Luxury travel group Scott Dunn is reportedly close to a £70 million takeover by a private equity investor.
Inflexion Private Equity is poised sign a deal to buy the operator with an announcement expected to be made early this week, according to Sky News.
Inflexion holds stakes in businesses such as online travel agent On the Beach and fashion brand Jack Wills.
The private equity firm recently raised a £1 billion fund to invest in companies following a string of successful exits from earlier deals.
A deal for £70 million would exceed the initial price expectations of Andrew Dunn, the travel company’s founder and chairman, who appointed Cavendish Corporate Finance to examine options for expanding the business.
Scott Dunn was set up in 1986 soon after Dunn graduated from university, and now makes annual profits of around £6m.
The takeover of Scott Dunn will be among a flurry of travel industry deals, including the prospective sale of Riviera Travel to Phoenix Equity Partners for a price thought to be around £130 million.
Lastminute.com was sold last week to Bravofly Rumbo Group, an online travel company listed on the Swiss stock exchange.
The value of the UK-based company has slumped since its peak during the first dotcom boom, and was offloaded by Sabre Holdings for just £76 million.
An Inflexion spokesman declined to comment to Sky News.