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Notable Transactions: Q2 2020

09.01.20

(Article from Registered Funds Alert, September 2020)

For more information, please visit the Registered Funds Alert Resource Center.

A list of notable transactions that occurred in the second quarter of 2020, including M&A transactions and closed-end fund IPOs.

Jump to closed-end fund IPOs

M&A Transactions

Acquiror

Acquired or
Target Company

Type of Transaction
and Status

Anchorage Capital Group, an RIA with approximately $13.2 billion in assets under management

Garrison Investment Group, a middle market credit, distressed and asset based investor with approximately $1.2 billion in assets under management

Acquisition

(terms not disclosed)

City of London Investment Group PLC (“CLIG”), with approximately $5 billion in funds under management

Karpus Management, Inc., an RIA with approximately $3.5 billion in funds under management

Merger agreement under which CLIG will acquire the issued share capital of Karpus. The consideration will consist of up to 24,118,400 CLIG ordinary shares, which equates to $99.6 million. The purchase will be structured as a merger of a wholly-owned subsidiary of CLIG into Karpus, with Karpus becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of CLIG.

(further terms not disclosed)

Clearlake Capital Group, L.P., a private investment firm with approximately $24 billion in assets under management post-acquisition

WhiteStar Asset Management, an investment management firm with approximately $6 billion of fee generating assets, from Pine Brook Capital Partners, an investment services firm that has approximately $3.6 billion in assets under management

Acquisition of majority interest

(terms not disclosed)

Emigrant Partners, LLC, a capital and advisory services partner that, with an affiliate, is partnered with 16 firms that oversee approximately $50 billion in assets under advisement

Parallel Advisors, LLC, a financial planning and investment firm with approximately $3 billion in assets under management

Acquisition of minority interest

(terms not disclosed)

Management team at Evanston Capital, an alternative investment management firm with approximately $3 billion in assets under management

TA Associates, a private equity firm that has raised approximately $33.5 billion in capital since inception

Management team acquired minority equity stake owned by private investment funds affiliated with TA Associates

(terms not disclosed)

Franklin Resources, Inc. (“Franklin Templeton”), an investment management organization with approximately $580 billion in assets under management

AdvisorEngine, Inc., a digital wealth platform and provider of technology and consulting services to more than 1,200 wealth management firms that manage over than $600 billion in assets

Acquisition

(terms not disclosed)

J.P. Morgan Asset Management, a global asset manager for individuals, advisors, and institutions with $1.7 trillion in assets under management

China International Fund Management Co. Ltd., a fund management company joint venture with $21.1 billion) in assets under management

Acquisition of majority stake. JPMAM to become the first foreign manager to take a majority stake in a fund management joint venture on mainland China, winning approval to take an additional 2% stake in CIFM, lifting its share to 51%.

(terms not disclosed)

LPL Financial LLC, a retail investment advisory firm and independent broker/dealer that has approximately $670 billion in advisory and brokerage assets

E.I. Riley, a broker-dealer and RIA with approximately $2 billion in assets under management

Acquisition structured as an asset purchase agreement that provides for both a payment at closing and potential contingent payments. LPL estimates a transaction multiple of ~6x post-synergy EBITDA.

LPL Financial LLC, a retail investment advisory firm and independent broker/dealer that has approximately $670 billion in advisory and brokerage assets

Lucia Securities, a broker-dealer and RIA with approximately $1.5 billion of client assets under management

Acquisition structured as an asset purchase agreement that provides for both a payment at closing and potential contingent payments. LPL estimates a transaction multiple of ~6x post-synergy EBITDA.

Management of Mariner Investment Group, LLC, an investment manager with approximately $10.8 billion in assets under management

ORIX Corporation USA, a diversified financial company and a subsidiary of ORIX Corporation, based in Japan. ORIX Corporation has more than $365 billion in assets under management.

Acquisition

(terms not disclosed)

Mount Logan Capital Inc., an asset manager based in Canada that specializes in credit investment opportunities with a focus on opportunities in North America, and Sierra Crest Investment Management LLC, an affiliate of BC Partners Advisors L.P., with approximately $4.5 billion in assets under management, as of December 31, 2019

Resource America, Inc., an asset management company with approximately $4.3 billion in assets under management, as of May 18, 2020

Acquisition of certain assets financed with a combination of cash, equity and debt

(further terms not disclosed)

NFP Corp., an insurance broker and consultant

Fiduciary Investment Advisors, an investment management firm that advises more than $95 billion in assets

Acquisition

(terms not disclosed)

Portman Ridge Finance Corporation (“Portman Ridge”), an externally managed, non-diversified closed-end investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company

Garrison Capital Inc. (“GARS”), an externally managed, non-diversified closed-end investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company

Merger agreement under which Portman Ridge will deliver to GARS stockholders a combination of (i) newly issued Portman Ridge shares valued at 100% of Portman Ridge’s net asset value per share and (ii) $19.1 million in cash. Additionally, Sierra Crest Investment Management LLC, Portman Ridge’s investment manager, agreed to pay $5.0 million in cash to GARS stockholders. GARS stockholders are expected to receive approximately 105% of GARS’ net asset value per share based on the March 31, 2020 net asset value per share of GARS’ and Portman Ridge’s stock and aggregate cash consideration.

Sumitomo Mitsui Banking, a financial institution with approximately ¥ 212.4 trillion in assets

Ares Management, an alternative investment manager with approximately $149 billion in assets under management

Acquisition of minority stake, 4.9%, for $384 million. Sumitomo will purchase 12.1 million common shares at $31.64 from Ares

(further terms not disclosed)


2nd Quarter 2020 Listed Closed-End Fund Initial Public Offerings

First Trust High Yield Opportunities 2027 Term Fund

Structure:

Diversified, closed-end management investment company

Investment Objectives/Policies:

The Fund’s investment objective is to provide current income. Under normal market conditions, the Fund will seek to achieve its investment objective by investing at least 80% of its Managed Assets (as defined in the prospectus) in high yield debt securities of any maturity that are rated below investment grade at the time of purchase or unrated securities determined by the Advisor to be of comparable quality. Such securities include U.S. and non-U.S. corporate debt obligations and senior, secured floating rate loans. The Fund’s investments may include securities of issuers located in countries considered to be emerging markets.

Investment Adviser:

First Trust Advisors L.P.

Lead Underwriter(s):

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

 

Angel Oak Dynamic Financial Strategies Income Term Trust

Structure:

Diversified, closed-end management investment company

Investment Objectives/Policies:

The Fund seeks current income with a secondary objective of total return. Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of the value of its net assets plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes in securities of U.S. and non-U.S. financial institutions, which may include, but are not limited to, banks, thrifts, finance companies, BDCs that invest primarily in loans, commercial mortgage and REITs, brokerage and advisory firms, insurance companies and financial holding companies. In pursuing its investment objective, the Fund invests primarily in debt issued by financial institutions, including subordinated debt, unrated debt, senior debt and high yield securities. The Fund may also invest in common equity, preferred equity, convertible securities and warrants and trust-preferred securities of these institutions. The Fund will target investing at least 80% of the Fund’s net assets plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes in debt issued by U.S. community banks and U.S. and non-U.S. non-bank financial institutions. Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of the value of its net assets plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes in investments that are rated investment grade or, if unrated, judged to be of investment grade quality by the Fund’s investment adviser.

Investment Adviser:

Angel Oak Capital Advisors, LLC

Lead Underwriters:

UBS Securities LLC, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc., Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. and RBC Capital Markets, LLC