News

On June 22, 2023, bearer ordinary shares of Less S.A. series H, J, K, L and M were introduced to trading on the main market of the Warsaw Stock Exchange (GPW).

Our team participated in the preparation of the prospectus – necessary for the introduction of the above-mentioned shares for trading – and supported the Management Board of Less S.A. both in the process of its approval by the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF) and during activities related to maintaining the validity of the prospectus until the shares are introduced to trading on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (GPW).

Less S.A. Capital Group operates in the segment of trade in used and new items, mainly clothing. Under the LESS.STORE brand, the concept of an innovative store is being developed, operating in the omnichannel model (in which sales are conducted in the online store and in stationary stores) with the use of an innovative solution introduced to the market consisting in obtaining used items from users (LESS.BOX).

We are pleased to announce that Answear.com has finalized the acquisition of an organized part of the enterprise from Fasion Trends Group sp. z o.o. (FTG). The business involving the SneakerStudio and PRM brands was contributed in kind in exchange for newly issued shares of Answear.com.

Our team acted as transaction advisor to Fashion Trends Group.

FTG is an e-commerce company from the fashion industry in Krakow, specializing in the streetwear segment. Since its establishment in 2007, it has been run and developed by its founder.

Staying ahead of market trends, in 2015 FTG created a unique SneakerStudio brand. This brand was dedicated to streetwear fashion and focused on the sale of limited footwear, the so-called sneaker shoes. In turn, PRM supplied products from the luxury streetwear & fashion segment.

The company successfully developed e-commerce sales in Europe, but also outside it – offering products in 30 countries.

Answear.com is a Polish online multibrand store offering a wide selection of clothes, shoes and accessories from over 500 brands. The company was founded in 2011, currently operates in 11 European markets and serves over 1.6 million customers. In 2021, it debuted on the Warsaw Stock Exchange.

In 2022, the company generated nearly PLN 1 billion in revenue.

We are pleased to inform that on April 6, 2023 Accession Capital Partners (ACP) announced provision of mezzanine and equity capital to Exact Systems Group, a pan-European testing, inspection and certification business. AMC IV will have a 25% shareholding in the business following the transaction. Capital will be used to finance exit of minority investor Noble Funds Mezzanine FIZAN co-managed by CVI Dom Maklerski sp. z o.o.

Equity Advisors acted as a leading transaction advisor to Exact Systems and the managers.

Exact Systems sp. z o.o. was established in 2004 in Częstochowa. It has become Europe’s leading provider of quality control solutions – selection, repair and sorting of parts, components and finished products for the automotive industry. The main customers of the company are manufacturers of cars, household appliances and electronics as well as their suppliers and sub-suppliers. The firm’s offering is mission-critical for complex just-in-time processes, with the firm supporting over 900 plants for more than 100 OEM, Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers.  Currently, Exact Systems has its representative offices in 11 countries: Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, Slovakia, Turkey, Romania, Hungary, Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal and China. The company cooperates with over 7,000 people he delegates to work for his clients.

Accession Capital Partners (ACP), formerly known as Mezzanine Management, is investing from AMC Capital IV SCSp, which raised €264 million in 2018. ACP’s subsequent fund AMC V SCA SICAV-RAIF launched earlier this year with commitments of over 50% of its €300 million target, and remains open to accept new investors.

ACP has been operating in Central and Eastern Europe since 2000 through its offices in Vienna, Warsaw, Bucharest, Budapest and Prague. To date, the group has raised commitments of more than €1bn in five dedicated growth capital funds. The funds are backed by reputable institutional investors, including the European Investment Fund, the International Finance Corporation, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and a number of banks, funds of funds, pension funds and insurance companies from Europe, the US and Asia.

We are pleased to announce that on March 28, 2023, Exact Systems established a joint venture with the French consulting company SNECI. In France, Exact Systems France has been established, which will offer quality control services and will facilitate Exact Systems to launch operations on one of the world’s largest automotive markets. In turn, the Polish company – SNECI Poland will enable the expansion of Exact Systems’ existing offer with specialist consultancy for customers from the automotive industry.

Thanks to the combination of unique and complementary solutions, the joint venture will be an important step for each of the companies in their expansion into new markets.

Equity Advisors acted as an exclusive transaction advisor to Exact Systems.

