| Good morning, It’s Nina Lindholm with the Europe edition of the Wire from the London newsroom. Large amounts of dry powder combined with a struggle to find attractively priced targets in the private markets have driven many private equity investors to explore take-private deals. One recently completed example is KKR’s take-private of IQGeo, a geospatial software provider to telecommunication and utility operators. Renewables are another popular target for PE investors. We have a fresh deal in the segment this morning as CDPQ has agreed to acquire a minority stake in a Welsh electricity generation and storage facility from Brookfield Asset Management. To finish, we explore some of the sectors private equity firms have been betting on of late. Done deal KKR has completed its £333 million ($444 million; €398 million) acquisition of IQGeo, a geospatial software developer. The deal was first announced in May. To find out more, take a look at the premium version of the Wire here. For more on why private equity is so keen on take-privates, make sure to check out my colleague Rafael Canton’s piece on the topic. Rafael caught up with Stephen Leitzell, a partner at Dechert, to learn why PE dealmakers are pursuing public targets, and he compiled public-to-private deals we saw in Q1. You can find the story here. Critical role CDPQ has agreed to acquire a 25 percent stake in First Hydro Company, an electricity generation and storage facility in the UK, from Brookfield Asset Management. Take a look at the full Wire coverage to learn more. Sector selector A slew of deals in one subsector tends to indicate that private equity has identified an opportunity. When we at PE Hub spot one, we’ll collate the deals for you and explore the trends behind the activity. For my highlights from our recent stories, check out the premium version of the Wire here. Our other recent round-up stories include: Keeping fit: 6 PE deals in sport, health and wellness PE sees opportunities with 5 senior healthcare dealsKeeping the critters at bay: 8 PE-backed pest control deals Opportunity for innovation: 7 private equity deals in foodservice That’s all from me today. Michael Schoeck will write to you with the US edition later today, and Craig McGlashan will be back tomorrow with the Europe edition. Cheers,
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