(Reuters) – A group of investors and bankers has made a buyout approach to Egypt’s biggest investment bank, EFG Hermes.

Egyptian share prices have tumbled since the uprising that ousted President Hosni Mubarak last year, and many investors have been looking to snap up assets seen as undervalued. EFG’s shares have more than halved in that time.

The bank had a market value of $839.1 million at the close of trade on Wednesday, according to Reuters data.

Cairo-based EFG – which is in the midst of forming a joint venture with Qatar’s QInvest – released news of the approach in a letter to the Egyptian stock exchange on Thursday.

EFG, which has $4.7 billion in assets under management, said it received a letter expressing interest in a buyout – to be conducted via a stock exchange tender – from a new company, Planet IB Limited, on Wednesday.

That letter was signed by Ahmad Al Husseiny, until this month managing director and member of the board of Egyptian private equity firm Citadel Capital.

It said Planet was a special purpose vehicle to buy EFG’s shares and included a “group of Arab and Egyptian investors as well as a group of prominent Egyptian bankers and experts in financial markets and direct investment”.

Planet’s letter did not name the investors or give a target price for EFG shares and it was not clear how any buyout would affect the QInvest deal.

“We reveal this intention of ours … in our belief that the current share price is below the valuation that we made, based on published information and made public by way of the stock exchange,” Planet’s letter said.

It said the tender was contingent on Planet carrying out an appraisal and due diligence.

Any tender offer would require approval from the Egyptian regulatory authority but not from EFG management.

Husseiny joined Citadel Capital in 2005 after serving as director of investment banking at Barclays Bank Egypt.

EFG said in May it had an agreement to form a region-wide investment bank with Qatar’s QInvest, which would control 60 percent of the new bank and provide $250 million to increase its capital. (Reporting and writing by Patrick Werr and Tom Pfeiffer; Editing by David Hulmes)

PRESS RELEASE

Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies Inc., a clean water company that recovers phosphorus and nitrogen from industrial and municipal wastewaters to create premium fertilizers, announced today the completion of a US $14.5 million private equity financing.

Led by VantagePoint Capital Partners, a global investor in energy innovation and efficiency, the financing also included existing Ostara investor, London-based Frog Capital and a group of new investors including Waste Resources Fund L.P., a fund managed by FourWinds Capital Management.

Ostara’s Pearl® technology recovers unwanted nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen from wastewater and transforms them into an environmentally friendly, slow-release fertilizer, marketed as Crystal Green®. The Company currently has four commercial nutrient recovery facilities in operation in the United States and three additional facilities under construction, including its first Canadian facility in Saskatoon, SK and its first European facility, for Thames Water, in London.

According to Phillip Abrary, Ostara President & CEO, the company’s focus will now be to expand the application of its proprietary nutrient recovery technology into industrial markets. “In addition to growing our worldwide municipal customer base,” said Abrary, “these funds will be used to commercialize a significant industrial opportunity that we’ve been developing for the past 24 months.”

“To date, Ostara’s creative public/private partnerships have made significant progress in the successful recovery of phosphorus and other nutrients from municipal wastewater streams,” said Stephan Dolezalek, Managing Director at VantagePoint. “Now the company will be able to tackle substantial opportunities within the broader industrial arena.”

Iyad Omari, Partner with Frog Capital and new member on Ostara’s Board of Directors added, “We have always been impressed with Ostara’s business model of taking waste from one industry and turning it into a high value and unique product for another industry. Re-using waste as fertilizer goes back to the dawn of farming, but doing it on an industrial scale with waste water, without any harmful chemicals and through conversion to a premium grade product is new. We are very excited about the continued adoption of the process by wastewater treatment facilities, and I look forward to working closely with the Ostara team.”

New investor, Waste Resources Fund L.P., recognizes Ostara’s unique value proposition for the fertilizer market. “The energy-efficient and sustainable production of an environmentally responsible phosphorus fertilizer is key to Ostara’s differentiation as a market leader and to our Waste Resources Fund investment,” said Lydia Whyatt, a Managing Director at FourWinds Capital Management.

“We are pleased to have continued strong support from investment partners VantagePoint and Frog Capital, and we welcome Waste Resources Fund L.P. among new investors to Ostara,” said Abrary. “Their collective expertise and success in supporting innovative, sustainable solutions, particularly in the water sector, will be invaluable to helping Ostara achieve its long-term growth objectives,” said Abrary.

About Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies Inc.:

Ostara is a clean water company that provides phosphorus management solutions to municipalities, industry and farmers. The company was founded in 2005 when it licensed the nutrient recovery technology from the University of British Columbia to develop and market the wastewater treatment process and the revenue-generating fertilizer. The proprietary technology, called Pearl®, recovers otherwise polluting nutrients, phosphorus and nitrogen, from wastewater streams at treatment facilities, helping plants reduce costs and meet nutrient discharge limits. The nutrients harvested from these wastewaters are transformed into a fertilizer product marketed as Crystal Green®, the most environmentally responsible source of phosphorus fertilizer on the market today. www.ostara.com

About VantagePoint Capital Partners:

VantagePoint Capital Partners is a global leader in financing and supporting transformative companies primarily focused on energy innovation and efficiency. With a best-in-class investment team of business and scientific experts, a broad network of corporate Strategic Partners, accomplished Senior Advisors, and more than $4 billion in committed capital, the Firm has the resources and talent to build important, industry-leading companies. Headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices in Hong Kong, VantagePoint has active investments in over 70 companies, including award-winning leaders BrightSource Energy, Liquid Robotics, Genomatica, MiaSolé, SWITCH Lighting, Bridgelux, Solazyme, Ostara Nutrient Recovery, Trilliant, Tendril and Better Place. For more information, visit www.vpcp.com

About Frog Capital:

Frog Capital is a London-based European investment firm, specializing in growth capital for technology-driven businesses across the Cleantech and IT & digital media sectors. With EUR100m under management, Frog seeks to lead or partner in investments where companies require between EUR2 million and EUR20 million of funding for expansion capital, minority purchases, management buy-outs or acquisitions. Frog’s recent exits include SiC Processing AG, BuyVIP and agri.capital. Current investment themes embodied in the Frog Portfolio include resource efficiency, materials recovery, renewable energy, online fraud, gamification, brand funded content, ecommerce analytics and many others. For more information,visit www.frogcapital.com

About Waste Resources Fund L.P. and FourWinds Capital Management:

Waste Resources Fund L.P., a fund managed by FourWinds Capital Management, targets investments in high growth opportunities in liquid and solid waste processing opportunities across industrial, urban and rural waste. It aims to provide capital appreciation through diversified exposure to a global portfolio of water and waste-related investments.

FourWinds Capital Management, the manager of Waste Resources Fund L.P., is a specialist in global commodities and natural resources with products investing across energy, metals, agriculture, timber, water, waste, and alternative energy. The FourWinds Capital Management’s teams have extensive experience across natural resources and investment management.

PRESS RELEASE

Aterian Investment Partners (“Aterian”), a leading private equity firm, announces that one of its affiliates has acquired the global operations of Burner Systems International, Inc. (“Burner Systems”) from Dyson Investments LLC and other equity partners.

Burner Systems is among the largest global suppliers of components, assemblies and system solutions for the gas appliance industry. Headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and with additional manufacturing facilities in Mexico, France, England, and Turkey; Burner Systems serves a broad spectrum of OEM’s dedicated to gas-fueled cooking and heating appliances. Since 1960, Burner Systems has maintained a leading market position and broad customer base serving over 170 customers in 25 countries. The Company employs approximately 1,200 people.

Eric Griesemer, President and Chief Executive Officer of Burner Systems, said, “We are thrilled Aterian has provided Burner Systems with the appropriate investment to strengthen our balance sheet, execute on our business plan and provide Burner Systems with further growth capital to support our customers’ needs. This transaction is a very positive event for our customers, vendors and employees.”

Christopher H. Thomas, Partner of Aterian said, “With this acquisition, Aterian is pleased to complete its third investment out of its current fund. For more than 50 years, Burner Systems has been the recognized global leader providing the broadest product offering in the industry. With this investment, Burner Systems has been provided the necessary capital to accelerate its growth in high-quality, innovative products as well as manufacturing technology.”

About Aterian Investment Partners

Aterian Investment Partners is a private equity firm focused on small-to-middle market businesses across a broad range of industries that are underperforming, turnarounds or otherwise unique situations. Aterian forms partnerships with businesses generating $25 million to $500 million in annual revenues with strong, proven franchises in need of up to $50 million of capital. Aterian’s principals have extensive experience investing in complicated situations including corporate carve-outs, restructurings both in and out of bankruptcy, and strategic investments necessary to build and enhance value for all stakeholders. Aterian will use its fund to invest in both control and non-control situations across the capital structure in addition to bridging the entire purchase price, providing sellers the upmost speed and certainty of closing. For more information, please visit http://www.aterianpartners.com.

About Burner Systems International (“BSI”)

BSI designs and manufactures components for the gas appliance industry. Its products focus on residential and commercial applications in the heating, cooking and recreational vehicle segments.  Headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee, BSI has four additional manufacturing facilities and employees approximately 1,200 associates globally.

PRESS RELEASE

The Talbots, Inc. (NYSE:TLB) (“Talbots” or the “Company”) and Sycamore Partners today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement pursuant to which an affiliate of Sycamore Partners will acquire all the outstanding common stock of the Company for $2.75 per share in cash. The transaction is valued at approximately $369 million, including net debt. The transaction is currently expected to close in the third quarter of this year.

