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Walter Financial is pleased to announce that it is doubling its capital allocation to Walter Capital Partners, its private equity subsidiary, with a second equity tranche of $100 million. Just two years after its launch, Walter Capital has successfully deployed more than half of Walter Financial’s initial $100-million allocation in a select group of high-growth Canadian businesses.

The allocation of this second equity tranche ahead of plan confirms the relevance of Walter Capital’s business model in the private equity sector. “Our vision has been to work closely with entrepreneurs to accelerate their growth through our capital and the expertise of our two managing partners, both of whom are experienced business leaders,” explained René Fournier, President and CIO of Walter Financial. “The operating and financial experience of our team is a valuable asset for established businesses looking to sustain or accelerate their growth. But we’ve also shown that our approach is effective in jump-starting smaller companies and game changers with disruptive business models.”

Beneficiaries of the first $100 million equity tranche include Spud.ca, Canada’s largest omnichannel grocery company, which closed an acquisition less than a year after Walter Capital’s investment; BonLook, a Quebec-based company specializing in prescription eyeglasses, which expanded from a three-store operation to a 15-store chain in the year since teaming up with Walter Capital; and Mayrand as well as other businesses operating in the food and healthcare industries. The balance of the first $100-million tranche will be invested in initiatives currently in the pipeline, creating the opportunity for Walter Financial to increase its capital allocation with a second equity tranche.

Capital and know-how

Drawing on the family tradition of entrepreneurship that is part and parcel of the Walter Group’s DNA and its thriving business ecosystem, Walter Capital is dedicated to creating value and being a catalyst for growth. “Our talented team knows how to make the most of the Group’s long entrepreneurial tradition to benefit today’s companies, especially companies whose leaders are looking to pass the torch in the coming years and promising up-and-comers,” said Isabelle Somers, Head of Corporate Development for the Walter Group, who herself is a next-generation leader for the family-led Walter Group. “The Walter Group is growing as well. Like many other companies, we are cultivating this growth by attracting top-tier talent who can help drive our vision forward.”

About Walter Financial and Walter Capital Partners

Part of the Walter Group of Companies, Walter Financial is a private equity firm that invests in private and public markets. Its permanent capital base and long-term investment horizon enable Walter Financial to be a true partner for the companies it invests in. Its private-equity transactions are conducted by Walter Capital Partners, which invests capital and know-how in small and medium-sized businesses to help accelerate their growth. With their wealth of hands-on experience, its teams of financiers and entrepreneurs contribute insight and know-how to its portfolio companies, in addition to capital, complete with a deep understanding of market fundamentals.
www.walterfinancial.ca
www.waltercapital.ca

About the Walter Group of Companies

For more than 60 years, the Walter Group of Companies has been guided by a strong entrepreneurial spirit that has been passed down from one generation to the next. Leveraging its unique position, the Group has evolved into a flourishing ecosystem comprising an operating company, Walter Surface Technologies, and its subsidiary Bio-Circle, as well as Walter Financial and Walter Capital Partners.
www.waltergroup.ca

For more information – Media enquiries:

Amélie Plante
DDMG Communications
514-975-9425
strategie@amelieplante.com

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