Exact Systems sp. z o.o. was established in 2004 in Częstochowa. It is a leading supplier of quality control solutions – selection, repair and sorting of parts, components and finished products for the automotive industry. The main customers of the company are manufacturers of cars, household appliances and electronics as well as their suppliers and sub-suppliers. Currently, Exact Systems has its representative offices in 11 countries: Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, Slovakia, Turkey, Romania, Hungary, Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal and China. The company cooperates with over 7,000 people he delegates to work for his clients.

SNECI is a French family-owned consulting company that has been operating for 70 years. He advises entities from the automotive industry – manages projects, audits, training, purchasing mediation and support in the field of supplies. It currently operates in France, Germany, Morocco, Turkey, India, Malaysia, China, Korea and Slovakia.

On February 9, 2023, Answear.com concluded a preliminary agreement for the purchase of an organized part of Fashion Trends Group Sp. z o.o. enterprise (carve-out), including Sneakerstudio and PRM – brands owned by Fashion Trends Group. As a result of the acquisition, the company’s e-commerce business will be contributed in kind in exchange for newly issued shares in Answear.com.

For Answear.com, this is an important step that will allow them to expand their business to the streetwear fashion segment and will enable them to gain new groups of customers.

Equity Advisors acted as transaction advisor to Fashion Trends Group.

FTG is an e-commerce company from the fashion industry in Krakow, focused on the streetwear segment. Since its establishment in 2007, it has been run and developed by the founder.

Staying ahead of market trends, in 2015 FTG created a unique SneakerStudio brand. This brand is dedicated to streetwear fashion and focuses on the sale of limited footwear, the so-called sneaker shoes. In turn, the PRM brand provides products from the luxury streetwear & fashion segment.

The company successfully develops e-commerce sales in Europe, but also outside it – it currently operates in 30 countries. FTG is constantly expanding its offer by acquiring new unique brands.

In 2021, the company’s revenues amounted to PLN 173 million.

Answear.com is a Polish online multibrand store offering a wide selection of clothes, shoes and accessories from over 500 global brands. The company was founded in 2011, currently operates in 11 European markets and serves over 1.6 million customers. In 2021, it debuted on the Warsaw Stock Exchange.

In 2022, the company generated nearly PLN 1 billion in revenue.

On January 25, 2023, the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (UKNF) approved the prospectus of Less S.A. The prospectus was prepared in connection with the application for admission and introduction of shares to trading on the regulated market of the Warsaw Stock Exchange (GPW).

Our team participated in the preparation of the prospectus.

Less S.A. Capital Group operates in the following segments: trade in used and new items (mainly clothing, but ultimately also toys, books and electronics) and the production and sale of electric bicycles. Under the LESS.STORE brand, the concept of an innovative store is being developed, operating in the omnichannel model (in which sales are conducted in the online store and in stationary stores) using an innovative solution introduced to the market consisting in obtaining used items from users (LESS.BOX).

We are pleased to announce that Equity Advisors joined the 2022/2023 season as a sponsor of the Exact Systems “Norwid” Częstochowa Sports Club (Klub Sportowy Exact Systems „Norwid” Częstochowa), which competes on the court as part of the Tauron 1st Men’s League.

SC “Norwid” Częstochowa operates within the Sports Association of Seniors – Juniors “Volleyball 2002” (Stowarzyszenie Sportowe Seniorzy – Juniorom „Siatkówka 2002”), which, among others, promotes volleyball, preparing young players at the beginning of their careers for professional and competitive sports. Many years of activities of the Association allowed to create the right conditions for many successes, both the promotion of the team to the first league, but also many successes of the junior team.

We are pleased to announce that the Polish company Cloudity – Salesforce Platinum Consulting Partner and the French Hardis Group have joined forces. For Hardis Group, this is an important step in expansion into the European market and an opportunity to become the leading integrator of Salesforce (sales and customer relationship management software) in Europe.

Equity Advisors was the sole transaction advisor to Cloudity in the acquisition process by Hardis Group.

Cloudity sp. z o.o. specializes in digital transformation based on Salesforce solutions. The company was founded in 2014 in Warsaw. Currently, it employs 200 people and has branches in Berlin and Stockholm, from where it provides services to clients from all over the world. In 2022, it is planning revenues in excess of EUR 10 million.