The announcement follows a comprehensive review undertaken by the Talbots Board to maximize stockholder value. Under the terms of the agreement, which has been approved by the Company’s Board of Directors, Talbots stockholders will receive $2.75 in cash for each outstanding share of Talbots common stock they own. The purchase price represents a 113% premium to the closing price on May 30, 2012 and a 76% premium to the closing price on December 6, 2011, the closing price prior to the public disclosure of Sycamore’s initial proposal to acquire the Company.

Trudy Sullivan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Talbots, said, “We are pleased with the value this transaction delivers to our stockholders and believe that this is a positive development for all of our stakeholders. Sycamore Partners is a strong investor with substantial resources and expertise, and we look forward to operating as a private company under their ownership.”

“We believe in the Talbots brand and its more than 8,000 Associates,” said Stefan Kaluzny, a Managing Director of Sycamore Partners. “We look forward to a long and successful partnership with Talbots serving its many loyal customers.”

Under the terms of the agreement, an affiliate of Sycamore Partners will commence a tender offer for all of the outstanding shares of Talbots common stock. Closing of the transaction is conditioned upon satisfaction of minimum tender conditions, clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, non-disapproval of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency under the Change in Bank Control Act, receipt of a letter from the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation stating that it has concluded its investigation of the transaction, a minimum level of availability being maintained under the Company’s current credit facilities and other closing conditions. Under certain circumstances, the parties may, at their option, pursue a one-step merger.

Perella Weinberg Partners LP is acting as financial advisor to Talbots and White & Case LLP is acting as its legal counsel. Bank of America Merrill Lynch is acting as financial advisor to Sycamore Partners and Winston & Strawn LLP and the Law Offices of Gary M. Holihan, P.C. are acting as its legal counsel.

About The Talbots, Inc.

The Talbots, Inc. is a leading specialty retailer and direct marketer of women’s apparel, shoes and accessories. At the end of the first quarter 2012, the Company operated 516 Talbots stores in 46 states and Canada. Talbots brand on-line shopping site is located at www.talbots.com.

About Sycamore Partners

Sycamore Partners is a private equity firm based in New York specializing in consumer and retail investments. The founders of Sycamore have a long history of partnering with management teams to improve the operating profitability and strategic value of their businesses. They work with companies they believe have significant growth potential, particularly when given the capital and outside expertise they need to succeed. For more information, please visit www.sycamorepartners.com.

Notice to Investors

The tender offer for the outstanding common stock of the Company referred to in this communication has not yet commenced. This press release is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities. The solicitation and the offer to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock will be made pursuant to a Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO (including the Offer to Purchase, Letter of Transmittal and other related materials) that an affiliate of Sycamore Partners intends to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). At the time the offer is commenced, an affiliate of Sycamore Partners will file a Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO with the SEC and, thereafter, the Company will file a Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9 with respect to the offer. Investors and security holders of the Company are urged to read these materials (when they become available) carefully in their entirety since they will contain important information. Investors and security holders may obtain free copies of these materials (when they become available) and other documents filed by the Company and Sycamore Partners with the SEC at the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. Investors and security holders may also obtain free copies of the documents filed by the Company with the SEC by contacting Talbots Investor Relations at (781) 741-4500, by writing to Investor Relations Department, The Talbots, Inc., One Talbots Drive, Hingham, Massachusetts 02043, or by e-mailing investor.relations@talbots.com.

Additional Information about the Merger and Where to Find It

In connection with the potential one-step merger, the Company intends to file a Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A with the SEC. Additionally, the Company intends to file other relevant materials with the SEC in connection with the proposed acquisition of the Company by an affiliate of Sycamore Partners pursuant to the terms of an Agreement and Plan of Merger by and among the Company, TLB Holdings LLC and TLB Merger Sub Inc. Investors and security holders of the Company are urged to read these materials (when they become available) carefully in their entirety since they will contain important information. Investors and security holders may obtain free copies of these materials (when they become available) and other documents filed by the Company with the SEC at the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. Investors and security holders also may obtain free copies of the documents filed by the Company with the SEC by contacting Talbots Investor Relations at (781) 741-4500, by writing to Investor Relations Department, The Talbots, Inc., One Talbots Drive, Hingham, Massachusetts 02043, or by e-mailing investor.relations@talbots.com.

The Company and certain of its directors and executive officers, under the SEC rules, may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the proposed merger. Investors and security holders may obtain information regarding the names, affiliations and direct and indirect interests (by security holdings or otherwise, and which may, in some cases, be different than those of the Company’s stockholders, generally) of the Company’s executive officers and directors in (i) the Company’s definitive proxy statement for its 2011 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, (ii) the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 28, 2012, as amended, and (iii) the proxy statement and other relevant materials which may be filed with the SEC in connection with the merger when and if they become available. To the extent that the Company’s directors’ and executive officers’ holdings of the Company’s securities change, or have changed, from the amounts printed in the Company’s definitive proxy statement for its 2011 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, such changes have been or will be reflected on Statements of Changes in Beneficial Ownership on Form 4 filed with the SEC. Copies of these documents can be obtained free of charge from the Company or the SEC as indicated above.

