Iowa based motorhome manufacturer, Winnebago Industries, recently announced it will continue to build up its efforts in the marine business with the acquisition of Barletta Pontoon Boats. Barletta, which sells its boats through a network of 125 dealers across the country, is benefitting from strong growth in boat sales since the start of the pandemic. Read More

Recently, a combination of low inventory and excess demand has led to a huge boom in new home construction. Private equity firms, such as Clearlake Capital and Rotunda Capital Partners, have picked up on this trend and are looking to capitalize through recent deals in the construction and building products industries. In a recent Mergers & Acquisitions article, Clearlake Capital co-founder Jose Feliciano said, “The U.S. housing market is expected to experience robust, sustained activity over the coming years, as the industry plays catch up to address a housing shortage after years of under-investment.” Read More

Surmodics Inc. is a publicly traded provider of surface modification, drug delivery, and in vitro diagnostic technologies to the healthcare industry. In a recent Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal article, the Eden Prairie based company recently announced its acquisition of Vetex Medical Limited for roughly $40 million. Additional payments up to $7 million may also be paid if the company achieves certain goals. Read More

German chemical and ingredient distributor, Brenntag SE, recently announced that they have acquired US food ingredient distributor JM Swank from Platinum Equity. Platinum Equity purchased the Company in 2016 as a carve out from ConAgra Foods. JM Swank reported approximately $500 million in sales during 2020and offers a range of products such as spices, sweeteners, starches, dairy ingredients and more. Read More

As the economy continues to recover and investors are looking for places to put their capital to work, PE firms are taking advantage by raising larger funds. Read More

Amazon.com Inc. recently reported its largest acquisition since Whole Foods with the $8.45 billion purchase of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (“MGM”). This investment seems to make a lot of sense for Amazon, as it is constantly on the lookout for content to provide its members. Last year, the company spent $11 billion on content for the streaming video and music services business. Read More

Olde Thompson is a 77 year old family owned spice manufacturer, and it is the largest manufacturer of salt and pepper mills in the world and the largest dedicated manufacturer of private-label dry spices and seasons in North America. Olam Food Ingredients, a division of parent Company Olam International, focuses on the consumer products market, prioritizing herbs, spices and flavorings. After announcing that this division would be taken public in 2022, the Company has been on the lookout for acquisitions as it continues to try and strengthen its consumer product portfolio. Read More

Shoreview, Minnesota, based Deluxe Corporation, a company that used to be known for primarily selling checks, has continually evolved its products and services over the years in order to better serve its customer base. The Company recently announced its intent to acquire First American Payment Systems, an electronic payment processor that handles in-store, online, and other payment services. Read More

In a recent article posted on Mergers and Acquisitions, DeCandido, Galivan, and Cadigan explain what strategic buyers are looking for in packaged food deals. The article notes that, according to Food Marketing Institute, the average number of diners prepared at home in June of 2020 was up 11% from a year earlier. This trend has large consumer companies like Hershey’s, Nestle, and Tyson Foods active in the market looking for companies to acquire in order to enhance their brand portfolios. Read More

Minneapolis-based Calabrio, a workforce optimization software solution provider for call centers, recently announced its sale to Private Equity firm Thoma Bravo. The previous owner, KKR, paid around $200 million for the company in 2016 and has been able to grow the firm significantly since then. Read More