NEW YORK (Reuters) – Private equity firm KKR & Co (KKR.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) reported lower-than-expected second-quarter earnings on Wednesday as investment income declined and the value of its investments rose less than the previous year, sending its shares lower.

However, KKR, which has investments in companies including retailer Dollar General (DG.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), hospital operator HCA (HCA.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and media ratings company Nielsen (NLSN.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), said its private equity funds rose 4 percent in the quarter and 10 percent for the year to date.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Industrial conglomerate Ingersoll Rand (IR.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) is in late-stage discussions with private equity firm Clayton Dubilier & Rice to sell its Hussmann refrigeration business, two people familiar with the matter said.

The value was not immediately clear on Tuesday. Hussmann — which provides supermarkets and food retailers with display cases, refrigeration systems and beverage coolers — is likely to be valued at less than $750 million, people familiar with the business told Reuters previously.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Reinsurer Validus Holdings Ltd (VR.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) on Sunday urged target Transatlantic Holdings Inc (TRH.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) to enter into discussions over its proposed takeover and said its offer is superior to one from Allied World Assurance Co (AWH.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz).

Validus offered to buy Transatlantic earlier in July in a cash-and-stock deal worth about $3.5 billion at the time, trumping an all-stock bid by Allied World. While both bids are at a discount to Transatlantic’s stock price, the Validus discount is smaller.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Private equity and real estate firm Blackstone Group (BX.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) is in talks to buy healthcare IT company Emdeon Inc (EM.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), a source familiar with the situation said on Wednesday.

A deal for Emdeon could be valued at about $3 billion, the source said. That number would include debt.

NEW YORK, July 27 (Reuters) – Schneider Electric SA’s
(SCHN.PA: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) sensors business is likely to draw interest from
private equity and trade buyers when the auction kicks off in
late summer, several people familiar with the matter said.

French engineering company Schneider is being advised by
JPMorgan Chase (JPM.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) on the potential sale of its Custom
Sensors & Technologies subsidiary, which could bring about 1
billion euros ($1.45 billion), four people said.

NEW YORK, July 22 (Reuters) – Blackstone Group LP (BX.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz),
Carlyle Group and Stifel Financial Corp (SF.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) are among the
firms expected to submit initial bids on Monday for Morgan
Keegan, the brokerage unit of Regions Financial Corp (RF.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz),
sources familiar with the situation said.

Morgan Keegan has a book value of about $1.5 billion, one
source said.

Other potential bidders for the unit include private equity
firms TPG Capital LP [TPG.UL], Apollo Global Management LLC
(APO.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and Warburg Pincus LLC [WP.UL], the sources said.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Blackstone Group LP (BX.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), Carlyle Group and Stifel Financial Corp (SF.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) are among the firms expected to submit initial bids Monday for Morgan Keegan, the brokerage unit of Regions Financial Corp (RF.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), sources familiar with the situation said.

Morgan Keegan has a book value of about $1.5 billion, one source said.

Other potential bidders for the unit include private equity firms TPG Capital TPG.UL, Apollo Global Management (APO.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and Warburg Pincus WP.UL, the sources said.

NEW YORK, July 22 (Reuters) – Blackstone Group LP (BX.N: Quote, Profile, Research),
Carlyle Group and Stifel Financial Corp (SF.N: Quote, Profile, Research) are among the
firms expected to submit initial bids Monday for Morgan Keegan,
the brokerage unit of Regions Financial Corp (RF.N: Quote, Profile, Research), sources
familiar with the situation said.

Morgan Keegan has a book value of about $1.5 billion, one
source said.

Other potential bidders for the unit include private equity
firms TPG Capital [TPG.UL], Apollo Global Management (APO.N: Quote, Profile, Research)
and Warburg Pincus [WP.UL], the sources said.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Private equity and real estate giant Blackstone Group LP (BX.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) reported better-than-expected second-quarter earnings as the value of its portfolio of companies increased and fee income rose.

Private equity firms have seen the value of their portfolios recover as stock markets have risen, while increased availability of financing has seen deals return.

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The General Assembly admitted South Sudan on Thursday as the 193rd member of the United Nations, sealing the new African country’s independence after decades of conflict.

The assembly vote, by acclamation, followed South Sudan’s independence proclamation in the capital Juba on Saturday, after its people voted in a January referendum to break away from Sudan — a decision accepted by Khartoum.