%). Permira’s largest (disclosed) exit occurred in 2008 when it sold Intelsat SA for $13.6B.

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M&A Summary

  • M&A Total Activity254
    • M&A Buy Activity161
    • M&A Sell Activity93
  • Total Sectors Invested 41
  • Total Countries Invested 28
  • M&A Buy/Sell Connections 81
  • M&A Advisors 47

Permira

Permira Holdings Limited

80 Pall Mall,
London, SW1Y 5ES
United Kingdom
+44 20 7632 1000
www.permira.com

Permira is a mega-sized private equity firm that targets large company investments around the world. Permira invests to support acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, take-privates, turnarounds, and growth buyouts. Areas of interest include healthcare, financial services, chemicals, consumer products and services, industrial products and services, technology, media, and telecom. Permira will consider opportunities in Europe, Asia, and North America. Permira was formed in 1985 and has offices in Menlo Park, Frankfurt, Luxembourg, London, Hong Kong, Madrid, Milan, Paris, Stockholm, Tokyo, Guernsey and New York City.


Investment Criteria

Sectors of Interest: Aerospace, Agriculture, Apparel/Textiles, Automotive, Beverages, Building Materials, Business Services, Chemicals, Communications, Consumer Products, Consumer Services, Distribution, Education, Electronics, Engineering, Financial Services, Food, Gaming, Healthcare Services, Information Technology, Insurance, Leisure, Life Science, Machinery, Manufacturing, Marine, Media, Medical Products, Publishing, Restaurants, Retail, Semiconductors, Software, Technology Hardware, Test/Measurement Equipment, Transportation

Target Transaction Types: Buyout (LBO, MBO, MBI), Divestiture, Going Private, Growth Capital, Special Situations/Distressed, Secondary Buyout, Stake Purchase

Geographic Preferences: East US, Midwest US, South US, West US, Canada, United Kingdom, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Nordic, Asia/Pacific

Transaction Criteria Min Max
Target Revenue - -
Target EBITDA - -
Investment Size - -
Enterprise Value - -

M&A Summary

Buy vs Sell

Year ≤ '20 '21 '22 '23 '24 '25 T
Buy (4.2/yr) # 140 7 6 3 4 1 161
vol $115.6B $14.0B $16.0B $1.1B $9.7B $156.3B
Sell (3.6/yr) # 75 10 3 - 3 2 93
vol $69.0B $5.0B $300M $74.2B
  254

Most Recent M&A

Company Date Value Type
PharmaCord LLC 2025-05-27 - Merger
Jeffersonville, Indiana · www.pharmacord.com
Encore Fire Protection 2025-03-13 - Secondary Buyout
Pawtucket, Rhode Island · www.encorefireprotection.com
mParticle, Inc. 2025-01-16 300M USD Merger
New York, New York · www.mparticle.com
Exclusive Networks SAS 2024-07-24 2.5B EUR Going Private
Boulogne-Billancourt, France · www.exclusive-networks.com
PharmaCord LLC 2024-06-06 - Growth Capital
Jeffersonville, Indiana · www.pharmacord.com
Squarespace, Inc. 2024-05-13 7.2B USD Going Private
New York, New York · www.squarespace.com
BioCatch Ltd. 2024-05-02 - Secondary Buyout
Tel Aviv, Israel · www.biocatch.com
Universidad Europea 2024-04-08 - Secondary Sale
Madrid, Spain · www.universidadeuropea.es
Alter Domus Luxembourg Sarl 2024-03-04 - Secondary Sale
Luxembourg, Luxembourg · www.alterdomus.com
Gruppo La Piadineria s.r.l. 2024-01-15 - Secondary Sale
Montirone, Italy · www.lapiadineria.com
View All >>

Portfolio M&A

Company Acquired Add-On/Sale Date #
Exclusive Networks SAS 2024-07-24 Cloudrise, Inc. 2024-11-21 1
Boulogne-Billancourt, France · www.exclusive-networks.com Grand Junction, Colorado · www.cloudrise.com
The Knot Worldwide Inc. 2018-09-25 Veri, Inc. 2024-09-11 1
Chevy Chase, Maryland · www.theknotww.com New York, New York · www.veri.com
Mimecast Ltd. 2022-05-17 Nullable, Inc. 2024-08-14 3
London, United Kingdom · www.mimecast.com Columbus, Ohio · www.awarehq.com
Mimecast Ltd. 2022-05-17 Code42 Software, Inc. 2024-07-24 2
London, United Kingdom · www.mimecast.com Minneapolis, Minnesota · www.code42.com
Squarespace, Inc. 2024-05-13 Tock LLC 2024-06-21 1
New York, New York · www.squarespace.com Chicago, Illinois · www.exploretock.com
Zendesk, Inc. 2022-06-24 Ultimate.ai GmbH 2024-03-14 3
San Francisco, California · www.zendesk.com Helsinki, Finland · www.ultimate.ai
Cambrex Corp. 2019-08-07 Cambrex Drug Product- Business Unit 2023-11-02 1
East Rutherford, New Jersey · www.cambrex.com Whippany, New Jersey
neuraxpharm Arzneimittel GmbH 2020-09-22 Inke S.A. 2023-04-27 1
Langenfeld, Germany · www.neuraxpharm.de Castellbisbal, Spain · www.inke.es
Axiom Global, Inc. 2019-09-05 Plexus Engage 2022-11-07 2
San Francisco, California · www.axiomlaw.com Neenah, Wisconsin
Kroll LLC 2020-01-22 Crisp Thinking Group Ltd. 2022-05-31 7
New York, New York · www.kroll.com Leeds, United Kingdom · www.crispthinking.com

