US private equity fund Metalmark Capital has increased its stake in the capital of Valagro spa, a world leader in offering biostimulants and tailor-made solutions for farmers. The fund had invested in Valagro for the first time in October 2016, acquiring a 15% stake through a capital increase and thus supporting the two historic partners of Valagro, namely chairman Ottorino La Rocca and the managing director Giuseppe Natale (see here a previous post by BeBeez). Chiomenti was the legal advisor of Metalmark.
Founded in 1980, Valagro is a leading company in the supply of biostimulants and nutritional specialties for the global agricultural market and currently offers more than 20 branded product lines, with a solid pipeline of new products under development. The category of plant biostimulants represents one of the fastest growing segments in the agricultural products sector: this allows Valagro to benefit both from the growing demand for natural and eco-sustainable products, and from the growing need to increase agricultural productivity beyond the current levels achievable through traditional agricultural products.
The company is based in Atessa (Chieti) and closed 2017 with a turnover of 138.1 million euros (compared to 117.6 million in 2016), an ebitda of 28.9 million (up from 27.2 of 2016) and a net liquidity of 4.8 million, against 3 million in 2016 (see the Leanus analysis here, after free registration and login).
Metalmark Capital actively invests in various targeted sectors, with particular attention and expertise in the agri-food industry, natural resources, industrial development and healthcare. It manages investments for 3.7 billion dollars.
