이 기사는 2020년 02월 20일 08:00 thebell 에 표출된 기사입니다.

South Korea’s Samsung Securities is showing strong acquisition financing activities.

According to industry sources on Tuesday, Samsung Securities has closed five acquisition financing deals in January and February. Last year, the securities firm arranged a total of six deals worth 818.5 billion won, securing an eleventh place. The firm has gotten off to a good start in 2020, with its deal volume nearly on par with the previous year’s record.

One of the major deals that Samsung Securities arranged so far this year is Macquarie Asia Infrastructure Fund Ⅱ(MAIF Ⅱ)’s acquisition of Daesung Industrial Gases. The Australian PE firm bought Daesung Industrial Gases from South Korea’s MBK Partners for 2.5 trillion won on February 6. The amount of acquisition financing for the transaction amounts to 1.7 trillion won. Samsung Securities and KB Securities jointly arranged the transaction.

Samsung Securities also participated in MAIF Ⅱ’s acquisition of a minority stake in LG CNS. The PE firm acquired a 35 percent stake in LG CNS for around 950 billion won, of which 500 billion won was financed by acquisition financing. Samsung Securities, Kookmin Bank, KB Securities, Korea Investment & Securities jointly arranged the deal.

Samsung Securities solely arranged EUM Private Equity’s acquisition of Koryo Nobel Explosives. EUM Private Equity acquired a 100 percent stake in Koryo Nobel Explosives for 133 billion won last month, of which 30 billion won was financed by acquisition financing via Samsung Securities.

The brokerage firm is active not only in acquisition financing, but also in refinancing deals. Samsung Securities solely arranged Affirma Capital’s 250 billion won refinancing of EMC Holdings.

Samsung Securities also arranged Affinity Equity Partners’ refinancing of Burger King. Affinity Equity Partners used 80 billion won worth acquisition refinancing when purchasing stake in Burger King in 2016. At that time, Woori Bank, Samsung Securities and Hana Financial Investment jointly arranged the deal. Samsung Securities recently acted as sole arranger for Affinity Equity Partners’ 181.5 billion won refinancing on the fast food chain.

Samsung Securities is preparing for several acquisition financing deals, which heightens anticipation for the brokerage firm’s achievements this year.

“Samsung Securities has been putting efforts into expanding networks by constantly hiring talents. The deals that the firm has prepared so far seem to start to bear fruits,” said an IB industry insider.

(By reporters Han Hee-yeon and Kim Byung-yoon)