PAI PARTNERS takes majority stake in ARLETTIE

General Atlantic, a global private equity firm with a history of investing in growth companies, completed its acquisition of European Wax Center, taking the personal care services franchisor private. This all-cash transaction saw General Atlantic purchase all outstanding Class A common stock of the company that it did not already own. The move delisted European Wax Center from the Nasdaq stock exchange, allowing its management to pursue long-term strategic initiatives without the pressures of quarterly public reporting and market fluctuations. The take-private is intended to provide the company with greater operational flexibility and access to capital to accelerate its growth, optimize its franchise network, and enhance its service offerings. The acquisition price represented a significant premium over the company’s recent trading prices, signaling the acquirer's strong conviction in the brand's market position and future potential. The deal was managed by a special committee of European Wax Center’s board of directors, which was formed to evaluate the proposal and ensure the best interests of all stockholders were represented throughout the process.

Mr Price Group has agreed to acquire 100% of NKD Group from the European private equity firm TDR Capital. The purchase consideration includes up to €487 million in cash and the assumption of shareholder loan receivables. The strategic rationale for the deal is to provide Mr Price with a significant entry point into the resilient Central and Eastern European value retail market. Since TDR Capital’s acquisition in 2019, NKD has seen a transformation into a data-driven leader with €712 million in net sales (2024). The acquisition is expected to be earnings accretive by the second year, supported by NKD’s strong cash generation and capital-light store format (payback periods under 2.4 years). Mr Price plans to accelerate NKD’s expansion toward 3,000 stores in the medium term and potentially 4,000 in the long term.

Crédit Mutuel Equity acquired a "significant" minority stake in La Vie Claire to support the company’s next phase of transformation. The strategic rationale centers on the second generation of the "Cap Clair" plan launched in 2025. This fresh capital injection will be used to accelerate the expansion of the store network, optimize the franchise model, and further strengthen the visibility of the "La Vie Claire" private label. The partnership aims to solidify the retailer's position in a competitive organic market by enhancing operational efficiency and customer loyalty programs.

Nord Capital Partenaires acquired a minority stake in Le Petit Souk, marking a new phase in the company's development. Historical majority shareholders Compagnie Marco Polo (Xavier Marie) and SC Balthazar (Julie Brisson) diluted their stakes and performed a partial cash-out, losing majority control. Following the deal, no single shareholder holds a majority. Olivier Dousset (Compagnie d’Anjou) and the management team, led by Remi Guillet, increased their participation. The transaction was supported by senior debt from Credit Agricole Nord de France. The strategic goal is to double the network's size by 2031 through international expansion and potential master franchise agreements.

The biscuit manufacturer and distributor has been acquired from its founders and long-standing managers as part of an MBI led by UI Investissement, through its regional fund Cap Est II, alongside BNP Paribas Developpement.

The American fund Apollo has just acquired a majority stake in Prosol, the fruit, vegetable, seafood, and dairy products division of the Grand Frais chain. The objective: to increase the number of points of sale.

The management team of Easy Cash strengthened its equity position in a capital reorganization backed by historical shareholder Ouest Croissance Gestion and two new regional investors, Multicroissance and Océan Participations. This operation provides the group with fresh capital to accelerate its strategic ambitions. The roadmap focuses on three main pillars: geographical expansion of the physical store network, acceleration of e-commerce and digital channels, and the development of premium services (such as the 2-year warranty) to match new-product retail standards. The five original founders remain shareholders alongside the management team and financial partners, ensuring continuity in the brand's values. The franchise network's turnover is approaching €300 million, compared to €150 million in 2017

NewPrinces S.p.A. has signed a definitive agreement to acquire 100% of the share capital of Carrefour Italia from the French retail giant Carrefour Group. This landmark transaction represents a fundamental strategic pivot for NewPrinces, transforming it from a pure industrial manufacturer into a vertically integrated "Food & Retail" player. By acquiring a major national retailer, NewPrinces gains direct access to the end consumer, bypassing traditional intermediaries. The deal allows the group to aggressively promote its own extensive portfolio of brands (Princes, Napolina, Plasmon) directly on the shelf, optimize logistics costs by combining production and distribution networks, and develop new omnichannel sales platforms.

ODDO BHF entered as the lead shareholder in Briconord, marking the group's fourth LBO cycle. The transaction facilitated the exit of Siparex and SGCP, while historic partner Initiative & Finance and the management team reinvested significantly. This new capital structure aims to fuel a second phase of aggressive external growth. The strategic focus is on consolidating the fragmented European hardware market, building upon the acquisitions successfully integrated since 2015 to establish Briconord as a dominant European leader in the DIY segment.

The strategic entry of Arkéa Capital into the capital structure of Adopt Parfums marks a definitive transition from a regional success story to a global beauty contender. By joining the existing majority shareholder, NextStage AM, the new sponsor provides the institutional hardware and strategic backing required to professionalize the entity’s international scaling mandate. The rationale for this transaction hinges on a "territorial-acceleration" maneuver, leveraging the brand’s vertically integrated industrial depth (centered on its French manufacturing core) to fulfill rising global demand for accessible, high-quality fragrances. This partnership facilitates a structural expansion of the entity’s technological and commercial footprint, particularly in Western Europe and emerging markets. Beyond geographic reach, the alignment supports an aggressive diversification strategy into the skincare, makeup, and home fragrance sectors.