- A key player in the UK mid-market. Founded 19 years ago, Catalyst Corporate Finance has 40 Corporate Finance professionals based in three UK offices providing M&A and debt advisory services to a wide range of corporates, business owners and financial investors. During the last 5 years, Catalyst has advised on over 100 transactions worth more than £5bn (57% of which have been sell-side). In its fiscal year to 31 March 2017, Catalyst achieved revenues of £17mn, up 29% from the previous year. In the six months to 30 September 2017, the company has reached revenues of £8.4mn (+60% vs the same period in 2016)
- Alantra strengthens its presence in Europe’s most important financial market. Through the integration with Catalyst, the Group will add M&A and Debt advisory services to its already established ECM advisory capacity
- A global leader in the mid-market. The combined group resulting from this transaction will be present in 21 countries across Europe, the US, Asia and Latin America. Having advised on over 650 transactions in the last 5 years across 16 sectors globally, the resulting company will be one of the most active financial advisors in the mid-market space with a strong Asset Management arm
- A solid base in a global financial hub. By increasing its footprint in London, one of the most important global financial hubs, Alantra, which has a market cap of €426mn, will benefit from greater reach into the financial investor community and access to a wider pool of talent
- The transaction, which is subject to FCA approval, contemplates the full integration of Catalyst (to be renamed as Alantra UK after a transitional period) through the payment of £15mn and, subject to Alantra’s shareholders’ approval, the delivery of 1,635,592 of Alantra shares to 15 Catalyst partners and directors who will become partners of the Alantra Group. These shares have a lock-up of up to six years and 16.7% of them will be stored in a warehouse for incentivisation and future allocation
- Since Catalyst’s profits from 30 June 2017 will belong to the combined group’s shareholders, Alantra’s board of directors will propose to fully distribute, through the payment of a dividend, the whole of the first half of 2017 net profit, €16.5mn. The dividend will be distributed to the shareholders pre-closing of the transaction (€0.47 per share)
- Santiago Eguidazu, Executive Chairman at Alantra, said: “The UK is the most important M&A market in Europe and, as such, for a number of years we have had the strategic target to strengthen our M&A and debt presence in the country. We are extremely happy to have fulfilled this ambition by partnering with Catalyst, a firm that shares our values, has a strong leadership, and the same ambition of developing a highly specialized and truly global service for our mid-market clients.”
- Catalyst’s Managing Partner, Andy Currie, said: “In combining with Alantra, our goal is to build one of the world’s leading mid-market advisory firms and we look forward to capitalising on this momentum as we drive forward the UK arm of the Group. As a result of the merger, we will be in the best possible position to meet the increasingly international needs of our clients, providing them with access to deep sector specialism, a global partnership and a broad, integrated product offering. We will bring this increased capability and deliver it in the style Catalyst has built its reputation on. The deal also brings great opportunities for our people to benefit from being part of a large international business and working collaboratively with likeminded colleagues from across the globe.”
To go to the investors’ presentation about the transaction, please click here
About Alantra
Alantra is a global investment banking and asset management firm focusing on the mid-market with offices across Europe, the US, Asia and Latin America.
Its Investment Banking division employs over 220 professionals, providing independent advice on M&A, debt advisory, financial restructuring, credit portfolio and capital markets transactions in 14 highly-specialized industry sectors. In H1 2017 Alantra has advised in 76 transactions, including 50 in M&A, 12 in capital markets, 7 in portfolio advisory, 4 in strategic advisory and 3 in debt. This performance has merited the firm to rank as No.1 independent advisor in EMEA and No.5 in the US, according to Dealogic.
Among the major transactions that have been advised by Alantra year to date are the following: the sale of Q-Park to KKR Infrastructure for c. €3bn, Johnson & Johnson’s public takeover for Actelion (Fairness opinion providers) for €30bn, Pachá’s sale to Trilantic Europe for c. €300mn, the sale of Six’s credit card issuing business in Austria to easybank, Mediahuis and VP Exploitatie’s public takeover for Telegraaf Media Group for €278mn, Bulldog’s sale to Campari and the IPOs of Unicaja (€756mn) and Neinor(€709mn) in Spain.
The Asset Management division comprises a team of 78 professionals with €3.7bn in five highly specialized alternative asset classes.
About Catalyst Corporate Finance
Catalyst Corporate Finance advises business owners, management teams and investors on all aspects of corporate finance;
Catalyst advises on company acquisitions and sales, management buy-outs and buy-ins (MBOs/MBIs) and raising private equity, growth and debt capital;
Catalyst operates across the UK with offices in London, Birmingham and Nottingham;
Catalyst was named Corporate Finance House of the Year at the Real Deals Private Equity Awards 2016.
For more see www.catalystcf.co.uk
All relevant details see:
http://www.alantra.com/catalyst/
