Vista Puts British Software Maker Misys On The Block

US-based private equity (PE) firm Vista Equity Partners is reportedly looking to exit its investment in British financial software developer Misys, and could consider taking the firm public.

Misys develops software that helps financial institutions run their risk-management and back-office operations.

The technology-focused PE firm has hired bankers to scout for buyers, the Financial Times reported.

Pursued by Reuters, Vista and Misys could not be reached for comment outside of regular US business hours.

Meanwhile, Vista, Thoma Bravo and a few other private equity firms are vying to acquire California-based Tibco Software, the news agency reported.

Earlier in the month, Vista sold philanthropy software maker MicroEdge to non-profit software firm Blackbaud in a $160m (£98m, €126m) deal.

San Francisco-based Vista is also busy raising its fifth flagship fund, which is expected to hold a $5bn corpus.

M&A

Global technology, media and telecommunications (TMT) M&A witnessed deals worth $383.4bn in the first six months of 2014, a 122% jump from the first half of 2013, according to Mergermarket data.

With five of the TMT deals being US-based, North America had the highest contribution at 62% of global TMT M&A activity, Mergermarket added.

Vista acquired Misys two years ago for $2bn after merger talks with Swiss banking software developer Temenos crumbled.

Vista's modus operandi usually involves buying and turning around underperforming software firms.

Vista was founded in 2000 by Robert Smith, an ex-Goldman Sachs banker.