Forward-looking Information

This communication contains forward-looking information. These statements may be identified by such forward-looking terminology as “expect,” “achieve,” “plan,” “look,” “projected,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “outlook,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “intend,” “potential” or similar statements or variations of such terms. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including: statements concerning the anticipated timing of filings and approvals relating to the transaction; statements regarding the expected timing of the completion of the transaction; statements regarding the ability to complete the transaction considering the various closing conditions; any statements of expectation or belief; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of risks and uncertainties. Risks and uncertainties that could cause results to differ from expectations include: uncertainties as to the timing of the tender offer and merger; uncertainties as to how many stockholders will tender their stock in the offer; the possibility that competing offers will be made; the possibility that various closing conditions for the transaction may not be satisfied or waived, including that a governmental entity may prohibit, delay or refuse to grant approval for the consummation of the transaction; the effects of disruption from the transaction making it more difficult to maintain relationships with employees, suppliers, sourcing agent and landlords; other business effects, including the effects of industry, economic or political conditions outside of the Company’s control; transaction costs; actual or contingent liabilities; and other risks and uncertainties discussed in documents filed with the SEC, including the risks and uncertainties included under “Risk Factors” and “Forward-looking Information” in Talbots’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 28, 2012, as amended, and other periodic reports filed with the SEC which are incorporated herein, as well as the Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO to be filed by an affiliate of Sycamore Partners and the Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9 to be filed by the Company. The Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended, and other periodic reports are available at the Investor Relations section of the Company’s Website at http://www.thetalbotsinc.com.

All the Company’s forward-looking statements are as of the date of this press release only. In each case, actual results may differ materially from such forward-looking information. We can give no assurance that such expectations or forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. An occurrence of or any material adverse change in one or more of the risk factors or risks and uncertainties referred to in this press release or included in the Company’s other public disclosures or the Company’s other periodic reports or other documents or filings filed with or furnished to the SEC could materially and adversely affect the Company’s continuing operations and the Company’s future financial results, cash flows, available credit, prospects and liquidity. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake to publicly update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

PRESS RELEASE

Consolidated Container Company (CCC), a leading developer and manufacturer of rigid plastic packaging solutions in North America, today announced it will be acquired by affiliates of Bain Capital Partners LLC, a global private investment firm. Terms of the definitive agreement to purchase the privately held business from Vestar Capital Partners and its other investors were not disclosed. The transaction is expected to close during the third quarter of 2012.

Consolidated Container Company specializes in customized mid- and short-run packaging solutions serving a diverse customer base in the dairy, water, beverage, food, household chemical, automotive, and industrial chemical markets. With 59 manufacturing facilities and 2,100 employees, CCC has an integrated, nationwide network of manufacturing and service locations to deliver reliable and cost-effective packaging solutions to meet the needs of a wide range of customers and markets.

“We are very proud of the customer solutions we provide, and of our ability to understand and respond to the needs of customers with innovative solutions and reliable processes,” said Jeffrey Greene, Chief Executive Officer of Consolidated Container Company. “With the support and resources of Bain Capital, we are excited to continue to expand our capabilities and customer base through investment in product development, technology, greenfield facilities and acquisitions.”

“We are very excited to be partnering with CCC and its management team to support the company in its future growth,” said Seth Meisel, a Managing Director at Bain Capital. “We are impressed by the success CCC has demonstrated in offering solutions that deliver a high level of customer satisfaction, its industry-leading design and R&D capabilities, and its well run manufacturing network.“

“Over the past several years, CCC has made significant progress developing clear leadership positions in its core North American markets,” said James P. Kelley, a Managing Director, Vestar Capital Partners. “We are grateful for management’s commitment and value our partnership with them. Bain Capital’s new investment will enable CCC to build on its progress.”

Consolidated Container Company was advised by BofA Merrill Lynch and Barclays, and legal advisors were Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP.

About Consolidated Container Company
Consolidated Container Company is a leading developer and manufacturer of rigid plastic packaging, serving a diverse customer base in the dairy, water, beverage, food, household chemical, automotive, and industrial chemical markets. CCC designs, produces, and delivers more than four billion bottles annually that touch the lives of millions of people each and every day. CCC owns and operates manufacturing facilities across North America providing standard and custom packaging solutions to our customers through an integrated network of facilities and technology platforms. From its state-of-the art Panella Engineering and Development Center to our team of manufacturing associates, CCC delivers high performance, cost-effective design solutions to meet even the most challenging container applications. For more information on Consolidated Container Company, visit www.cccllc.com.

About Bain Capital Partners
Bain Capital, LLC (www.baincapital.com) is a global private investment firm that manages several pools of capital including private equity, venture capital, public equity, high-yield assets and mezzanine capital with approximately $60 billion in assets under management. Bain Capital has a team of over 300 professionals dedicated to investing and to supporting its portfolio companies. Since its inception in 1984, Bain Capital has made private equity investments and add-on acquisitions in over 450 companies in a variety of industries around the world. The firm has offices in Boston, Palo Alto, New York, Chicago, London, Munich, Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Mumbai.

