Primary Capital Mergers and Acquisitions Summary

Private Equity Firm Profile

In the last 3 years, Primary Capital has invested in 1 company.

Primary Capital’s most common sectors for investment areretail (16%) and business services (13%) . The Firm’s most common investment types include buyout (lbo, mbo, mbi) (67%) and growth capital (13%). In total, Primary Capital has invested in 2 different countries. Its largest (disclosed) acquisition occurred in 2017 when it acquired Metamark for $95M.

In the last 3 years, Primary Capital has exited 3 companies. The Firm’s most common exit type is trade sale (67%). Primary Capital’s largest (disclosed) exit occurred in 2005 when it sold TheWorks.co.uk for $78M.

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M&A Summary

  • M&A Total Activity57
    • M&A Buy Activity33
    • M&A Sell Activity24
  • Total Sectors Invested 21
  • Total Countries Invested 2
  • M&A Buy/Sell Connections 20
  • M&A Advisors 5

Primary Capital

Augustine House, Austin Friars,
London, EC2N 2HA
United Kingdom
+44 (0) 20 7920 4800
www.primary.pe
contact@primary.pe

Primary Capital is a private equity firm focused on management buyouts and buy-ins of mid-market companies with an enterprise value of £20 - £100 million. Primary looks for opportunities across Europe but concentrates primarily on businesses located in the UK and Germany. The Firm looks to invest £10 to £44 million of equity or equity-related capital per transaction. Target sectors include consumer products/services, business & support services, financial services, IT services, software, and industrial products/services. Primary was formed in 1994 and is based in London.


Investment Criteria

Sectors of Interest: Agriculture, Automotive, Business Services, Communications, Consumer Products, Consumer Services, Distribution, Education, Electrical Equipment, Energy Services and Equipment, Engineering, Financial Services, Food, Healthcare Services, Information Technology, Internet Software and Services, Leisure, Machinery, Restaurants, Retail, Safety/Security, Software, Staffing, Test/Measurement Equipment, Transportation

Target Transaction Types: Buyout (LBO, MBO, MBI), Divestiture, Growth Capital, Secondary Buyout

Geographic Preferences: United Kingdom, Western Europe

Transaction Criteria Min Max
Target Revenue - -
Target EBITDA - -
Investment Size 10 44
Enterprise Value 20 100
values in millions of GBP

M&A Summary

Buy vs Sell

Year ≤ '19 '20 '21 '22 '23 '24 T
Buy (0.2/yr) # 32 - 1 - - - 33
vol $591M $591M
Sell (0.6/yr) # 21 - - 3 - - 24
vol $155M $155M
  57

Most Recent M&A

Company Date Value Type
Maru Group Ltd. 2022-10-12 - Trade Sale
London, United Kingdom · www.marugroup.net
Readypower Group Ltd. 2022-01-31 - Trade Sale
Reading, United Kingdom · www.readypower.co.uk
ICS Learn Ltd. 2022-01-06 - Trade Sale
Glasgow, United Kingdom · www.icslearn.co.uk
Sigma Sports Ltd. 2021-03-01 - Growth Capital
Kingston upon Thames, United Kingdom · www.sigmasports.com
MS Industrial Services Ltd. (MSIS) 2019-09-06 - Trade Sale
Invergordon, United Kingdom · www.msisgroup.com
Foster + Freeman Ltd. 2019-08-01 - Buyout (LBO, MBO, MBI)
Worcestershire, United Kingdom · www.fosterfreeman.com
Paperchase Products Ltd. 2019-03-01 - Unknown
London, United Kingdom · www.paperchase.com
Automated Systems Group Ltd. 2019-01-01 - Secondary Buyout
Cambridge, United Kingdom · www.asl-group.co.uk
Esteem Systems Ltd. 2018-10-09 - Trade Sale
Wetherby, United Kingdom · www.esteem.co.uk
VJ Technology Ltd. 2018-06-26 46M GBP Divestiture
Kent, United Kingdom · www.vjtechnology.com
View All >>

M&A by Sector

Sector Current # Value All-time # Value
Retail 1 (17%) - 5 (15%) 72M (12%)
Business Services 2 (33%) 95M (68%) 4 (12%) 95M (16%)
Restaurants - - 3 (9%) 15M (3%)
Software - - 2 (6%) 85M (14%)
Food - - 2 (6%) 46M (8%)
Transportation - - 2 (6%) -
Leisure - - 1 (3%) 54M (9%)
Distribution 1 (17%) 46M (32%) 1 (3%) 46M (8%)
Machinery - - 1 (3%) 40M (7%)
Consumer Products - - 1 (3%) 38M (7%)
Environmental - - 1 (3%) 31M (5%)
Test/Measurement Equipment - - 1 (3%) 31M (5%)
Engineering - - 1 (3%) 16M (3%)
Safety/Security - - 1 (3%) 15M (3%)
Communications - - 1 (3%) 6M (1%)
Education - - 1 (3%) -
Electrical Equipment - - 1 (3%) -
Information Technology - - 1 (3%) -
Internet Software and Services - - 1 (3%) -
Staffing 1 (17%) - 1 (3%) -
Technology Hardware 1 (17%) - 1 (3%) -
Total 6 $141M 33 $591M

Acquisitions By Geo

State/Country Current # Value All-time # Value
United Kingdom 6 (100%) 141M (100%) 31 (94%) 398M (96%)
Germany - - 2 (6%) 16M (4%)
Domestic 6 (100%) 141M (100%) 31 (94%) 398M (96%)
Cross-border - - 2 (6%) 16M (4%)
Total 6 $141M 33 $414M

Acquisitions by Deal Type

Type Current # Value All-time # Value
Buyout (LBO, MBO, MBI) 3 (50%) 95M (68%) 22 (67%) 368M (64%)
Divestiture 1 (17%) 46M (32%) 4 (12%) 123M (21%)
Growth Capital 1 (17%) - 4 (12%) -
Secondary Buyout 1 (17%) - 3 (9%) 85M (15%)
Total 6 $141M 33 $576M

Exits by Deal Type

Type Total # Value
Trade Sale 11 (46%) -
Secondary Sale 6 (25%) 112M (72%)
Trade Sale - Public Company 5 (21%) 43M (28%)
Sold to Management 1 (4%) -
Unknown 1 (4%) -
Total 24 $155M

Top M&A Advisors

Financial Deals
Canaccord Genuity Corp.
1
Deloitte
1
Wyvern Partners
1
Legal Deals
Eversheds LLP
1
Olswang LLP
1

Deal Values

buy # Total
< $100M 16 $591M
TOTAL $591M
Largest Metamark (UK) Ltd.
$95M (2017-05-26)
sell # Total
< $100M 3 $155M
TOTAL $155M
Largest TheWorks.co.uk plc
$78M (2005-04-01)

M&A Connections

Deals
Acquired from
Investor(s)
9%
3 (9%)
Strategic(s)
12%
4 (12%)
Exited to
Investor(s)
25%
6 (25%)
Strategic(s)
67%
16 (67%)

FAQ

When was Primary Capital founded?

Primary Capital was founded in 1994.

What type of investor is Primary Capital?

Primary Capital is a private equity firm.

Where is Primary Capital headquartered?

Primary Capital is headquartered in London, United Kingdom.

How much capital does Primary Capital have under management?

Primary Capital has 700M GBP under management.

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