LONDON: Honye Financial Services Ltd (LSE: HOYE) announced Wednesday it has agreed to acquire London-based FinTech firm Zoyo Capital Limited in a share-based deal valued at £26 million. Under conditional agreements, Honye will acquire the entire issued share capital of Zoyo. The consideration will be satisfied entirely through the issuance of 113,043,478 new Honye ordinary…
Cohort plc reports record annual results, boosts growth outlook after EM Solutions deal
READING: UK defence technology group Cohort plc (AIM: CHRT) posted record revenue and adjusted operating profit for the year ended April 30, 2025, driven by strong demand and a robust order book extending into the 2030s. The Group reported revenue of £270.0 million, up 33% from the previous year, with adjusted operating profit rising to…
Creightons FY25 profit surges as cost controls and private label sales drive growth
LONDON: UK-based beauty and wellbeing brand Creightons plc reported a sharp increase in profits and margins for the year ended March 31, 2025, as strong private label sales offset declines in its branded and contract manufacturing segments. Revenue rose 1.6% to £54.1 million, bolstered by a £5.4 million surge in private label sales. Gross profit…
Apax Global Alpha to indirectly invest €4.5 million in Foods Connected via Impact Fund
LONDON: Apax Global Alpha Limited (AGA) said on Wednesday it expects to invest approximately €4.5 million indirectly in Northern Ireland-based food tech firm Foods Connected, through its limited partnership in the Apax Global Impact Fund (AGI). AGI has reached an agreement to acquire Foods Connected from Hilton Food Group Plc, with the transaction expected to…
Richemont delivers solid start to fiscal year, driven by jewellery sales and regional expansion
LUXEMBOURG: Compagnie Financière Richemont SA reported a solid start to its fiscal year, with group sales rising 6% at constant exchange rates to €5.4 billion for the first quarter ended June 30, 2025, despite persistent macroeconomic and geopolitical volatility. The increase was fueled by sustained growth across key markets and distribution channels, with standout performances…
Kayne Anderson BDC invests $126 million in SG Credit Partners to expand lower middle market lending
NEWPORT BEACH: Kayne Anderson BDC, Inc. (NYSE: KBDC) has announced a strategic investment in SG Credit Partners, Inc., a national credit platform serving the lower middle market, to enhance its private credit investment capabilities and diversify its portfolio. The investment comprises an $80 million term loan facility, a $34 million delayed draw term loan, and…
Hancock Whitney reports Q2 2025 earnings; Adjusted profit stable amid loan growth
NEW ORLEANS: Hancock Whitney Corporation (HWC) announced second-quarter net income of $113.5 million, or $1.32 per diluted share, on Wednesday. This compares to $119.5 million, or $1.38 per share, in the first quarter of 2025 and $114.6 million, or $1.31 per share, in the second quarter of 2024. The results included $5.9 million in one-time…
Thinking Machines Lab, AI startup founded by Mira Murati, raises $2 billion
Thinking Machines Lab, the artificial intelligence startup launched by former OpenAI executive Mira Murati, has secured $2 billion in funding as it gears up to debut its first product within months. Murati, who briefly served as interim CEO of OpenAI during a tumultuous leadership shakeup in 2023, founded Thinking Machines in February after stepping down…
U.S. stocks mixed, treasury yields rise as Fed chair search begins and inflation ticks up
Dow Jones slumps over 300 points as financials weigh; Nasdaq hits record U.S. Treasury yields climbed and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell on Tuesday after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent initiated the formal selection process for a new Federal Reserve chair, while June inflation data met expectations but fueled tariff concerns. The Dow slid 313…
Blackstone to invest $25 billion in Pennsylvania infrastructure, catalyzing $60 billion more
Blackstone Inc (NYSE: BX) said on Monday it will invest more than $25 billion through its infrastructure and real estate funds to expand Pennsylvania’s digital and energy infrastructure, a move expected to spur an additional $60 billion in third-party investment across the state. The private equity giant aims to transform the Commonwealth into a strategic…
Brickability Group reports resilient FY2025 results amid sector challenges
LONDON: Brickability Group PLC (AIM: BRCK), a leading distributor and provider of specialist construction products, on Tuesday reported a 7.2% rise in full-year revenue to £637.1 million for the year ended March 31, 2025, bolstered by its diversification strategy and resilient trading. Gross profit climbed 15.0% to £121.7 million, driving an 11.6% increase in adjusted…
Cake Box Holdings posts higher EBITDA, expands footprint with £22 million Ambala acquisition
LONDON: Cake Box Holdings plc (CBOX.L), the UK’s largest retailer of fresh cream celebration cakes, reported a 17.1% rise in underlying EBITDA to £8.73 million for the year ended 30 March 2025, driven by strong franchisee performance and growth in online sales. The company’s gross margin edged down to 52.5% from 52.7% a year earlier…