About Vestar Capital Partners
Vestar is a leading private equity firm specializing in management buyouts and growth capital investments. Vestar’s active funds aggregate approximately $8 billion in commitments. The firm targets companies in North America with valuations of $150 million to $1.5 billion in four key industry sectors: Consumer, Diversified Industries, Healthcare, and Financial Services. Vestar invests and collaborates with incumbent management teams, family owners or corporations in a creative, flexible and entrepreneurial way to build long-term franchise and enterprise value. Since the firm’s founding in 1988, the Vestar funds have completed 69 investments in companies with a total value of more than $30 billion.

PRESS RELEASE

TriNet, a trusted on demand HR partner to small businesses and entrepreneurs, announced today that it has acquired ExpenseCloud, a leading expense management solution. TriNet will incorporate ExpenseCloud’s offering into its client service platform later in 2012, including adding additional features in job costing, travel management and employee reimbursements.

Los Angeles-based ExpenseCloud will operate as a business unit of TriNet, with its name and brand remaining intact. The ExpenseCloud senior management team, including co-founder and CEO, Eric Sikola, and co-founder and CTO, Dan Fritcher, will remain in leadership positions in the new business unit and will continue focusing on expanding their customer base via the company’s existing business development activities.
“We’re enthusiastic about the acquisition of ExpenseCloud because their industry-leading expense management technology will enable us to provide new valuable services to our clients,” said Burton M. Goldfield, CEO of TriNet. “Small to mid-sized businesses in the TriNet family will soon have access to a powerful tool for efficiently managing their expenses. We’re also thrilled about the unique user acquisition model ExpenseCloud has built, which will create new channels of revenue for TriNet and drive awareness of our best-in-class on demand HR Services.”
ExpenseCloud provides everything companies need to manage the entire expense reporting process online or from a mobile device.  The three-year-old, cloud based solution allows users to create, submit, and approve expense reports online and then either reimburse employees or invoice clients via integration with leading SaaS accounting solutions.  The system seamlessly connects with many popular online solutions specifically tailored for small to medium size businesses such as FreshBooks, NetSuite, Intacct, and Intuit QuickBooks.  ExpenseCloud can also import expenses from thousands of credit cards and bank providers as well as receipt scanning and capture directly from iPhone, iPad, Android and Blackberry devices.
“We’re excited to join the TriNet family because of their strong reputation for being an invaluable resource to its clients, who will soon gain the ability to manage their expense reporting process online through TriNet’s HR platform,” said Eric Sikola, founder and CEO of ExpenseCloud. “We’re also thrilled about the resources TriNet will bring to bear in order to fuel our growth and accelerate our product roadmap to both existing TriNet customers and companies utilizing other HR platforms.”
“TriNet’s acquisition of ExpenseCloud helps us meet an important business need for the companies we work with,” said Jimmy Franzone, vice president of corporate development of TriNet. “TriNet continues to lead the PEO (professional employer organization) industry in finding innovative ways to provide value to clients.  We are dedicated to constantly enhance our service offering as the leading provider of HR outsourcing solutions.”
About TriNet
TriNet is a trusted partner to small businesses, providing critical HR-related services on an outsourced basis. TriNet’s solutions help contain costs, minimize employer-related risks and relieve administrative burden to keep an entrepreneur’s focus on core business functions. From employee benefits service and payroll processing to high-level human capital consulting, TriNet’s PEO expertise is integrated with every facet of a client’s business. TriNet specializes in serving fast-moving companies in fields such as technology and financial services, who recognize that top-quality employees are the most critical competitive asset. For more information, please visit http://www.trinet.com.

PRESS RELEASE

Stonehenge Energy Resources, L.P. (“Stonehenge”) announced today that it, together with its partners in Keystone Midstream Services, LLC (“Keystone”), closed on a transaction with a subsidiary of MarkWest Energy Partners, L.P. MWE -2.39% whereby MarkWest has acquired Keystone for a purchase price of $512 million, subject to adjustment for working capital. Stonehenge ( www.stonehengeenergy.com ) held a 60% interest in Keystone, with the remaining 40% owned by affiliates of Rex Energy Corporation REXX -4.70% and Sumitomo Corporation. Evercore Partners acted as exclusive financial adviser to Keystone on the transaction.

The Keystone system includes the Sarsen and Bluestone cryogenic gas processing plants with a combined 90 MMcf/d of capacity, a gas gathering system and associated field compression located in Butler County, Pennsylvania. The Bluestone plant has a nominal capacity of 50 MMcf/d and is in the final stage of commissioning.

Stonehenge, headquartered in Westminster, Colorado, is backed by Energy Spectrum Capital ( www.energyspectrum.com ) and supported by Kahuna Ventures LLC ( www.kahunaventures.com ). Energy Spectrum is a leading private equity firm located in Dallas, Texas. Kahuna is a midstream-focused engineering consulting company located in Westminster, Colorado.