Hardis Group provides consulting and IT services as well as integration of Salesforce and Workplace from Meta solutions. Hardis Group was established in 1984 and has since 2017 has been a Salesforce integrator. The group employs over 1,200 people and its revenues exceed EUR 130 million.

We are very pleased to announce that at the beginning of 2022 we signed an agreement with the Gens Una Sumus Foundation for the support of the junior group of the Dwie Wieże Kraków Chess Club in 2022.

We hope that our support will allow the youngest players to develop and have fun at the same time.

On December 15, 2021, the prospectus of 3R GAMES S.A. has been approved by the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (UKNF). The prospectus was prepared in connection with the application for admission and introduction of shares to trading on the main market of the Warsaw Stock Exchange (GPW).

Equity Advisors participated in the preparation of the prospectus.

3R GAMES S.A. operates in the area of production and porting of games adapted to virtual reality technology. As at the date of the prospectus, the company is finishing work on porting Thief Simulator to the Oculus Quest and Oculus Quest 2 virtual reality platforms – in accordance with the PlayWay S.A. agreement, and is preparing to start production of its first title.

On May 25, 2021, Fashion Trends Group sp.z o.o. (FTG) raised equity financing that will support its development in the European market. The company invited minority investor.

Equity Advisors was the Sellside transaction advisor. We participated in the organization and coordination of the entire process, including the capital increase.

FTG is a rapidly growing e-commerce company operating within the fashion industry, focused on streetwear segment. Since its inception in 2007, the company has been run and developed by its founder.

Staying ahead of market trends, in 2015 FTG created the unique SneakerStudio brand. This brand is dedicated to streetwear fashion and focuses on sale of limited footwear, so-called sneaker shoes.

Since then, FTG has been successfully expanding e-commerce sales in Europe, but also beyond – it currently operates in 30 countries. The company is constantly expanding its offer by acquiring new unique brands to its portfolio.

Currently, thanks to the presence in Poland, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Romania, Ukraine and Hungary, it has a leading position in Central and Eastern Europe, while developing in countries such as France, Great Britain, Italy and the USA. At the same time, it is planning to open showroom-like point of sales in the largest cities.

In 2020 sales exceeded PLN 130 m (EUR 30m).

First period of very intensive support for our clients in planning cash flow and making key management decisions in times of uncertainty and constraints caused by the coronavirus pandemic is behind us.

In addition to most urgent issues related to maintaining liquidity and the security of the financing structure, in which aid programs provided important support, we have repeatedly analyzed the potential opportunities for our clients in the longer term. These activities were undertaken in the implemented projects related to research – both in Poland and in foreign countries – for our customers considering acquisitions in the mid-term, and projects aimed at planning a multi-year development path.

We are pleased with the energy and enthusiasm of entrepreneurs in planning next steps, which we have experienced intensively in the last last five months. This active approach to management has been reflected in in a record number – incomparable to any period in ten-year history of our company – of analyzes and valuations prepared by our team.

We thank our clients for their trust in this challenging period.

Entrepreneurs are facing spectrum of recession and intense challenges associated with it. Therefore management of the company must act, and perhaps above all, as a financial director. This approach requires in-depth analysis of company’s situation, construction of alternative scenarios, as well as increased control and careful monitoring of actions taken.

We encourage you to contact Equity Advisors and take advantage of strategic consulting services. Among our customers are companies operating in the B2B model with a relatively large cross-section in terms of the scale of operations, from start-ups to companies operating in the whole of Europe, generating annual flows at the level of tens of millions of zlotys.

Our services include focus on areas related to access to management information, cost analysis and control, relations with financial institutions, or monitoring of assistance solutions offered in European countries, review of investment plans.

In the Q4 of 2019, Carbon Studio S.A. shares have been listed on the NewConnect market. In May 2019, the company issued shares and raised PLN 2.7 million for further development.

Our team advised Carbon Studio S.A. in the process of public offering of shares. Equity Advisors also acts as an authorized advisor of the Company.

Carbon Studio S.A. is one of the leading Polish producers of computer games and business applications that are adapted to virtual reality (VR) technology. The company specializes in creating and publishing video games on the platforms of all major XR technology producers.

