At what enterprise value was SOCOTEC acquired in 2012?

During the acquisition of SOCOTEC by COBEPA in 2012, the company was valued at an estimated revenue multiple of below 5x. The transaction's Enterprise Value is estimated to be in the range of 500M - 1.5b EUR. By registering for free, you get access to complete and exact transaction details including enterprise value, revenue, and EBITDA. Additionally, our database shows that the Business Services industry currently tracks an average EBITDA multiple of 11.1x, providing a valuable benchmark for this transaction.

What was the EV/EBITDA of SOCOTEC when it was acquired by COBEPA?

The estimated EV/EBITDA multiple for SOCOTEC is in the range of 10x - 18x. For comparison, the Business Services sector currently shows an average EBITDA multiple of 11.1x. Join our community for free to access full valuation data and industry trends.

When was SOCOTEC acquired by COBEPA?

SOCOTEC was acquired by COBEPA in 2012.

What was the revenue of SOCOTEC at the time of the deal?

The revenue of SOCOTEC at the time of the deal is estimated to be in the range of 250M - 500M EUR. Register for free to access the full transaction report and exact valuation multiples.

What was the EBITDA of SOCOTEC during the acquisition?

SOCOTEC's EBITDA is estimated to be in the range of 50M - 100M EUR. Join our community for free to access complete and exact deal data.

What is Enterprise Value (EV)?

Enterprise Value (EV) is a measure of a company's total value, often used as a more comprehensive alternative to equity market capitalization. EV includes in its calculation the market capitalization of a company but also short-term and long-term debt as well as any cash on the company's balance sheet.

What is the EV/EBITDA multiple and why is it used?

The EV/EBITDA multiple is a financial ratio that compares a company's Enterprise Value (EV) to its Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA). It is widely used in M&A and valuation because it allows for comparisons between companies with different capital structures and provides a clear view of operational profitability.

How is the data for the SOCOTEC acquisition sourced and is it reliable?

Mynth data is contributed by a professional community of M&A and Private Equity experts. Each transaction, including the SOCOTEC deal, is systematically cross-verified by our team using private deal documents and official sources. You can also find the official press release for this transaction here: https://www.cobepa.com/upload/news/41/article.pdf

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12/2012

SOCOTEC acquired by COBEPA

FRANCE Industrial Services / TIC (Testing, Inspection, Certification) EV 500M - 1.5b EUR

Context

Cobepa and Five Arrows Managers have successfully completed a secondary LBO to acquire the majority stake in Socotec from Qualium Investissement. This transaction represents a strategic transition for the organization, marked by the early exit of the previous shareholder through a private, bilateral negotiation. The management team remains significantly involved, ensuring continuity in leadership and operational strategy during this new phase of development. This deal capitalizes on the continued internationalization and market consolidation of the Testing, Inspection, and Certification (TIC) landscape. Over the previous four years, the entity significantly broadened its international scope and technical depth, notably entering the oil and gas exploration and production markets through targeted acquisitions. The new partnership with a long-term investment holding provides the group with the strategic stability and dedicated financial resources required to accelerate its buy-and-build program. Specifically, the group aims to capitalize on its position as a market leader to further professionalize its service delivery and expand its reach across high-growth geographies and technical adjacencies, supporting global trends in infrastructure safety and energy transition.

It is worth noting that the fund Qualium took control of Socotec through an LBO in 2008.

SOCOTEC, which reported an EBITDA margin of LOGIN in 2012, is valued in this transaction at an EV/EBITDA multiple of LOGIN, representing a LOGIN to the average currently observed in the Business Services sector (11.1x).

Note that this data is based on contribution from our growing community, composed of M&A and Private Equity professionals, and has been verified by our team to ensure its accuracy.

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Target

SOCOTEC is a leading international group specialized in Testing, Inspection, and Certification (TIC), serving the construction, infrastructure, and industrial sectors. Operating as a trusted third party, the company ensures the integrity, safety, and performance of built assets throughout their entire lifecycle. Its comprehensive business model encompasses a wide array of technical services, including regulatory compliance monitoring, quality control, environmental consultancy, and risk management. With a robust global presence and a workforce of several thousand specialized engineers, the organization maintains a premier positioning as a technical expert for complex engineering projects. The firm’s value proposition is built on its ability to mitigate operational risks for developers and asset owners while navigating increasingly stringent environmental and safety regulations.

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List of similar M&A transactions (Date, Acquirer, Target, Country, Sector, Deal Context)
Date	Acquirer	Target	Country	Sector	Deal Context
05/2026	SOCOTEC	LSTC GROUP	UNITED KINGDOM	Industrial Services	The acquisition of LSTC Group by SOCOTEC UK & Ireland represents a strategic move to strengthen the company's infrastructure capabilities, particularly in the power transmission and distribution sector
05/2024	BPIFRANCE / MUBADALA	SOCOTEC	FRANCE	Industrial Services	SOCOTEC, a leading global provider of Testing, Inspection, Certification, and Compliance (TICC) services for the building and infrastructure sectors, has announced a significant expansion of its shareholder base
12/2019	CLAYTON, DUBILIER & RICE (CD&R)	SOCOTEC	FRANCE	Industrial Services	Clayton Dubilier & Rice has signed an agreement to acquire a significant minority stake in Socotec, taking over the positions previously held by Five Arrows and BIP Investment Partners. This transaction occurs alongside the existing majority shareholder, Cobepa, which has controlled the group since 2013
12/2013	SOCOTEC	ATS	FRANCE	Industrial Services	Socotec has finalized the 100% acquisition of ATS and its international subsidiaries in Italy and China from its founding directors. This transaction represents a strategic build-up for Socotec, which has been operating under a secondary LBO backed by Cobepa and Five Arrows Managers for approximately one year
07/2008	QUALIUM	SOCOTEC	FRANCE	Industrial Services	Qualium Investissement has acquired a majority stake in Socotec from its employees and management, marking the group’s transition from an employee-shareholder model to a private equity-backed structure

REFERENCES

Valuation range: EV 500M - 1.5b EUR

Revenue range: 250M - 500M EUR

EBITDA range: 50M - 100M EUR

Note: This page provides detailed data on a private equity M&A transaction. Detailed and exact financial metrics for the acquisition of SOCOTEC by COBEPA are reserved for mynth community members. Register for free to unlock full data.

Authors: verified mynth contributor (mynth data is contributed by M&A / PE professionals and systematically cross-verified with private deal documents and official press releases).

Press release: view release

Target: socotec

Acquirer: cobepa