M&A by Sector

Sector Current # Value All-time # Value
Internet Software and Services 13 (25%) 18.3B (36%) 19 (12%) 18.3B (11%)
Information Technology 7 (13%) 22.3B (44%) 12 (7%) 27.9B (17%)
Retail 1 (2%) - 10 (6%) 6.3B (4%)
Business Services 3 (6%) - 10 (6%) 1.6B (1%)
Software 4 (8%) 1.4B (3%) 9 (6%) 5.1B (3%)
Communications - - 7 (4%) 23.3B (15%)
Financial Services 2 (4%) 4.9B (10%) 6 (4%) 7.0B (4%)
Life Science 4 (8%) 3.5B (7%) 6 (4%) 3.5B (2%)
Apparel/Textiles 3 (6%) - 6 (4%) 1.1B (1%)
Chemicals 1 (2%) - 5 (3%) 5.2B (3%)
Food 2 (4%) - 5 (3%) 4.0B (3%)
Consumer Products - - 5 (3%) 3.1B (2%)
Medical Products 2 (4%) - 5 (3%) 1.0B (1%)
Media - - 4 (2%) 6.0B (4%)
Restaurants - - 4 (2%) 3.2B (2%)
Leisure - - 4 (2%) 1.5B (1%)
Education 2 (4%) - 4 (2%) 440M (< 1%)
Automotive - - 3 (2%) -
Manufacturing - - 3 (2%) -
Semiconductors - - 2 (1%) 17.6B (11%)
Gaming - - 2 (1%) 3.9B (2%)
E-Commerce 1 (2%) - 2 (1%) 3.3B (2%)
Agriculture - - 2 (1%) 2.2B (1%)
Aerospace 1 (2%) - 2 (1%) 1.7B (1%)
Information Services 1 (2%) - 2 (1%) 1.6B (1%)
Safety/Security 1 (2%) - 2 (1%) 767M (< 1%)
Transportation 1 (2%) - 2 (1%) 699M (< 1%)
Machinery - - 2 (1%) 500M (< 1%)
Healthcare Services 1 (2%) - 2 (1%) 154M (< 1%)
Distribution - - 2 (1%) 82M (< 1%)
Marketing 1 (2%) - 2 (1%) -
Test/Measurement Equipment - - 2 (1%) -
Insurance - - 1 (1%) 9.5B (6%)
Beverages - - 1 (1%) -
Building Materials - - 1 (1%) -
Engineering - - 1 (1%) -
Marine - - 1 (1%) -
Publishing - - 1 (1%) -
Real Estate 1 (2%) - 1 (1%) -
Staffing 1 (2%) - 1 (1%) -
Technology Hardware - - 1 (1%) -
Total 53 $50.4B 162 $160.5B

