AEA Investors Mergers and Acquisitions Summary

Private Equity Firm Profile

In the last 3 years, AEA Investors has acquired 13 companies. It has also invested in 3 others.

AEA Investors’ most common sectors for investment aredistribution (17%) and consumer products (10%) . The Firm’s most common investment types include secondary buyout (47%) and buyout (lbo, mbo, mbi) (31%). In total, AEA Investors has invested in 29 US states and 8 different countries. Its largest (disclosed) acquisition occurred in 2010 when it acquired Hillman Solutions for $815M.

In the last 3 years, AEA Investors has exited 14 companies. The Firm’s most common exit type is secondary buyout (43%). AEA Investors’ largest (disclosed) exit occurred in 2016 when it sold Dematic Holding S.à r.l. for $3.3B.

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M&A Summary

  • M&A Total Activity189
    • M&A Buy Activity114
    • M&A Sell Activity75
  • Total Sectors Invested 34
  • Total Countries Invested 8
  • M&A Buy/Sell Connections 68
  • M&A Advisors 12

AEA Investors

520 Madison Avenue, 40th FL,
New York, New York 10022
United States
(212) 644-5900
www.aeainvestors.com
info@aeainvestors.com

AEA Investors is a private investment firm focused on investing in and acquiring businesses headquartered primarily in the US, Europe, and China. AEA looks for companies operating in stable to growing industries with a proven ability to generate positive cash-flow. Broad sectors of interest include value-added industrial products/services, specialty chemicals, consumer products, and services. In addition to its primary middle-market private equity fund, AEA maintains additional funds targeted towards mezzanine financing, senior secured debt, and small business buyouts. AEA Investors was formed in 1968 and is based in New York City.


Investment Criteria

Sectors of Interest: Automotive, Beverages, Building Materials, Business Services, Chemicals, Consumer Products, Consumer Services, Distribution, Education, Electrical Equipment, Electronics, Engineering, Healthcare Services, Life Science, Machinery, Manufacturing, Marketing, Media, Medical Products, Packaging, Plastics, Retail, Test/Measurement Equipment

Target Transaction Types: Buyout (LBO, MBO, MBI), Consolidation, Going Private, Growth Capital, Recapitalization, 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 - 2,500
values in millions of USD

M&A Summary

Buy vs Sell

Year ≤ '19 '20 '21 '22 '23 '24 T
Buy (4.2/yr) # 93 5 8 5 3 - 114
vol $3.5B $3.5B
Sell (3.4/yr) # 58 3 6 3 4 1 75
vol $12.7B $219M $338M $1.8B $950M $16.0B
  189

Most Recent M&A

Company Date Value Type
Melissa & Doug LLC 2024-01-02 950M USD Trade Sale
Wilton, Connecticut · www.melissaanddoug.com
Crane Engineering Sales 2023-08-31 - Buyout (LBO, MBO, MBI)
Kimberly, Wisconsin · www.craneengineering.net
Scio Automation GmbH 2023-08-31 - Secondary Buyout
Frankenthal, Germany · www.scio-automation.com
Spectrum Plastics Group 2023-05-02 1.8B USD Trade Sale
Alpharetta, Georgia · www.spectrumplastics.com
LSP Holding (UK) Ltd. 2023-03-08 - Secondary Sale
Wednesbury, United Kingdom · www.lonestargroup.com
TileBar 2023-03-01 - Secondary Buyout
Inwood, New York · www.tilebar.com
Brand Networks LLC 2023-02-15 - Trade Sale
St. Paul, Minnesota · www.bn.co
Scan Global Logistics A/S 2023-02-06 - Secondary Sale
Hvidovre, Denmark · www.scangl.com
RED Global Ltd. 2022-10-06 - Buyout (LBO, MBO, MBI)
London, United Kingdom · www.redglobal.com
WorldWide Electric Corp. 2022-10-04 - Secondary Buyout
Rochester, New York · www.worldwideelectric.net
View All >>

