Busiest week ever for Catalyst

BIRMINGHAM advisory firm Catalyst Corporate Finance has had its busiest week ever by completing four transactions comprising two management buy-outs, one cross border sale for a US listed group and a growth capital investment deal.

Two of these deals, the £38m MBO of YSC and the sale of a UK based consulting business for its US parent were in the business services sector, the sector which is leading the economic recovery in the UK according to the latest figures from the 2013 British Chambers of Commerce.

The two other deals, the growth capital investment in BathEmpire and the MBO of Buoyant Upholstery, were in the consumer sector. Consumer confidence in the UK is growing and this trend is reflected by the interest in the consumer sector as both these deals were private equity backed with ISIS investing in BathEmpire and NVM investing in Buoyant.

Andy Currie, managing partner at Catalyst, said: “The M&A market continues to be tough but we are seeing more predictability as buyers and sellers adjust to the new norms.

“The relative lack of volativity in the markets is helping to build confidence which is a must for the transaction market. These four deals mean we have now completed 14 deals in 2013 to date with a value in excess of £750m which is a major achievement in the current market and it is pleasing that the inflow of new opportunities is also very promising.”