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The Wire
Dec 21, 2023

Apollo’s WattEV charges up California’s truckers; Vista promotes six; Rite Aid’s Elixir auction

Good morning, Hubsters. Michael Schoeck here with the Thursday Wire, filling in for MK Flynn, who’s out on holiday vacation.

 

Today we’re getting insight from Apollo Global Management’s energy transition group on a new investment seeking to decarbonize the trucking sector, starting with California. I caught up with Apollo partner Joey Romeo and WattEV’s founder Salim Youssefzadeh about how the new investment has broader growth plans to electrify trucking corridors in other states.

 

Technology-focused sponsor Vista Equity Partners shared that six of its executives were promoted to senior managing director and managing director.

 

And closing with healthcare, MedImpact Healthcare is set to square off today with other bidders for the pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) business of Rite Aid.

 

But first let’s take a look at the trucking electrification market.

 

Electric highway

The energy transition continues to be a market where PE, infrastructure and impact funds are funneling billions of capital into new companies and projects. The decarbonization of California provides a major greenfield investment strategy for WattEV, a newly acquired portfolio company of Apollo Global Management that provides electric truck fleets and charging as a service.

 

Apollo partner Joseph Romeo told PE Hub that the capital-intensive nature of the company’s “trucking-as-a-service” business model is at the heart of the investor’s partnership with management and co-investor Vitol.

 

Subscribe to the full version of the Wire for more.

 

Vista Promotions

Technology-focused sponsor Vista Equity Partners shared news with PE Hub that six of its executives were promoted to senior managing director and managing director.

 

“We congratulate this group of deserving individuals and celebrate their accomplishments,” said Vista founder and CEO Robert F. Smith. “Their ability to take on new and exciting challenges has helped propel Vista’s ability to transform the enterprise while delivering consistent stakeholder outcomes.”

 

Subscribe to the full version of the Wire for more details on Vista Equity’s year in review.

 

Elixir Rx auction

As one of the most-read sectors on PE Hub, we’ll turn back to healthcare for one last hurrah of the year. In one of PE Hub’s top stories of the year, Rite Aid is scheduled to conduct an auction starting this morning at the New York office of Kirkland & Ellis for the company’s Elixir Rx pharmacy benefit manager business and retail store assets.

 

As previously reported by PE Hub, the PBM business is expected to attract buyout interest from private equity suitors.

 

Subscribe to the full version of the Wire for more details on the Rite Aid sale process.

 

That’s it for me for the year. Obey Martin Manayiti will be back with you tomorrow for the Friday edition and the final Wire send out of 2023.

 

Season’s greetings and well wishes for the New Year.

 

Cheers,

Michael

 

Read the full wire commentary on PE Hub ...

Today's must reads
> Apollo-backed WattEV's growth to be fueled by decarbonization of California and other states More...
> Hg's Alan Cline: 'The AI revolution is real' More...
> Cambridge Associates' Andrea Auerbach: Rate cuts in 2024 may break the transaction logjam and spur activity More...
> EQT's Alex Darden: Private capital has a huge role to play in the transition to net zero More...
> Vista's Patrick Severson: Promising enterprise software sectors in 2024 include cybersecurity, energy transition, healthcare IT More...

Also of note (may require subscriptions)

 

AlpInvest Partners, which deployed around $8 billion across its secondaries platform this year, stepped up as lead investor on Leonard Green’s $2.2 billion, four-asset secondary that has reached final close. (Buyouts)

In Buyouts' latest 'Off-duty' column, Cari Lodge, head of secondaries at CF Private Equity, talks about her dream job as a field or ice hockey coach, her summer retreat in Rhode Island, and the importance of staying close to family.

Looking back, 2023 may well be remembered as the year when debt-for-nature swaps really began to receive the attention they need if they are to make a material global contribution to nature finance. (Agri Investor)

Next up in Private Equity International's "Story of the Year" series: How higher interest rates became a blessing and a curse.

The Teachers’ Retirement System of Louisiana has an early Christmas gift for venture funds hungry for fresh capital. It plans to commit $300 million to $400 million to three to five VC funds in fiscal 2024 as it strives to hit its target allocation of 7 percent. (Venture Capital Journal)

 

PE Deals

Alternate text
> Houlihan Lokey to acquire placement agent Triago More...
> Enlightenment Capital invests in cybersecurity software firm Ridgeline International More...
> TCED raises investment from Champlain Financial-led consortium More...
> Warburg Pincus invests in healthcare services firm Everise More...
> ShoreView Industries completes take-private buyout of tools manufacturer P&F industries More...
> Apollo-backed WattEV's growth to be fueled by decarbonization of California and other states More...
People
> Vista Equity promotes two to senior managing director and four to managing director More...
> AEI promotes Hart and McElwee to partner More...
> Texas Municipal Retirement Systems taps Kim as CIO More...

They said it

“There are other states slowly adopting [EV truck charging], like Oregon for a $6 million site and Washington state, New York and New Jersey. California is obviously many multiples the size of other state markets, but there is a hope that there is a ‘push and a pull’ effect in other states with consumer companies and suppliers.”

— Joseph Romeo, Apollo Global Management

 

Today's letter was prepared by Michael Schoeck

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