Stonehenge Energy Resources II, L.P. (“Stonehenge II”) was recently formed to pursue natural gas midstream opportunities, focusing on the U.S. Appalachia and Rocky Mountain regions. Additionally, Stonehenge Ohio Partners, LLC (“Stonehenge Ohio”) has been formed to develop midstream projects in eastern Ohio. Stonehenge Ohio is owed by Stonehenge II and Hawk Midstream, LLC, an Ohio-based midstream company.

PRESS RELEASE
Endurance Energy Ltd. (“Endurance” or “the Company”), an early-stage exploration and production company focused on the acquisition and development of shallow natural gas assets in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin (“WCSB”), today announced that it has recapitalized the company with an investment from Warburg Pincus, a leading global private equity firm focused on growth investing.

Warburg Pincus, which now owns a majority stake in the Company, has agreed to the terms under which it would make additional investments of up to C$155 million to support its growth. Several of the existing shareholders of Endurance, including management and select board members, have agreed to make additional investments into the recapitalized Company in addition to rolling over their existing shares.

Founded in 2008, Calgary-based Endurance operates in southern Alberta. Endurance’s management team, led by Chairman Derek Evans and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dennis Lawrence, has extensive experience and success in this part of the basin at several other exploration and production companies including Focus Energy Trust and Renaissance Energy Ltd.

“The recapitalization of Endurance marks the next step in the development and growth of the Company,” said Dennis Lawrence, Endurance’s CEO. “Partnering with an investor the caliber of Warburg Pincus, with its deep industry experience and financial resources, gives us an even greater ability to execute our business plan and grow through the acquisition and development of shallow natural gas assets in the WCSB.”

“We are pleased to be partnering with Dennis and the rest of the Endurance team and look forward to working closely with them to support the Company’s growth plans,” said David Krieger, a Warburg Pincus Managing Director and Director of Endurance. “We believe the Company is well-positioned to economically acquire and develop shallow gas assets in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin over the coming years.”

Warburg Pincus’ investment in Endurance brings to six the total number of Canadian energy companies currently in its portfolio, which also includes Black Swan Energy, Canbriam Energy, MEG Energy, Osum Oil Sands and Velvet Energy.

About Endurance Energy

Founded in 2008, Calgary-based Endurance Energy is an early-stage exploration and production company focused on the acquisition and development of natural gas assets in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin (“WCSB”). Specifically, Endurance’s area of focus is southern Alberta and Saskatchewan where the Company’s use of horizontal drilling and completion techniques and strong operational discipline are expected to deliver an attractive risk/reward profile.

About Warburg Pincus

Warburg Pincus LLC is a leading global private equity firm focused on growth investing. The firm has more than $35 billion in assets under management. Its active portfolio of more than 130 companies is highly diversified by stage, sector and geography. Warburg Pincus is an experienced partner to management teams seeking to build durable companies with sustainable value. Founded in 1966, Warburg Pincus has raised 13 private equity funds which have invested more than $40 billion in over 650 companies in more than 30 countries.

For more than two decades, the firm’s energy group has provided over $6 billion of equity for companies around the world involved in oil and gas exploration and production, midstream, power generation, oilfield technology and related-services, and alternative energy development. Warburg Pincus has been the lead investor in several dozen energy companies including Antero Resources, Bill Barrett Corporation, Encore Acquisition Company, ElectroMagnetic GeoServices, Fairfield Energy, Kosmos Energy, Laredo Petroleum, Newfield Exploration, Spinnaker Exploration and Targa Resources.

The firm is headquartered in New York with offices in Amsterdam, Beijing, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, London, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Mumbai, San Francisco, Sao Paulo and Shanghai.

(Reuters) – Japanese trading house Marubeni Corp will buy U.S. grain merchant Gavilon for $3.6 billion, a landmark deal that may put it in pole position to benefit from China’s booming demand for imported corn from the world’s biggest supplier.

In the latest development to challenge the longstanding dominance of global grain giants like Cargill and Archer Daniels Midland, Marubeni confirmed its biggest-ever acquisition. It unites Gavilon’s huge U.S. network of grain elevators and infrastructure – the country’s third-largest – with a powerful global trading desk that already supplies a fifth of China’s soybeans imports.

Marubeni said the acquisition will nearly double its grain trading volumes, extending an already wide lead over its Japanese rivals as it bets big that China’s demand for imported corn will continue to surge ahead, surpassing Japan’s 16 million tonnes a year of imports in as little as three years.

“It’s a move to complete a grains-supply chain of elevators, export terminals, freight handling and an end-user market, and the target is the growing market of China,” said Akio Shibata, president of the Natural Resource Research Institute in Tokyo.

