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Examples: "Portfolio companies of Bain Capital" "Recent retail sector exits"
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M&A 2 hours ago

KKR to Acquire Majority Stake in Healthcare IT Firm for $1.8B

KKR & Co. is nearing a deal to acquire a 70% stake in MediTech Solutions from Carlyle Group, sources say...

Source: Wall Street Journal Read More
Financing 5 hours ago

Blackstone-Backed Belk Refinances Debt Amid Retail Recovery

Department store chain Belk, owned by Sycamore Partners, has successfully refinanced $1.2B in debt...

Source: Bloomberg Read More
Earnings Yesterday

Securus Technologies Reports 12% Revenue Growth Under Platinum Equity

The prison telecom provider, now called Aventiv Technologies, shows improved margins despite regulatory challenges...

Source: Private Equity News Read More

Featured Portfolio Companies

Browse All Companies

Securus Technologies

(Aventiv Technologies)

Owner
Platinum Equity
Employees
2,500
Sector
Telecom

Leading provider of inmate communications, corrections technology, and payment services to prisons and jails.

Acquired: 2017
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Belk, Inc.

Department Stores

Owner
Sycamore Partners
Employees
18,000
Sector
Retail

Regional department store chain operating nearly 300 locations across the Southern United States.

Acquired: 2015
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Envision Healthcare

Physician Services

Owner
KKR
Employees
25,000
Sector
Healthcare

Provider of physician-led services and ambulatory surgical centers across the U.S. healthcare system.

Acquired: 2018
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Recent Major Transactions

Date Company Transaction PE Firm Value Sector
06/15/2023
PetVet Care Centers
Secondary Buyout KKR (from L Catterton) $4.0B Veterinary
05/22/2023
Veritas Technologies
Acquisition Carlyle Group $1.1B Software
04/30/2023
West Corporation
Exit to Strategic Apollo Global (to Cisco) $3.2B Communications
04/18/2023
SRS Distribution
Secondary Buyout Blackstone (from Berkshire) $1.8B Building Products
Showing 1 to 4 of 24 transactions

Securus Technologies

(Aventiv Technologies)

Current Owner
Platinum Equity
Acquired
2017
Employees
2,500
HQ
Dallas, TX

Company Snapshot

Securus Technologies, rebranded as Aventiv Technologies in 2020, is a leading provider of inmate communications, corrections technology, and payment services to prisons and jails across North America. The company serves approximately 3,450 correctional facilities and over 1.2 million inmates nationwide.

Strategic Positioning

  • Market leader in prison communications with estimated 60% market share
  • Diversified revenue streams including phone calls, video visitation, and payment processing
  • Facing regulatory pressure on call rate caps and competition from new technologies
  • Investing in digital platforms to offset declining traditional revenue

Credit Risk Factors

Regulatory Risk: Ongoing FCC regulations limiting inmate call rates

Competition: New entrants offering lower-cost digital solutions

Leverage: High debt load from 2017 LBO (6.5x EBITDA at close)

Stickiness: High customer retention due to regulatory barriers

Industry Classification

Primary Sector
Telecommunications
Sub-Sector
Prison Telecom
SIC Code
4813 - Telephone Communications
NAICS Code
517311 - Wired Telecommunications

Key Metrics

Estimated Revenue (2022)
$850M - $900M
Estimated EBITDA
$320M - $350M
LTM Revenue Growth
+4.5%
LTM EBITDA Margin
~38%

Corporate Development

2020
Rebranded as Aventiv Technologies
2017
Acquired by Platinum Equity for $1.6B
2015
Merged with JPay (prison payment services)
2011
Acquired by ABRY Partners

Ownership Structure

Current Ownership

Platinum Equity

Private Equity Firm since 2017

Ownership Stake
100%
Acquisition Date
November 2017
Transaction Value
$1.6 billion
Transaction Type
Corporate Divestiture (from T-NETIX)

Historical Ownership

Owner Period Type Transaction Details
ABRY Partners 2011 - 2017 Private Equity Acquired from H.I.G. Capital for $685M
H.I.G. Capital 2007 - 2011 Private Equity Leveraged buyout from public markets
Public (Nasdaq: SECU) 1996 - 2007 Public IPO in 1996 at $12/share

Executive Leadership

Dave Abel

Chief Executive Officer

Joined Securus in 2015 as President before being promoted to CEO in 2018. Previously served as President of Global Crossing's North American operations. Brings over 25 years of telecom leadership experience with a focus on regulated industries.

