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The Wire
May 13, 2024

Permira in $6.9bn take-private move for website builder Squarespace; KKR in logistics property deal

Morning Hubsters, Craig McGlashan here filling in for MK Flynn on the Monday Wire.

 

There’s big news this morning in the tech world, where Permira has agreed to take website builder and hosting company Squarespace private for $6.9 billion. We take a look at the specifics of the deal as well as delve into why companies like Squarespace, which only went public a few years ago, are ending up back in private hands.

 

Elsewhere in deal news this morning, we have KKR making a logistics property play.

 

Private space

 

London-headquartered Permira has agreed to acquire Squarespace, a website builder and hosting company based in New York City.

 

Find out more details in the subscriber version of the Wire.

 

Squarespace only went public in May 2021, but is far from alone in drawing private equity interest just two or three years after an IPO.

 

We took a deeper look at what was driving the trend over on PE Hub Europe a little while ago. Check out the article for more on what’s driving these deals.

 

The Squarespace deal follows another take-private in the US late last week. Brightstar Capital Partners agreed to acquire AGS, a Las Vegas-based global gaming supplier.

 

Meanwhile over in Europe, EQT this morning agreed a take-private deal for Swedish renewable energy company OX2.

 

Logistics

 

Other fresh deal news this morning comes from property.

 

KKR has acquired a two-building logistics property in the Nashville Airport submarket.

 

Learn more in the subscriber version of the Wire.

 

OK that’s all from me today. I’ll be in the chair again tomorrow.

 

Cheers,

 

Craig

 

Read the full wire commentary on PE Hub ...

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They said it

“Squarespace has built a distinct and globally recognized creative brand and an incredible, design-driven platform of tools that empower entrepreneurs and small businesses to establish and scale their online presence.”

— David Erlong, partner, Permira

 

Today's letter was prepared by Obey Martin Manayiti

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