Sanne to buy Texas-based STRAIT for up to $45m, raise £80m in placing

The company, which provides administration services to alternative asset managers, said the deal will provide it with increased scale, capability and client coverage in North America, the largest and one of the fastest-growing end markets for alternative asset administration.

STRAIT adds more than 50 employees, more than 60 new client groups and in excess of $20bn of assets under administration to Sanne's platform as well as a new office in Dallas. In the year to the end of December 2020, STRAIT generated revenues of $9.4m.

Sanne will pay $32m upfront, around 30% of which is payable in shares, and an earn-out component consisting of cash and Sanne shares, based on financial performance up to 31 March 2022. This is capped at $13m.

The company also said it plans to raise £80m in a placing of new ordinary shares to institutional investors which represents around 8.5% of its existing issued share capital. Proceeds will be used to "better position Sanne to continue its disciplined acquisition strategy, enhancing the group's financial flexibility and competitiveness".

"Acceleration of growth through selected acquisitions is an integral part of the group’s strategy and has provided a meaningful contribution to the company's financial performance and strategic development since IPO," Sanne said. "In line with this strategy, over the last 12 months, Sanne has acquired six businesses, including the acquisition of STRAIT, announced separately today and the recent acquisitions of Private Equity Administrators and Alternative Assets Accounting Software Inc."