Ark Holdings Inc., which owns skilled nursing homes, has acquired HMR Advantage Health Systems, a South Carolina-based owner and operator of long-term care centers. The deal was valued at $143.8 million. Ark Holdings is backed by Behrman Capital. HMR provides post-operative therapy to long-term skilled nursing. The company has 21 centers across South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia. Behrman Capital established Memphis, Tenn.-based Ark Holdings in July 2007.

Ark Holdings Inc., which is backed by New York and San Francisco-based buyout firm Behrman Capital, has acquired HMR Advantage Health Systems for $143.8 million. Easley, South Carolina-based HMR is an owner and operator of long-term care centers. Ark Holdings owns skilled nursing homes, and is based in Memphis, Tenn.

Birmingham, Ala.-based Atherotech, a developer of a novel cholesterol test that was spun out of the University of Alabama, has been acquired by the New York-based investment firm Behrman Capital. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. PRESS RELEASE: Behrman Capital, a private equity investment firm based in New York and San Francisco, today announced that it [...]

Behrman Capital completed a dividend recapitalization for Data Device Corp. and a tax-free spin-off of ILC Dover to existing shareholders. The Data Device recapitalization consisted of a $300 million six-year term loan and a $30 million five-year revolving credit facility. Credit Suisse and GE Capital Corp. led the recapitalization. Behrman together with Clifford Lane acquired both businesses from ILC Industries in 2003 for $303 million. GE Capital also led the financing of a $37 million credit facility for Dover. Behrman is a private equity firm based in New York and San Francisco.

Charlesbank Capital Partners has acquired Peacock Engineering Co., a portfolio company of Behrman Capital. Financial terms weren’t announced. Geneva, Ill.-based Peacock provides processing and packaging services for consumer companies like ConAgra Foods, General Mills and Kraft. Both Charlesbank and Behrman are PE firms. News of the deal was disclosed by Harris Williams which advised Peacock.

The list of PE-backed companies looking to pay large dividends to their shareholders continues to grow.

Burlington Coat Factory, which is backed by Bain Capital, is in the market for a $1 billion loan to pay a dividend to its shareholders. JP Morgan is leading sale of the loan, according to Thomson Reuters Loan Pricing Corp.

Bain acquired the Burlington Coat Factory, which sells coats and women’s sportswear, in 2006 for $2.06 billion.

A Bain spokesman says that a portion of the loan will go to refinance debt.

Ascend Learning, which is owned by Providence Equity, is also trying to raise roughly $400 million—including $390 million in loans and $40 million in revolving credit—to pay a dividend, LPC said. Ascend Learning is made up of Assessment Technologies Institute and Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Freeman Spogli & Co. has acquired Brooks Equipment Co. from Behrman Capital for an undisclosed amount. Brooks is a Charlotte-based wholesale distributor of first response fire protection equipment and related parts.

Prophet Equity, a new-ish turnaround shop based in Dallas, has acquired Chief Supply and Law Enforcement Supply from Brooks Equipment Company, a firefighting supplier that Behrman Capital had owned since 1998, according to a source familiar with the situation. Prophet Equity bought the two companies and combined them under the name Public Safety Supply Resources. [...]

Behrman Capital, a private equity investment firm based in New York and San Francisco, today announced that Robert E. Flaherty has joined the firm as an Operating Partner. Flaherty was formerly President and CEO of Athena Diagnostics. Press release: Behrman Capital, a private equity investment firm based in New York and San Francisco, today announced [...]

Robert Flaherty has joined Behrman Capital as an operating partner, with a focus on the healthcare sector. He is the former CEO of Athena Diagnostics, which Behrman acquired and then sold to Fisher Scientific International for $283 million.