In September, the Minister for Economy in Slovakia tabled a potential agreement by stakeholders regarding gas operator SPP‘s relationship with future co-owners Energeticky a Prumyslovy Holding (EPH). EPH is likely to buy the 49 per cent stake that is currently held by Slovak Gas Holding, which itself is now owned by GDF Suez and E.ON Ruhrgas, [...]

CEE-centric PE fund Penta Investments is looking to increase its stake in Slovak healthcare group Dôvera by buying out the remaining 50 per cent stake from current co-investor Prefto Holding. The Slovak Anti-monopoly Office is yet to approve the transaction, as is the Healthcare Surveillance Authority. While Penta is keen on participating in the healthcare system as well as [...]

After a Slovak Anti-monopoly Office decision came through, Penta Investments has confirmed a 100 per cent acquisition of Estate Consult, owner of the Svet zdravia group of regional hospitals. The EUR 3 mln investment, which is spread out through 2012, will result in the modernization and improvement of customer service capabilities of ten healthcare facilities [...]

The Slovak government has arrived at a decision to eliminate private health insurance firms in the nation and bring all related services under a single system run by the state. However, the profitable private enterprises operating in this sector in Slovakia may show some resistance to the move. Prime Minister Robert Fico’s move to mandate [...]

How often do you find yourselves in a foreign nation and find wanting to speak in the local tongue? As travel frequency increases in an increasingly compressed world, there is a definite market to help the travels picking up a few commonly used phrases and words in the local language. This is what the Bratilsava, [...]

Europe’s top multimedia content payment system, Piano Media, has secured a EUR 2 mln round of Series B investment from 3TS Capital Partners, one of the big players in the CEE region investment game. The funding will be used by Piano to support resources for expansion, recruitment and marketing. Piano Media (www.pianomedia.eu) Piano Media is currently [...]

Grafobal Group Energy (GGE), part of Slovak diversified investment firm the Grafobal Group, has acquired the complete stake (100 percent) in eastern Slovakia-based regional heating company Energy Snina from local diversified holding company Slavia Capital. GGE, which already runs heating facilities in several Slovak towns, is looking to grow inorganically through further acquisitions at home [...]

Cinema City International acquired 100% of the equity of four companies from the Palace Cinemas’ chain in Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia. The operations of the sold entities add up to 15 multiplexes with 141 screens. The acquisition makes Cinema City the third largest cinema operator in Europe with 90 multiplexes, 866 screens and extends its [...]

Oaktree Capital Management is preparing to divest itself of Stock Spirits, the Central European alcoholic beverage producer. Although Oaktree appears to be planning for auction, the company has not specifically indicated that selling Stock Spirits to another private equity investor is definitely the plan. Oaktree appears to also be considering an initial public offering if [...]

In the ongoing saga that is the sale of Polish utility Enea, businessman Jan Kulczyk has strengthened his position with a promise of funding from Czech-Slovak PE firm Penta Investments. Mr. Kulczyk had been given exclusive rights to negotiate in October of this year, but the Treasury Ministry reconsidered due to fears that he would [...]

Making good on a deal reached with the European Commission, Dexia has signed an agreement with Penta Investments to sell its 88.71% stake of subsidiary Dexia banka Slovensko. Once the transaction is completed, Penta plans to launch a takeover bid with the aim of acquiring the outstanding shares held by minority shareholders. As late as [...]

DEXIA SA Brussels has another suitor for its shares of Dexia Banka Slovensko, which it needs to sell in order to meet the requirements of an agreement made with the European Commission earlier this year. Slovakia’s J&T Financial Group announced through a spokesman that it has sent a letter to DEXIA expressing interest in the [...]

Penta continues to increase its share of the Hungarian meat production market with the acquisition of the Kaiser Food Élelmiszer-ipari Company. The acquisition of the 97.3% share was made through Penta portfolio company Debreceni Csoport Húsipari, which in turn, is part of Penta’s Carnibona holding. As a result of the deal, Kaiser brings well-known brand [...]

CEE private equity firm Penta Investments appears to be planning for new opportunities this year with a target of as much as €800 million in acquisitions. The company has been struggling as of late in identifying and approaching new targets, due to Czech banks having eased off on delinquent borrowers. The banks are apparently willing [...]

Acting on a request from its nation’s government, Croatian oil company INA has agreed to sell the Crobenz petrol chain to Progress Trading of Slovakia, associated to Slavia Capital. The government request was issued by the Croatian anti-trust agency after MOL increased its INA stake to 47% last year, making the company’s total market share [...]

As J&T Finance Group continues the process of separating its hotel and tourist businesses, Petr Kellner’s PPF and Italian-Czech firm Generalli PPF are taking the opportunity to invest substantially. The two firms have spent more than CZK 1 billion acquiring stakes in J&T’s Best Hotels Properties (BHP) and Tatra Mountain Resorts (TMS). The firms now [...]

Financially strapped OJSC Kharkivmetrobud (KMB) will go on the auction block in March 2010 as part of court-ordered bankruptcy proceedings. Ukraine’s State Property Fund has announced plans to sell 50% plus one share at a starting price of UAH 3 million. Arca Capital, which owns a 38% stake in KMB, has not indicated whether or [...]

Karel Komarek’s KKCG Finance might be entertaining the sale the Atlantik Group, one of the Czech Republic’s leading securities dealers. KKCG has allegedly spoken with several potential investors about a deal to let Atlantik go for as much as CZK 900 million, with Ernst & Young acting as sale advisor. Though Komarek and KKCG spokesman [...]

Alpha Medical Ventures, a portfolio company of European private equity firm Penta Investments, has acquired a 90% stake in Polish lab chain DD Lab. The investment is Alpha Medical’s first opportunity in Poland and part of the company’s strategy to become a market leader in the Central European nation of 38 million people. DD Lab’s [...]

J&T Group, one of the leading private equity firms in the Czech and Slovak Republics, has entered the highway toll business with an investment in Ibertax. J&T acquired a 10% stake in the electronic tolling services firm after acting as an advisor to help Ibertax parent, SkyToll, line up financing for their Slovakian project. J&T’s [...]