CEO Since 2018 Platinum Equity Appointee

Sarah Wilkinson

Chief Financial Officer

Appointed CFO in 2020 after serving as VP of Finance. Formerly with GTCR portfolio company where she led finance for their telecom division. Specializes in high-leverage capital structures and cost optimization in regulated industries.

CFO Since 2020 Former PE Portfolio Exec

Other Key Executives

Name Title Tenure Background
Robert Pickens Chief Technology Officer 2019-Present Former VP Engineering at Vonage
Lisa Nelson Chief Legal Officer 2016-Present Former FCC attorney
James Clark Head of Corrections 2014-Present Former prison warden

Recent Company News

Regulatory May 15, 2023

FCC Proposes New Rate Caps for Prison Phone Calls, Impacting Securus Revenue

The Federal Communications Commission voted 3-2 to propose lowering the maximum rates that companies like Securus can charge for inmate calling services. Analysts estimate this could reduce Securus' annual revenue by 8-12% if implemented...

Source: Reuters Read Full Article
Product April 28, 2023

Securus Launches New Digital Platform for Family Communications

Aventiv Technologies unveiled "ConnectHome," a new digital platform allowing inmates to communicate with families via secure messaging and video. The move aims to offset declining call revenue and modernize the inmate communications experience...

Source: Prison Technology News Read Full Article
Financial March 10, 2023

Moody's Downgrades Securus Debt Amid Regulatory Uncertainty

Moody's Investors Service downgraded Securus Technologies' corporate family rating to B3 from B2, citing increased regulatory risks and competitive pressures. The rating agency maintained a negative outlook on the company...

Source: Moody's Investors Service Read Full Article

Platinum Equity

Private Equity Firm

Founded
1995
AUM
$25B+
HQ
Beverly Hills, CA
Portfolio
40+ Companies

Firm Overview

Platinum Equity is a global investment firm with approximately $25 billion of assets under management and a portfolio of approximately 40 operating companies that serve customers around the world. Founded in 1995 by Tom Gores, the firm specializes in mergers, acquisitions, and operations of companies that provide mission-critical products and services.

Investment Strategy

  • Focuses on complex carve-outs, corporate divestitures, and special situations
  • Targets businesses with $50M-$500M EBITDA across diverse industries
  • Emphasizes operational improvement through its in-house operations team
  • Typical hold period of 3-7 years

Recent Fundraising

Fund Vintage Size Focus
Platinum Equity Capital Partners V 2021 $10.0B Large-cap buyouts
Platinum Equity Small Cap Fund II 2020 $1.5B Middle-market
Platinum Equity Capital Partners IV 2016 $6.5B Large-cap buyouts

Key People

Tom Gores
Founder, Chairman & CEO
Jacob Kotzubei
Partner
Louis Samson
Partner
Mark Barnhill
Partner

Sector Focus

Industrial 35%
Technology 25%
Healthcare 15%
Telecom 10%
Other 15%

Current Portfolio Companies

Securus Technologies

Telecommunications

Prison communications provider acquired in 2017 for $1.6B
Owned since 2017
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Solenis

Specialty Chemicals

Water treatment chemicals producer acquired from BASF in 2021
Owned since 2021
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Vertiv

Data Center Infrastructure

Former Emerson Electric business acquired in 2016 for $4B
Owned since 2016
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Recent News

Investment June 5, 2023

Platinum Equity Acquires IT Services Firm Presidio for $3.5B

Platinum Equity announced the acquisition of Presidio, a leading IT solutions provider, from BC Partners. The deal represents Platinum's largest tech sector investment to date and expands its presence in digital infrastructure...

Source: Wall Street Journal Read Full Article
Exit March 15, 2023

Platinum Equity Sells Life Sciences Firm to Thermo Fisher for $2.2B

Platinum Equity completed the sale of its portfolio company, a specialty diagnostics firm, to Thermo Fisher Scientific. The exit generated an estimated 3.5x return on Platinum's 2019 investment...

Source: Financial Times Read Full Article