Unicorn Investment Bank B.S.C. (c) (Unicorn) announces the disposal of its shares in Orimix Concrete Products LLC (Orimix), an investment held in its private equity fund, the Unicorn Global Private Equity Fund I.
The fund acquired a controlling stake in Orimix in November 2006 for a price of $17.2 million and sold it recently for $44.9 million to Al Safat Investment Company, a Kuwait listed investment group. This represents a return on capital of 160% and an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 98%.
Commenting on the sale, Aamir Khan, Managing Director of Global Private Equity at Unicorn, said: “The increase in value we achieved with Orimix demonstrates the success of Unicorn’s private equity business model. Our team worked closely with the management of Orimix to almost double it in size, by expanding capacity and improving profitability. The sale of this single investment has allowed us to distribute over 50% of the Fund’s initial invested capital to Unit holders in less than two years.”
The Unicorn Global Private Equity Fund I was established in 2006 and is regulated by the Central Bank of Bahrain. To date, the fund has made investments in middle-market companies based in Bahrain, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and the United States.
ABOUT UNICORN INVESTMENT BANK
Founded in May 2004 and based in Bahrain, Unicorn Investment Bank B.S.C. (c) (Unicorn) is an Islamic investment bank, with an international presence in the United States, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey. Unicorn is built around six core business lines: Corporate Finance, Capital Markets, Private Equity, Asset Management, Strategic Mergers & Acquisitions and Treasury. To date, Unicorn has advised, structured and successfully placed deals with a total value of over US$3.3 billion. The Bank has achieved consistent growth since its inception and has received widespread industry recognition for excellence and vision. In 2007, the Bank achieved earnings of US$122.0 million, an increase of 82% from US$66.9 million in 2006. Net profit increased by 66%, from US$30.1 million in 2006 to US$50.1 million in 2007.
