Arlington to buy UK optics maker Gooch & Housego for £345.6M
What's the deal? Greenlight Bidco, indirectly owned by US private equity firm Arlington Capital PartnersDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → VII, has agreed a recommended cash acquisition of UK photonics group Gooch & HousegoDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → for 1,234.9 pence per share. That values the company's entire share capital at about £345.6 million on a fully diluted basis, with an implied enterprise value of £400.5 million.
The terms: Shareholders receive 1,230.0 pence in cash per share, plus a 4.9 pence interim dividend declared on June 2, 2026. The cash consideration represents a 40.7% premium to Gooch & Housego's closing price of 874.0 pence on July 15, the last business day before the announcement.
By the numbers: The price implies a multiple of roughly 25.9 times Gooch & Housego's adjusted operating profit for the 12 months ended March 31, 2026. Its directors unanimously recommend shareholders vote in favour.
Why now? The deal will be implemented via a court-sanctioned scheme of arrangement under Part 26 of the Companies Act 2006. Completion is expected in the fourth quarter of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and shareholder consent.
The signal: The premium takeover marks another UK-listed technology specialist heading into private hands, as US buyout firms continue to target undervalued London-quoted engineering and optics businesses.
Read more: Investegate
Image credit: aka.anzi
