Ratos AB (publ) and Bonnier Holding AB have agreed to divest Nordic Cinema Group Holding AB to the private equity fund Bridgepoint Europe V at an enterprise value of some SEK 4.7 billion. Bonnier will remain as a 30% co-owner after the transaction. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close during the summer of 2015.

Nordic Cinema Group (NCG) was formed in May 2013 through the merger between the SF Bio Group and the Finnkino Group. NCG is the leading cinema operator in the Nordic and Baltic regions with 66 wholly-owned cinemas comprising 444 screens and another 48 partly owned cinemas. NCG has an annual turnover of approximately SEK 2.6 billion and is owned by Ratos (58%), Bonnier Holding (40%) and management.

Ratos and Bonnier were advised by Mannheimer Swartling in the transaction. The firm’s team consisted primarily of Isabella Ramsay, Henrik Dock, Johan Tholander, Sara Granlund and Johan Sundqvist (M&A), Eva Hägg, Johan Berg, Magnus Olsson and Anna Salmén (public M&A and capital markets), Stefan Perván Lindeborg and Andreas Johansson (Competition), Thomas Pettersson, Martin Nilsson and David Nordenlöw (Banking and Finance, Tax). Dittmar & Indrenius, BA-HR and Lawin acted as local counsel.