Pollen Street confirms take-private talks as shares jump 16%
London-listed Pollen Street Group has confirmed it is weighing strategic options including a take-private, after Reuters reported the firm is exploring a possible sale. Shares jumped 16.6% to 950p.
London-listed Pollen Street Group confirmed on Wednesday that it is assessing strategic options “with a view to delivering greater value for shareholders” — including the possibility of being taken private — and has opened preliminary talks with a limited number of third parties about a possible offer.
In a statement under Rule 2.4 of the Takeover Code, the firm stressed the discussions are “at a very early stage” and that there is no certainty an offer will be made, nor that any transaction will result from the review.
The announcement followed a Reuters report citing two anonymous sources saying Pollen Street, which manages £8.4 billion ($11.22 billion) across private equity and private credit, has been exploring options including a sale to gain scale in asset management, and has been working with an adviser. The sources said possible buyers include mid-sized private equity firms and existing shareholder Wafra — which bought a minority stake in 2020 through its Capital Constellation platform. Wafra declined to comment.
Shares jumped 16.6% to 950p in morning trading, after a year-to-date slide of nearly 12% to 841p, according to LSEG data. The firm, formed in 2022 from Honeycomb Investment Trust and Pollen Street Capital, reported operating profit of £64 million in 2025, up from £58 million a year earlier; founder and chief executive Lindsey McMurray holds a 19% stake.
The review comes amid consolidation pressure: US asset manager Nuveen bought Schroders in a £9.9 billion deal earlier this year.
Sources
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