Portfolio M&A

Company Acquired Add-On/Sale Date #
Excelitas Technologies Corp. 2017-10-18 Heraeus Noblelight GmbH 2023-09-15 4
Waltham, Massachusetts · www.excelitas.com Hanau, Germany
SBP Holding LP 2011-12-21 Bishop Lifting Products, Inc. 2022-02-02 1
Glen Burnie, Maryland · www.sbpholdings.com Houston, Texas · www.lifting.com
Excelitas Technologies Corp. 2017-10-18 Silicon Power Corp. - SolidTRON Product Line 2020-09-28 3
Waltham, Massachusetts · www.excelitas.com Malvern, Pennsylvania
NES Fircroft 2012-10-05 Fircroft Engineering Services Ltd. 2020-09-23 1
Cheshire, United Kingdom · www.nesfircroft.com Warrington, United Kingdom · www.fircroft.com
Excelitas Technologies Corp. 2017-10-18 AXSUN Technologies, Inc. 2018-12-12 2
Waltham, Massachusetts · www.excelitas.com Billerica, Massachusetts · www.axsun.com
ThreeSixty Group Ltd. 2015-10-01 Vornado Air LLC 2018-05-07 3
Hong Kong, China · www.thethreesixtygroup.com Andover, Kansas · www.vornado.com
ThreeSixty Group Ltd. 2015-10-01 The Sharper Image 2016-12-30 2
Hong Kong, China · www.thethreesixtygroup.com Walnut Creek, California · www.sharperimage.com
ThreeSixty Group Ltd. 2015-10-01 FAO Schwarz, Inc. 2016-10-04 1
Hong Kong, China · www.thethreesixtygroup.com New York, New York · www.fao.com

M&A by Sector

Sector Current # Value All-time # Value
Distribution 3 (8%) - 19 (17%) 978M (28%)
Consumer Products 2 (5%) - 11 (10%) 200M (6%)
Manufacturing 3 (8%) - 9 (8%) 34M (1%)
Business Services 5 (13%) - 7 (6%) -
Building Materials 2 (5%) - 6 (5%) -
Chemicals - - 6 (5%) -
Consumer Services 2 (5%) 195M (35%) 5 (4%) 195M (6%)
Packaging - - 5 (4%) -
Transportation 3 (8%) - 5 (4%) -
Retail 2 (5%) - 3 (3%) 715M (21%)
Energy Services and Equipment 2 (5%) - 3 (3%) -
Staffing 2 (5%) 360M (65%) 2 (2%) 360M (10%)
Apparel/Textiles - - 2 (2%) -
Automotive 1 (3%) - 2 (2%) -
Electrical Equipment 2 (5%) - 2 (2%) -
Electronics 1 (3%) - 2 (2%) -
Healthcare Services - - 2 (2%) -
Information Technology - - 2 (2%) -
Machinery 1 (3%) - 2 (2%) -
Marketing 1 (3%) - 2 (2%) -
Medical Products 1 (3%) - 2 (2%) -
Plastics - - 2 (2%) -
Technology Hardware 1 (3%) - 2 (2%) -
Environmental - - 1 (1%) 721M (21%)
Insurance - - 1 (1%) 250M (7%)
Agriculture 1 (3%) - 1 (1%) -
Beverages - - 1 (1%) -
Construction 1 (3%) - 1 (1%) -
E-Commerce - - 1 (1%) -
Engineering 1 (3%) - 1 (1%) -
Restaurants 1 (3%) - 1 (1%) -
Software - - 1 (1%) -
Test/Measurement Equipment 1 (3%) - 1 (1%) -
Utilities - - 1 (1%) -
Total 39 $555M 114 $3.5B