The U.S. grain trader has about $2 billion in debt, Marubeni said, which would take the total value of the transaction to $5.6 billion – slightly higher than the $5.2 billion price tag that had been reported in recent months. The acquisition would be partly financed by bank borrowing, the Japanese firm added.

The announcement confirmed an earlier Reuters report.

The deal is also a come back of sorts for Dwight Anderson, whose Ospraie hedge fund was one of the most high-profile victims of the 2008 commodities collapse. He led a deal to buy ConAgra’s trading division – renamed Gavilon – for about $2.8 billion including debt in early 2008, alongside investor George Soros and General Atlantic, a $17 billion private equity fund.

It is the largest overseas acquisition, including debt, in agriculture or energy by a Japanese company since Japan Tobacco bought British cigarette manufacturer Gallaher Group for almost $19 billion in 2006, according to Thomson Reuters data.

Marubeni, Japan’s fifth-largest trading company, had been in advanced talks to buy Gavilon since early May. Gavilon is the largest transaction in Marubeni’s history, the company said.

The company said it had no plans to sell off parts of Gavilon’s operations, which also include a major U.S. fertilizer distribution network and a mid-sized energy trading desk that includes crude oil and natural gas storage facilities.

Those areas each comprise about a fifth of Gavilon’s earnings, but were not seen by analysts as a particularly good fit with Marubeni’s ambition in the agricultural markets.

DOUBLE TRADING

Marubeni expects its global grain handling to rise to 55 million tonnes in the year to March 2013, when it adds Gavilon’s 30 million tonnes to its business, coming closer in size to global grain giants like Cargill, Daisuke Okada, an adviser on food products to Marubeni President Teruo Asada, said at a briefing in Tokyo.

“We expect U.S. grains will fill future supply gaps in corn and other grains in China as output growth there may slow due to problems including water shortages,” Okada said.

The company also said it expected the acquisition to lift its bottom line by more than $100 million from next year.

Acquiring Gavilon may help the trading house challenge Archer Daniels Midland as the biggest supplier of grains and oilseeds from the United States to China.

Thanks to its longstanding ownership of a large West Coast export terminal, Columbia Grain, and its 2008 deal to buy a set of northern elevators from AGP Grain, Marubeni’s export business has boomed in recent years. A strategic pact with top grains importer Sinograin has helped open the conduit to China.

“This acquisition supports an ongoing strategic plan by Asian grain importers to better secure future grain needs via the merger and acquisition process,” said grains analyst Mike Zuzolo of Global Commodity Analytics. “Realizing that better supply-chain management should better prepare these importers in their global sourcing needs.”

Japan’s trading houses, or “sogo shosha”, have been scooping up assets around the world, targeting everything from shale gas to copper, as the world’s third-largest economy competes with China, the second-biggest, for resources.

They’re not alone. Swiss-based Glencore made its biggest leap into the grains market this year with a $6 billion agreed bid for Canada’s top handlers Viterra Inc.

But investors don’t seem to be counting on further deals in a sector where the four biggest firms – ADM, Bunge, Cargill and Louis Dreyfus, nick-named the “ABCD” – have built a sizeable lead over decades. Shares in The Andersons, a mid-sized trader and ethanol producer, are barely higher than they were early this year, when the deals first surfaced.

GOOD FIT

Gavilon is the third-biggest U.S. grain merchant with about 320 million bushels of storage capacity in the United States, just behind Cargill and ADM but ahead of global grain giants like Bunge and Louis Dreyfus.

“As part of a larger trading organization, Gavilon will be well-positioned to more efficiently connect supply with growing global demand,” Gavilon President and Chief Executive Officer Greg Heckman said in a statement.

Marubeni’s acquisition of Gavilon is unlikely to face any pushback from farmers and agricultural businesses, which have long been accustomed to the presence of Japanese grain companies in the United States.

“We anticipate minimal changes to our organization and operations,” Heckman said.

A combination of Marubeni and Gavilon is seen by analysts as a good commercial fit, marrying Gavilon’s presence in the U.S. Central Plains and Midwest with Marubeni’s operations in the Pacific Northwest – the shortest U.S. sea route to Asia.

Morgan Stanley is advising the U.S. company on the transaction, Gavilon said. Nomura is advising Marubeni, people involved in the discussions have said.

Marubeni’s rivals Mitsui & Co and Mitsubishi Corp had both been seen as potential bidders for Gavilon but decided not to pursue a deal.

OUTBOUND DEALS

Japan’s outward bound mergers and acquisitions totalled $25.4 billion, including debt, this year to date, versus $15.1 billion for Chinese overseas purchases, according to Thomson Reuters data.

There were 245 overseas purchases or investments by Japanese companies compared with 101 for those from China.

Large trading houses in Japan have more than doubled overseas acquisitions, investing $7.7 billion so far this year, up from $3.5 billion in the same period in 2011.

Marubeni said in 2009 it signed a letter of intent with Sinograin, a Chinese state firm, to “work closely in coming years” to build state reserves and commercial grain supplies.