Acquisitions By Geo

State/Country Current # Value All-time # Value
United States 23 (43%) 40.3B (80%) 45 (28%) 69.7B (44%)
  California 11 (21%) 25.6B (51%) 15 (9%) 31.9B (20%)
  New York 3 (6%) 11.4B (23%) 8 (5%) 13.6B (9%)
  Massachusetts 2 (4%) - 2 (1%) -
  Maryland 1 (2%) 933M (2%) 2 (1%) 933M (1%)
  Wisconsin 1 (2%) - 2 (1%) 440M (< 1%)
  Indiana - - 2 (1%) 767M (< 1%)
  Pennsylvania - - 2 (1%) -
  New Jersey 1 (2%) 2.4B (5%) 1 (1%) 2.4B (2%)
  Rhode Island 1 (2%) - 1 (1%) -
  Illinois 1 (2%) - 1 (1%) -
  Florida 1 (2%) - 1 (1%) -
  Alabama 1 (2%) - 1 (1%) -
  Texas - - 1 (1%) 17.6B (11%)
  Utah - - 1 (1%) 1.6B (1%)
  Ohio - - 1 (1%) 500M (< 1%)
  New Hampshire - - 1 (1%) -
  Idaho - - 1 (1%) -
  Georgia - - 1 (1%) -
  District of Columbia - - 1 (1%) -
United Kingdom 8 (15%) 7.6B (15%) 34 (21%) 32.1B (20%)
Germany 5 (9%) - 21 (13%) 10.6B (7%)
Italy 3 (6%) - 14 (9%) 2.1B (1%)
France 3 (6%) 2.5B (5%) 7 (4%) 3.4B (2%)
Spain - - 5 (3%) 2.2B (1%)
China 2 (4%) - 4 (2%) 1.7B (1%)
Sweden 2 (4%) - 3 (2%) -
Netherlands 1 (2%) - 3 (2%) 4.6B (3%)
Switzerland 1 (2%) - 2 (1%) 1.7B (1%)
Norway 1 (2%) - 2 (1%) 282M (< 1%)
Israel 1 (2%) - 2 (1%) -
Luxembourg - - 2 (1%) 4.5B (3%)
Japan - - 2 (1%) 3.2B (2%)
Austria - - 2 (1%) -
Belgium - - 2 (1%) -
Australia 1 (2%) - 1 (1%) -
South Korea 1 (2%) - 1 (1%) -
Taiwan 1 (2%) - 1 (1%) -
Denmark - - 1 (1%) 15.8B (10%)
Poland - - 1 (1%) 3.3B (2%)
Hungary - - 1 (1%) 1.8B (1%)
Canada - - 1 (1%) 1.2B (1%)
  Quebec - - 1 (1%) 1.2B (1%)
Ireland - - 1 (1%) 251M (< 1%)
Bermuda - - 1 (1%) 207M (< 1%)
Malta - - 1 (1%) -
Singapore - - 1 (1%) -
South Africa - - 1 (1%) -
Domestic 8 (15%) 7.6B (15%) 34 (21%) 32.1B (20%)
Cross-border 45 (85%) 42.8B (85%) 128 (79%) 126.5B (80%)
Total 53 $50.4B 162 $158.6B

Acquisitions by Deal Type

Type Current # Value All-time # Value
Buyout (LBO, MBO, MBI) 5 (9%) - 53 (33%) 25.3B (16%)
Secondary Buyout 21 (40%) 4.9B (10%) 44 (27%) 20.2B (13%)
Divestiture 4 (8%) 1.4B (3%) 18 (11%) 11.0B (7%)
Going Private 8 (15%) 44.1B (88%) 16 (10%) 73.0B (46%)
Stake Purchase 4 (8%) - 10 (6%) 1.5B (1%)
Growth Capital 4 (8%) - 9 (6%) 2.9B (2%)
Venture 6 (11%) - 7 (4%) -
PIPE - - 2 (1%) 15.8B (10%)
Consolidation - - 2 (1%) 9.5B (6%)
Recapitalization 1 (2%) - 1 (1%) -
Total 53 $50.4B 162 $159.1B

Exits by Deal Type

Type Total # Value
Secondary Sale 28 (30%) 32.8B (45%)
IPO 22 (24%) -
Trade Sale - Public Company 21 (23%) 32.4B (45%)
Trade Sale 12 (13%) 6.4B (9%)
Merger 5 (5%) 300M (< 1%)
Stake Sale 2 (2%) -
Unknown 2 (2%) -
Sold to Management 1 (1%) 875M (1%)
Total 93 $72.7B

Top M&A Advisors

Financial Deals
J.P. Morgan Securities
 6
Credit Suisse Investment Banking
 6
Morgan Stanley
 6
Legal Deals
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
 16
Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson
 14
Clifford Chance
 10

Deal Values

buy # Total
> $1B 36 $145.6B
$100M to $1B 25 $14.8B
< $100M 1 $82M
TOTAL $160.5B
Largest FreeScale Semiconductor Ltd.
$17.6B (2006-09-14)
sell # Total
> $1B 24 $66.6B
$100M to $1B 13 $7.7B
TOTAL $74.2B
Largest Intelsat SA
$13.6B (2008-02-04)

M&A Connections

Deals
Acquired from
Investor(s)
30%
48 (30%)
Strategic(s)
12%
19 (12%)
Exited to
Investor(s)
29%
27 (29%)
Strategic(s)
35%
33 (35%)

Investor Summary

Investor Type

Private Equity Firm

Size

Mega

PE Assets

75.0B EUR

Established

1985

Specialist/Generalist

Generalist

Leadership

Kurt Bjorklund

Executive Chairman

David Hirschmann

Co-Head of Permira Credit & Head of Private Credit

Brian Ruder

Co-Managing Partner

Dipan Patel

Co-Managing Partner & Co-Head of Consumer

Jerome Lafont

Firm Finance - Senior Director

FAQ

When was Permira founded?

Permira was founded in 1985.

What type of investor is Permira?

Permira is a private equity firm.

Where is Permira headquartered?

Permira is headquartered in London, United Kingdom.

How much capital does Permira have under management?

Permira has 75.0B EUR under management.

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