WAYCOM acquired by ADISTA
Context
Adista signed a definitive agreement to acquire 100% of its peer Waycom. This transformative operation, supported by majority shareholder Equistone, allowed Adista to solidify its position as the premier alternative French B2B operator, second only to the three historical national carriers. The transaction involved a massive reinvestment by Waycom’s management shareholders into the new group, ensuring operational continuity. This merger followed the acquisition of Fingerprint Technologies in 2020, densifying the group's presence in the Paris region and strengthening its capabilities in multi-cloud and connected retail. The combined entity reported a pro-forma turnover of €153 million in 2020 with a total workforce of 720 employees.
WAYCOM, which reported an EBITDA margin of LOGIN in 2020, is valued in this transaction at an EV/EBITDA multiple of LOGIN, a level to compare with the average currently observed in the TMT (Tech, Media, Telecom) sector (14.8x).
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.
-> Deep-dive in TMT (Tech, Media, Telecom) market trends
Target
Waycom is a French cloud and telecom operator, integrator, and managed services provider. The company specializes in cloud computing solutions, network connectivity, and unified communications. Waycom is particularly recognized for its operational excellence in multi-site deployments and its strong footprint in the retail sector, serving premium brands such as Okaïdi, Maisons du Monde, and Yves Rocher. With 160 employees and offices in France, Luxembourg, and Canada, the group offers a comprehensive suite of innovative digital solutions tailored for companies of all sizes, with a high degree of expertise in complex managed infrastructure.
Ent. Value
LOGIN
Equity Value
LOGIN
Multiples
EV / Revenue
LOGIN
EV / EBITDA
LOGIN
EV / EBIT
LOGIN
Historical Financials (EUR)
Similar deals in TMT (Tech, Media, Telecom)
| Date | Acquirer | Target | Country | Sector | Deal Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05/2021 | IK PARTNERS | TRUESEC GROUP | SWEDEN | IT Services | The IK IX Fund has successfully finalized the acquisition of a majority stake in the share capital of the target from its previous institutional owner, alongside a significant reinvestment from the founding management team. This strategic transaction represents a pivotal step in the organization’s evolution, marking the transition from a regional specialist to an international platform contender. The strategic rationale for the move centers on the acquirer’s objective to capitalize on the structural growth of the cybersecurity market and the target’s unique ability to attract high-tier technical talent in a competitive landscape |
| 03/2021 | APAX PARTNERS | LUTECH | ITALY | IT Services | Apax Funds has entered into an agreement to acquire a majority stake in Lutech from One Equity Partners. Lutech is a leading Italian IT services and technology company focused on enabling digital transformation for both public and private sector clients. Founded in 2001, the group provides an integrated portfolio of services including digital strategy, proprietary software development, system integration and managed services. Lutech supports customers in modernizing their IT infrastructure and deploying advanced digital solutions across complex enterprise environments |
| 02/2021 | ARDIAN | JAKALA | ITALY | IT Services | Ardian increased its investment in Jakala by acquiring a 60% majority stake, transitioning from its initial minority position held since 2018. The founder retained a 25% stake through Jakala Holding, while several historical institutional investors and the senior management team reinvested alongside Ardian. The transaction was structured to provide Jakala with the massive financial resources required to accelerate its international build-up strategy. The strategic roadmap focuses on scaling the group's footprint in the US, UK, Brazil, and Poland, while continuing a high-paced M&A strategy to integrate specialized digital media and data science capabilities |
| 10/2020 | ANDERA PARTNERS | GROUPE ARTEMYS | FRANCE | IT Services | Andera Partners acquired a significant minority stake in Artemys, partnering with the founder Laurent Taieb and his key associates (Boris Gunther, Eric Porte). This "Primary OBO" allowed the founders to realize some patrimonial value (cash-out) while retaining majority control to drive the company's future. The rationale was to provide the financial firepower needed to launch an aggressive external growth strategy (Build-up) in a fragmented market. |
| 10/2020 | MONTEFIORE INVESTMENT | GROUPE OPEN | FRANCE | IT Services | Groupe Open announces the signing of an exclusive negotiation agreement between the founders and Montefiore Investment, with a view to concluding an investment agreement to launch a mandatory public tender offer for Groupe Open shares. The transaction aims to accelerate Groupe Open's transformation and put the group back on a growth trajectory by providing it with the means to finance the investments necessary for this transformation. These financial resources should in particular enable Groupe Open to make dilutive acquisitions in the short term with the aim of creating value within a 4- to 5-year timeframe |
| 07/2020 | KKR | DEVOTEAM | FRANCE | IT Services | The founders of Devoteam have partnered with the global financial sponsor KKR to launch a tender offer aimed at taking the organization private. This strategic restructuring is designed to transition the entity from a public listing to a private ownership model, providing the founders with reinforced legal and operational control. The move facilitates greater agility in decision-making and allows the firm to prioritize long-term investments in digital transformation and cloud technologies without the pressure of quarterly market expectations |
| 07/2020 | HIG CAPITAL | PROJECT INFORMATICA | ITALY | IT Services | HIG Europe has acquired a majority stake in the Italian IT services provider Project Informatica from its founder. The strategic rationale for the transaction is to support the company’s next phase of development within the rapidly evolving Italian technological landscape. By partnering with the founder, who remains as CEO and a significant minority shareholder, HIG aims to leverage its deep international IT expertise to capture both organic growth and strategic consolidation opportunities. The deal focuses on strengthening the company’s position as a reference technological partner for industrial and financial organizations, facilitating professionalized management and broader market reach |
| 05/2020 | KBR | CENTAURI | UNITED STATES | IT Services | The acquisition of Centauri by KBR Inc. is a strategic move to expand KBR's capabilities in the cybersecurity and space domains. The deal is expected to create a leader in end-to-end military, intelligence, and commercial space solutions, and to drive growth and innovation in the industry. The acquisition is also expected to enhance KBR's scale and add complementary expertise and space domain awareness to its strong space system design, development, test, launch, and operations capabilities. The deal is a result of KBR's mission to become a highly technical, mission-focused organization, and is expected to create new opportunities for the company to deliver high-quality solutions to its clients |
| 02/2020 | BAIN CAPITAL | ENGINEERING INGEGNERIA INFORMATICA | ITALY | IT Services | Bain Capital has announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in Engineering from Apax Partners and NB Renaissance, in a secondary leveraged buyout (LBO) transaction. The deal marks the complete exit of Apax Partners, a long-standing shareholder, while NB Renaissance has chosen to reinvest in the company through new investment vehicles, demonstrating its commitment to supporting Engineering's next phase of growth. Founder Michele Cinaglia, who held approximately 12% of the company's capital, has sold his stake but will remain involved in the business to ensure strategic and managerial continuity |
| 11/2019 | PECHEL | JEMS GROUP | FRANCE | IT Services | Pechel and Omnes Capital backed the management team, led by Jacques Benhamou, to acquire the group from its founders. This primary LBO aimed to reorganize the capital around the management and provide the financial resources to accelerate the group's specialization in Big Data and cloud services. |
REFERENCES
Valuation range: EV 50M - 150M EUR
Revenue range: 25M - 50M EUR
Note: This page provides detailed data on a private equity M&A transaction. Detailed and exact financial metrics for the acquisition of WAYCOM by ADISTA 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
Acquirer: adista