In the next marketing year that starts in October, the market is expecting a 60 percent jump in China’s corn imports to around 8 million tonnes.

In part, the shosha may be betting that Japanese companies can make in-roads where China’s state-owned traders fear to tread.

Late last year, Chinese state-owned trading house COFCO said it was seeking acquisitions to secure supplies in the United States, Australia, Russia and South America. But it has not advanced any major purchases, although it has sent teams to various countries for discussions, sources said.

Beijing-backed firms have shied away from attempts at large U.S. takeovers since a political furore scuppered offshore oil driller CNOOC’s bid for Unocal seven years ago, analysts say.

Marubeni is already the second-largest exporter of U.S. grains to China, with soybean shipments surging five-fold since 2008, based on data from trade intelligence firm PIERS. Marubeni handled nearly 20 percent of China’s soybean imports in 2010, according to its annual report.

Unlike Marubeni, Gavilon has not made deep inroads into China, having exported less than 10,000 tonnes of grains over the past two years, data showed.

Marubeni is the best-established shosha inside the U.S. grain belt. In 2010, it overtook Japan’s national federation of farm cooperatives Zen-noh as the biggest Japanese exporter of U.S. grains and oilseeds, according to PIERS data, and accounts for more than a third of all shipments by Japan-based firms.

PRESS RELEASE

Focus Pointe Global (FPG), a leading provider of marketing research data collection, has received a capital infusion from MVC Private Equity Fund, L.P. (MVCPE), a private equity fund managed by the Tokarz Group Advisers LLC (TTGA) and sponsored by MVC Capital, Inc. (NYSE:MVC). Noel Sitzmann has been named CEO to lead a new phase of aggressive growth plans for the Company. The terms of the financing of FPG were not disclosed.

Focus Pointe Global is a marketing research innovator providing cutting-edge technology, facilities and expertise in data collection. The growth capital provided will allow for a focused acquisition strategy to increase market share, expand FPG’s locations and accessibility, and provide world-class facilities for the qualitative research needs of its customers. Additionally, the new capital will be used for investment in the Company’s technology to deliver enhanced data services, online research study capabilities and advanced recruiting services.

Following the capital infusion, the resulting ownership change will be transparent to customers, as the existing executive management team led by President Laura Livers will remain in place. Tom Bershad, the Company’s founder and former CEO, will remain involved in corporate development.

“After 24 years leading FPG, I am delighted to turn the Company over to such capable leadership that I know will continue to focus on customer satisfaction while uncovering expansion and enhancement opportunities across FPG’s offerings,” said Tom Bershad, former founder and CEO of Focus Pointe Global.

“Being able to provide unparalleled service during a time of transition is the mark of a great company,” said Noel Sitzmann, CEO of Focus Pointe Global. “It is extremely important that all customers are continually served without interruption. While we execute on our future growth strategy, we will continue to deliver the greatest value possible to our customers.”

Sitzmann comes to FPG most recently after serving for 11 years as President and CEO of PreVisor, the leading talent management technology provider. His management team will be supplemented with the addition of Peter Cole, who will join FPG as Chief Administrative Officer. Mr. Cole, was formerly the CEO of Harmony Health & Beauty, Inc. (an MVC Capital portfolio company) and, prior to that, Chairman of Frederick’s of Hollywood, which he took public in January 2008. Mr. Cole brings extensive experience in global corporate finance and capital markets to FPG.

Sitzmann, Cole and Tokarz have worked together for more than eleven years on several successful business transactions and consolidation strategies of this kind.

“Given Focus Pointe’s prestigious brand and reputation, and our confidence in Mr. Sitzmann and Mr. Cole, we see great opportunity in this sector, which is highly fragmented with no clear market leader,” said Michael Tokarz, Portfolio Manager of MVCPE. “Going forward, the Company will execute on a consolidation strategy to gain market share as it works towards becoming the sector leader.”

About Focus Pointe Global

Focus Pointe Global founded in 1988, is one of the nation’s largest providers of focus group qualitative research, with ten facilities located throughout the U.S., with fielding capabilities in all U.S. cities. Focus Pointe Global recruits a vast array of existing and emerging demographics, including consumers, healthcare professionals, patients and children. FPG is nationally recognized in the marketing research industry, providing the highest quality facilities available and delivering world-class service to its customers. More information about FPG can be found through www.focuspointeglobal.com or by phone at 215-561-5500.

About MVC Private Equity Fund, L.P.

MVC Private Equity Fund, L.P. (MVCPE) is a private equity fund managed by The Tokarz Group Advisers, LLC (TTGA) that focuses on control equity investments in the lower middle market across certain industry verticals. For MVCPE’s investor relations, please call 312-380-6000.

About MVC Capital, Inc.

MVC Capital is a Business Development Company traded on the New York Stock Exchange that provides long-term debt and equity investment capital to fund growth, acquisitions and recapitalizations of companies in a variety of industries.