Slideshow: Q2’s Most Active Buyers

With the second quarter starting to wind down, I thought it would be a good time to take a look at some of the most acquisitive sponsors so far in Q2. Below are 5 of the most active buyers as of June 1, according to Thomson Reuters. In cases where firms did the same number of investments, we ranked higher the firm that invested more equity on average in their deals.

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[slide title=”1. Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.”]

New York-based KKR has had three deals: Capsugel, a maker of dosage forms for the pharma and dietary supplements industry that KKR agreed to buy from Pfizer in April; Ipreo Holdings, the capital markets data provider that KKR agreed to buy last week; and Texas sporting goods chain Academy Sports & Outdoors, which KKR agreed to buy on May 31. Average equity investment: $700 million

[slide title=”2. Golden Gate Capital”]

Golden Gate Capital, the San Francisco-based shop known for taking on challenging deals, also had three deals: Its April agreement to buy Lawson Software Inc.; its recent agreement to take California Pizza Kitchen private; and its acquisition in May of semiconductor company Conexant Systems Inc. Average equity investment: $442.5 million.

[slide title=”3. Symphony Technology Group”]

In April, the Palo Alto-based firm, led by Dr. Romesh Wadhwani (pictured), bought ImpactRX, a Mount Laurel, N.J.-based company that tracks and evaluates the impact of pharmaceutical promotions on the prescribing behavior of physicians; and Shopzilla Inc., an L.A.-based online shopping search engine. Average equity investment: $75 million.

[slide title=”4. Cerberus Capital Management”]

In May, Cerberus agreed to buy the U.S. global billing and payments unit of 3i Infotech Financial Software Inc. for approximately $140 million. It also bought Silverleaf Resorts Inc., marketer of timeshares and vacation intervals, for $94 million. Average equity investment: $42.71 million.

[slide title=”5. CCMP Capital Advisors LLC”]

In May, CCMP agreed to buy Medpace Inc., a Cincinnati-based company that provides clinical research services to the pharma industry, for $500 million. In the same month, it led a $130 million acquisition of Newark Energy LLC, a Fort Worth, Texas-based oil and gas exploration and production company. Average equity investment: $17.59 million.

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