We are happy to announce that On Demand sp.z o.o. – owner of Szopi.pl, platforms enabling online shopping and their home delivery in 2 hours, and Italian Supermercato24 have joined forces. For an Italian company from Milan, this is an important step in expansion on the Central European market.

The integration of both platforms will be completed in early 2020.

You can find more information here.

Equity Advisors acted as the company’s advisor in this transaction.

Szopi.pl is a grocery shopping platform, thanks to which customers can buy goods in stationary stores of selected retail chains such as Auchan, Biedronka, Lidl or Carrefour and receive them at home. Purchases are delivered by shoppers to customer’s home even within an hour of ordering. The company has been operating since March 2016, so far it has raised around EUR 1.7 million in two rounds of financing.

Supermercato24 is the first Italian shopping delivery service that carries out and delivers to customers groceries ordered online even within an hour of placing an order. Supermercato24 offers customers from 31 Italian cities the opportunity to buy groceries in their favorite store without leaving home, with fast, direct delivery.
Founded in 2014, the company is headquartered in Verona. Supermercato24 has raised a total of €17.4M in funding over 6 rounds.

The article talks about the scale of the market and the challenges faced by packaging manufacturers in the area of mergers and acquisitions.

We encourage you to read the article!
“Rynek fuzji i przejęć w opakowaniach z tworzyw”, PLASTIME MAGAZINE No. 1/2019, p. 9

PLASTIME MAGAZINE is a monthly magazine dealing with plastics, intended mainly for managers from this industry.

In March 2019, Szopi.pl (On Demand Sp. z o.o.) – on-demand grocery delivery platform raised another round of financing in amount of PLN 2.4 million (EUR 0,56 million). Funds were granted to the company by private investors.
Additional financing will allow the Company to continue investments and technological development, as well as launching services in other Polish cities.

Equity Advisors acted as the company’s advisor in the process of fund raising.

Szopi.pl is a platform through which customers can buy goods from retail chains that don’t have their own e-commerce, such as Biedronka, Lidl, Carrefour, Rossman. Purchases are delivered by shoppers to customers’ home even within an hour of order. The company has been operating since March 2016 and currently provides its services in Warsaw, Wrocław and Krakow.

The report TESTING, INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION IN POLAND presents selected areas of the TIC market in Poland. This time, our published analyzes included food and feed research, including organic food certification, environmental research and cosmetics testing and packaging research. The report also contains a description of other areas of the TIC market – a description of transactions on the world market and a brief description of the activities of the largest entities.

The conclusions presented in the report were based on analyzes of many sources, including: databases, public reports, analyzes of consulting companies, conversations with company representatives.

The report was prepared by the Equity Advisors team.

We hope that you enjoy our report and that it will be for you an interesting source of information. We also hope that for those outside of the industry it will be helpful in understanding the TIC market.

To order the free report, please contact us by e-mail: info@equityadvisors.pl.

On  October 31, 2018 the promised agreement for the sale of all shares of Exact Systems S.A. from Work Service S.A. in MBO transaction (management buy-out) was concluded. The buyer of the shares is Remango Investments – a special purpose vehicle created by Paweł Gos and Lesław Walaszczyk – managers and founders as well as previous minority shareholders of Exact Systems S.A. – and funds co-managed by CVI Dom Maklerski sp. z o.o. The total value of the transaction is PLN 155.3 million.

Equity Advisors acted as an exclusive transaction advisor to the Management Group in the organization and coordination of management buy-outs. This is another important step in our cooperation with managers and Exact Systems, among others after the acquisition of CRS Group in Belgium and Poland and QLS in Portugal.

Exact Systems S.A. has been operating since 2004 and is a leading provider of solutions in the field of quality control, i.e. selection, repair and sorting of parts, components and finished products for representatives of the automotive industry. The main recipients of the company’s services are car manufacturers and their suppliers and subcontractors as well as plants dealing with mass production. Currently, the company is present in 13 countries: Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, Slovakia, Turkey, Romania, Russia, Great Britain, Hungary, Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal and China. Exact Systems cooperates with over 5,000 people, who are delegated to work for its clients.

CVI Dom Maklerski sp. z o.o. is an independent investment company that continues the activity of Credit Value Investments, which in a short time gained a leading position in non-bank financing of enterprises in Poland and the region of Central and Eastern Europe.