Week in Review: Davos, Buffett, and the SBA

Heads of state and leaders of business gathered in Davos this week for the annual World Economic Forum. While the agenda was headlined by income inequality, many dealmakers view the event as coinciding with the “start of a long-awaited deal-making renaissance.” The conference did help facilitate the Publicis and Omnicom merger last year — what got started this year?

In other news, Warren Buffett is offering $1 billion to any one with a perfect NCAA bracket. Don’t get too excited — the odds are 1 in 9.2 quintillion.

Opinions:

• SBA is committing more cash to the SBIC program
• Private equity set for more growth in 2014
• Private equity ‘salivates’ at bullish middle market
• IPO surge to boost Q4 alternative asset manager results
• Yahoo’s former Finance VP discusses how to make a smart acquisition
• 5 investing lessons from climbing Mt. Everest
• Dealmakers hope for merger magic
• Search for ‘next big thing’ yields soaring strategic valuations
• Bankers sit out riskier deals
• Red flags for private equity investors
• What’s next for LBOs amid crackdown?
• Berkery Noyes publishes 2014 report on information industry

Transactions:

• Eberhart Capital buys Unitherm Furnaces
• Quest Diagnostics to acquire Solstas Lab Partners
• Midwest Growth Partners focusing on neglected rural markets
• AVX Learning acquires Adayana
• Party City filed to go public again
• Lee Equity Partners invests in Project Pie
• AOL to buy Gravity for $83 million
• Global Payments acquires PayPros
• Arlington Capital Advisors facilitates investment in Hickory Tavern

Member Spotlight

Mosaic Capital Partners, LLC is pleased to announce that it closed its first investment after structuring and funding the leveraged ESOP buyout of Lees Specialty Compounding, LLC.  The transaction resulted in the acquisition of The Apothecary Shoppe and affiliates, through which the ESOP will own 100% of The Company.

Based in Charlotte, NC, Mosaic Capital Partners is a private investment firm providing mezzanine debt and equity to privately held lower middle market companies exceeding $10 million in revenues.  Mosaic employs traditional private equity buyout strategies along with the partners’ unique expertise in Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) to help business owners achieve their liquidity, wealth transfer and ownership transition goals.