Thursday, February 20, 2020

Carlyle Invests in Blood Management Software Firm


Doctors are using plasma to treat COVID-19, the pandemic corona-virus sweeping parts of Asia.  The Carlyle Group stands to profit from widespread misery.  Market Screener reported:

Global investment firm The Carlyle Group (NASDAQ: CG) today announced it has made a significant investment in MAK-SYSTEM (MAK), a family-owned company providing software for blood management solutions, which will be used to accelerate the company's growth.

The investment will provide MAK with additional capital to support the company's global growth strategy and to continue innovating and delivering standards of excellence for the blood service, plasma collector and hospital markets.


Carlyle co-founder David Rubenstein speaks of his firm's ability to sense the pulse of the global economy.  China's economic pulse dropped precipitously due to the pandemic.  If plasma becomes the go to treatment for COVID-19 Carlyle will profit handsomely from worldwide suffering.  It won't be the first time. 

Carlyle has been mostly in sales mode with PA Consulting the latest affiliate targeted for monetization.  Carlyle announced the sale of Japanese sprouts grower to Shinmei.

Update 3-3-20:  The IMF announced a $50 billion initiative to address the coronavirus pandemic. "We would like very much to see them prioritizing first and foremost, urgently beefing up their health service capacity so lives are saved, and suffering is reduced."  Will Carlyle's new affiliate benefit from this money?     

Update 3-5-20:  Insiders shared the Carlyle wants to sell Oyatsu, maker of  Baby Star noodle snack for $300 to $400 million.  Carlyle bought Oyatsu in 2014 for $194 million.  

Update 12-7-22:  Carlyle is offloading Oyatsu and Baby Star to D Capital.