New marketing boss set to drive growth at Poptop

Dow Schofield Watts Angels portfolio business Poptop, the Newcastle-based company which is the UK’s fastest growing online events booking platform, has appointed Nicole de Vega to the newly-created role of Head of Marketing.    Nicole has over 20 years’ marketing experience in the digital technology sector having spent the early part of her career with Sage UK. More … Continued

Outdoor brand raises £350k in fourth deal by DSW Angels

A fast-growing Cheshire clothing brand with a mission to become the ‘Levi’s of the women’s outdoorwear market’ has raised £350,000 in a funding round led by Dow Schofield Watts Angels (DSW Angels), the business angel network. ACAI Activewear was started by husband and wife team Joe and Kasia Bromley with a sewing machine on their … Continued

RSK Group acquires Geocore Site Investigations Ltd

RSK, the UK’s leading integrated environmental, engineering and technical services consultancy, has today announced its latest acquisition: domestic subsidence investigation specialist Geocore Site Investigations Ltd. The announcement marks the fifth acquisition for the fast-growing RSK group this financial year. RSK was advised by Tony Meakin of Dow Schofield Watts Corporate Finance. Geocore Site Investigations is … Continued

AFI receives investment from Pricoa

DSW’s Corporate Finance team in Yorkshire & the North East has advised the management of AFI-Uplift Limited (“AFI” or “the Group”) on the securing £60m of new long-term financing from Pricoa Private Capital (“Pricoa”). DSW has also advised AFI on the acquisition of Facelift (GB) Limited (“Facelift”). The overall deal size for the combined transactions … Continued

AFI gets a Facelift

DSW’s Corporate Finance team in Yorkshire & the North East has advised AFI-Uplift Limited (“AFI” or “the Group”), one of the UK and Middle East’s leading powered access specialists offering machine rental and sales and industry-accredited training and health & safety courses, on the acquisition of Facelift (GB) Limited (“Facelift”). Facelift is a long-established powered … Continued

Investor Risk, you might not expect this…

Excerpt from ‘The Young Professionals Guide to Conquering Private Equity Transactions’ available on Amazon Investor Risk In Private Equity (Chapter 6) What are the main risks that face the investors, limited partners, in PE funds: The Main Types Of Risks In Private Equity for Investors Liquidity Risk – Market Risk – Interim net asset value (NAV) … Continued

It always sounds easy to bridge a price gap with an earn-out…

Excerpt from ‘The Young Professionals Guide to Conquering Private Equity Transactions’ available on Amazon Earn-outs (Chapter 5) An earn-out is deferred consideration dependent upon the future performance of the business being acquired. The principal purpose is to bridge the price expectation gap between the buyer who will pay a price on past profits and the … Continued

UK Competition Legislation

Excerpt from ‘The Young Professionals Guide to Conquering Private Equity Transactions’ available on Amazon UK Competition Legislation (Chapter 3) The Competition and Markets Authority (“CMA”) may initiate an investigation of a takeover if there is a merger situation qualifying for investigation (other than if covered by the European Commission). The CMA must initiate if it believes … Continued

Dow Schofield Watts reports 28% rise in deals in first half 

Dow Schofield Watts’s Northern offices have had a strong start to 2019, with a significant uplift in the volume and value of deals in the first half of the year. The teams in the North West and Yorkshire advised on 37 deals worth £549m during the first six months, compared to 29 deals worth £344m … Continued

There are only three questions to be answered by financial due diligence…

Excerpt from ‘The Young Professionals Guide to Conquering Private Equity Transactions’ available on Amazon Financial Due Diligence (Chapter 1) The typical areas of diligence on every deal are financial and legal diligence. Financial due diligence (“FDD”) focusses on the value areas of a transaction: Earnings Performance How has the business performed historically? Are there any … Continued

Buy-In Management Buyout of Star Brands Completed

The Yorkshire & North East Corporate Finance team at DSW has advised on the buy-in management buyout (BIMBO) of Star Brands, funded by Mobeus. Star Brands, the £30m-turnover laundry and cleaning product manufacturer, is headquartered in Leeds and has a manufacturing plant in Redditch. It currently employs about 125 staff, with 30 of those added … Continued

Peak42 Acquired By Edwin James Group

“The quality and depth of the advice during early engagement set DSW apart from its competitors. We established a strong relationship working very closely with the team in the planning stages. This proved to be a key factor throughout the transaction process as we faced diligence challenges. We felt incredibly well represented with DSW consistently … Continued

Meat wholesaler Nigel Fredericks ceases trading with loss of 250 jobs

A London-based meat and poultry specialist which had been facing financial difficulties has ceased trading after failing to find a buyer. Dow Schofield Watts Business Recovery were appointed as administrators to Nigel Fredericks Trading Limited, which supplied the catering, hotel, leisure and education sectors including a number of high-profile sporting venues. The Dow Schofield Watts … Continued