A&E Television Networks has agreed to buy back a 15.8% stake from NBC Universal, a unit of Comcast, for approximately $3 billion.
The Blackstone Group is preparing to sell its commercial office holdings within the next year and a half, according to multiple reports. The portfolio, largely derived from the $39 buyout of Equity Office in 2007, is believed to be valued at around $22 billion. It previously divested some of the Equity Office assets at a gain. www.blackstone.com
Ernst & Young’s U.S. transaction advisory services group has acquired Jeffrey A. Parker & Associates, a financial advisory firm focused on U.S. infrastructure. www.ey.com
Royal Dutch Shell (LSE: RDSA) has agreed to acquire the 95.9% that it does not already own of Gasnor AS, a Norwegian small-scale LNG company focused on industrial and marine customers.www.shell.com
Smith & Wesson (Nasdaq: SWHC) has agreed to sell its Security Solutions Inc. unit, a provider of perimeter security solutions, to Detroit-based FutureNet Group Inc. The deal is valued at less than $10 million. www.futurenetgroup.com
Taylor Corp., a North Mankato, Minn.-based graphics communications company, has acquired Venture Encoding Service LLC, a Fort Worth, Texas-based provider of borrower communications solutions to the mortgage, consumer banking and automobile finance industries. No financial terms were disclosed. Berkery Noyes managed the process. www.taylorcorp.com
Telefonica (Madrid: TEF) has received acquisition offers for a majority stake in its Atento call center unit, at an enterprise value of between €750 million and €800 million, according to Reuters.www.telefonica.com
Zipcar Inc. (Nasdaq: ZIP) has acquired Austrian car-sharing company Denzel Mobility CarSharing GmbH. No financial terms were disclosed. www.zipcar.com
CI Capital Partners has sold Conney Safety Products, a Madison, Wis.–based distributor of MRO safety products, to an affiliate of WESCO International Inc. (NYSE: WCC). No financial terms were disclosed.www.conney.com
GreatAmerica Leasing Corp., a Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based commercial equipment finance company, has completed a $95 million recapitalization. The deal represents an exit for GreatAmerica shateholderPamlico Capital. www.greatamerica.com
Oaktree Capital Management has agreed to sell German packaging company Nordenia International AG to South Africa’s Mondi Group (Johannesburg: MND), for $782 million.
Oracle Corp. (Nasdaq: ORCL) has acquired Involver, a San Francisco-based social media management platform. No financial terms were disclosed. Involver has raised in VC funding, from firms like Bessemer Venture Partners, Western Technology Investment and Cervin Ventures.www.involver.com
Sun Capital Partners has completed its previously-announced sale of Canadian pork processing company Fearmans Pork to Sofina Foods Inc. No financial terms were disclosed. www.suncappart.com