Acquisitions By Geo

State/Country Current # Value All-time # Value
United States 32 (82%) 195M (35%) 99 (87%) 3.1B (89%)
  Texas 8 (21%) 195M (35%) 13 (11%) 910M (26%)
  Illinois 2 (5%) - 10 (9%) -
  Pennsylvania 1 (3%) - 10 (9%) 721M (21%)
  California 3 (8%) - 9 (8%) -
  New York 3 (8%) - 6 (5%) -
  New Jersey 1 (3%) - 5 (4%) 250M (7%)
  Michigan 2 (5%) - 4 (4%) -
  Georgia 1 (3%) - 4 (4%) -
  Minnesota 2 (5%) - 3 (3%) -
  Massachusetts 2 (5%) - 3 (3%) -
  North Carolina 1 (3%) - 3 (3%) -
  Missouri 1 (3%) - 3 (3%) -
  Ohio - - 3 (3%) 815M (24%)
  Florida - - 3 (3%) -
  Maryland 2 (5%) - 2 (2%) -
  Wisconsin 1 (3%) - 2 (2%) -
  Kentucky - - 2 (2%) 163M (5%)
  Utah - - 2 (2%) -
  Connecticut - - 2 (2%) -
  Alabama 1 (3%) - 1 (1%) -
  West Virginia 1 (3%) - 1 (1%) -
  New Hampshire - - 1 (1%) 200M (6%)
  Arizona - - 1 (1%) -
  Virginia - - 1 (1%) -
  Tennessee - - 1 (1%) -
  Oklahoma - - 1 (1%) -
  Iowa - - 1 (1%) -
  Colorado - - 1 (1%) -
United Kingdom 3 (8%) 360M (65%) 5 (4%) 394M (11%)
Germany 1 (3%) - 4 (4%) -
China 1 (3%) - 2 (2%) -
South Korea 1 (3%) - 1 (1%) -
Sweden 1 (3%) - 1 (1%) -
Denmark - - 1 (1%) -
Portugal - - 1 (1%) -
Domestic 32 (82%) 195M (35%) 99 (87%) 3.1B (89%)
Cross-border 7 (18%) 360M (65%) 15 (13%) 394M (11%)
Total 39 $555M 114 $3.5B

Acquisitions by Deal Type

Type Current # Value All-time # Value
Secondary Buyout 20 (51%) 360M (65%) 53 (46%) 1.9B (55%)
Buyout (LBO, MBO, MBI) 12 (31%) - 35 (31%) 284M (8%)
Divestiture 2 (5%) 195M (35%) 7 (6%) 1.3B (37%)
Stake Purchase 1 (3%) - 6 (5%) -
Recapitalization - - 5 (4%) -
Consolidation 2 (5%) - 3 (3%) -
Growth Capital 2 (5%) - 3 (3%) -
Add-on Acquisition - - 1 (1%) -
Special Situations/Distressed - - 1 (1%) -
Total 39 $555M 114 $3.5B

Exits by Deal Type

Type Total # Value
Secondary Sale 32 (43%) 3.5B (22%)
Trade Sale - Public Company 18 (24%) 8.7B (54%)
Trade Sale 10 (13%) 3.8B (24%)
IPO 9 (12%) -
Recapitalization 4 (5%) -
Bankruptcy 1 (1%) -
Merger 1 (1%) -
Total 75 $16.0B

Top M&A Advisors

Financial Deals
Credit Suisse Investment Banking
2
Piper Sandler & Co.
1
Harris Williams & Co.
1
Legal Deals
Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson LLP
7
Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP
1

Deal Values

buy # Total
$100M to $1B 8 $3.4B
< $100M 1 $34M
TOTAL $3.5B
Largest Hillman Solutions Corp.
$815M (2010-05-28)
sell # Total
> $1B 6 $11.4B
$100M to $1B 10 $4.6B
TOTAL $16.0B
Largest Dematic Holding S.à r.l.
$3.3B (2016-06-21)

M&A Connections

Deals
Acquired from
Investor(s)
44%
50 (44%)
Strategic(s)
6%
7 (6%)
Exited to
Investor(s)
47%
35 (47%)
Strategic(s)
35%
26 (35%)

FAQ

When was AEA Investors founded?

AEA Investors was founded in 1968.

What type of investor is AEA Investors?

AEA Investors is a private equity firm.

Where is AEA Investors headquartered?

AEA Investors is headquartered in New York, New York.

How much capital does AEA Investors have under management?

AEA Investors has 17.0B USD under management.

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