News Archive for 2006

December 29, 2006 - William Blair & Company is pleased to announce the success of its client Uster Technologies Limited in connection with its sale to Alpha Gruppe.

December 27, 2006 - William Blair & Company has been named one of the most prestigious investment firms in a survey of more than 870 finance professionals.

December 20, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of Marshall & Ilsley Corporation, a $56 billion-asset financial holding company with headquarters in Milwaukee, with an Outperform rating and company profile of Core Growth.

December 19, 2006 - William Blair & Company is pleased to announce the success of client its Ahold USA in connection with the disposition of 19 Cleveland-area Tops Markets stores to Giant Eagle, Inc.

December 19, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of Hallmark Financial Services, Inc., a specialty property-casualty insurance underwriter based in Fort Worth, Texas, with an Outperform rating and company profile of Aggressive Growth.

December 13, 2006 - William Blair & Company announced today that Brett Paschke, principal and group co-head for the Business Services Investment Banking Group, was named to the Investment Dealers’ Digest list of “40 Under 40.”

December 12, 2006 - William Blair International, Limited is pleased to announce the success of its client Biegelaar BV, in connection with its acquisition by Schlott Gruppe AG.

December 11, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of RRSat Global Communications Network Ltd. with an Outperform rating and company profile of Aggressive Growth.

December 6, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of ArthroCare Corporation with a Market Perform rating and company profile of Aggressive Growth.

December 1, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of Sirona Dental Systems, Inc. and Patterson Companies, Inc., two leaders in the dental market.

November 30, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of Landstar System, Inc., an asset-light transportation and logistics services company, with a Market Perform rating and company profile of Core Growth.

November 29, 2006 - William Blair & Company health care analyst Corey Tobin hosted clients and potential investors for a guided tour of companies exhibiting at the Radiological Society of North America's annual trade show.

November 28, 2006 - Mark Lane, Principal and Equity Research Analyst, will be at the Futures Industry Association's Expo 2006 today, at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, participating in a panel discussion titled, "Taking Stock of Exchanges."

November 27, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of SAIC, Inc., the largest company dedicated to federal services, with a Market Perform rating and company profile of Core Growth.

November 14, 2006 - Richard P. Kiphart, head of William Blair & Company's Corporate Finance department, and Christopher T. Vincent, head of the firm's Fixed Income Group, participated in panel discussions for their respective industries.

November 20, 2006 - William Blair & Company equity research analysts provided an outlook on the holiday shopping season for a media-only audience.

November 8, 2006 - William Blair & Company hosted its Sixth Annual Market Outlook with George Greig, portfolio manager of international and emerging-markets products. Mr. Greig presented his insights on the U.S. and global economies and shared his observations on what investors might expect from domestic and international markets in 2007.

November 3, 2006 - Christopher Vincent, head of the Fixed Income Group within William Blair & Company's Investment Mangement Division, was a panelist at the Loyola University Graduate School of Business' 1st Annual Finance Symposium.

November 7, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of ICF International, Inc. (Nasdaq: ICFI) ($15.91), which provides management and policy consulting services predominantly to U.S. federal or state government agencies, with an Outperform rating and company profile of Core Growth.

November 1, 2006 - William Blair & Company is pleased to announce the success of its client, A. M. Castle & Co., in its acquisition of Transtar Metals and the arrangement of a $210 million amended and expanded senior secured credit facility.

October 31, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of Home Diagnostics, Inc., a leader in blood-glucose test strips and meters, with an Outperform rating and company profile of Aggressive Growth.

October 31, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of aQuantive, Inc., a leading full-service firm in the interactive marketing industry, with a Market Perform rating and company profile of Aggressive Growth.

October 24, 2006 - William Blair & Company is #31 in the Barron's (10-16-06 issue) exclusive ranking of "2006 Top Wealth Managers in the U.S.," ranked by private banking assets under management, based on individual clients with accounts of $1 million or more.

October 12, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of Blue Nile, Inc., the leading online retailer of high-quality diamonds and fine jewelry, with a Market Perform rating and company profile of Aggressive Growth.

October 2, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of The Western Union Company, which is a leading money transfer provider, with an Outperform rating and company profile of Aggressive Growth.

September 27, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of Nuvelo, Inc., which is focused on the discovery and development of products to treat vascular disease, with an Outperform rating and company profile of Aggressive Growth.

September 27, 2006 - William Blair & Company is pleased to announce the success of its client Cycle Express, LLC, d/b/a National Powersport Auctions (NPA), a portfolio company of Falconhead Capital LLC, in its sale to Transportation Resource Partners, LP and members of the current management team.

September 26, 2006 - William Blair & Company, with the release of a comprehensive report titled “Rapid Prototyping: Coming to a Desktop Near You,” initiated research coverage of Stratasys, Inc. (Outperform rating) and 3D Systems Corporation (Market Perform), the industry’s two leading players.

September 25, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of InnerWorkings, Inc. with an Outperform rating and company profile of Aggressive Growth.

September 20, 2006 - William Blair & Company hosted reporters for a presentation on the Pension Protection Act of 2006 and how its implications for financial planning.

September 20, 2006 - William Blair & Company acted as the Sole Underwriter for the Presbyterian Homes on their recent issuance of Variable Rate Refunding Revenue Bonds.

September 19, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. with an Outperform rating and company profile of Aggressive Growth.

September 15, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of International Game Technology and Shuffle Master, Inc., two of the top suppliers of gaming-related products, with Outperform ratings.

September 14, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of Sunrise Senior Living, Inc., one of the oldest and largest providers of senior living solutions in the United States, with an Outperform rating and company profile of Core Growth.

September 11, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of Security Capital Assurance Ltd with an Outperform rating and company profile of Core Growth.

September 11, 2006 - William Blair Funds announced today that the William Blair Emerging Markets Growth Fund will close to new investors effective as of the close of business Friday, September 29, 2006, with no new Emerging Markets Growth Fund shareholder accounts accepted after that date.

September 8, 2006 - William Blair’s Debt Capital Markets Department is pleased to announce the success of its client, Oak Street Funding LLC, in the closing of a $10 million second-lien loan facility with a Boston-based hedge fund.

September 8, 2006 - William Blair’s Debt Capital Markets Department is pleased to announce the success of its client, Jackson Healthcare Solutions, LLC, in securing approximately $59 million of aggregate senior secured loan facilities to facilitate its acquisition of substantially all of the assets of World Health Alternatives, Inc.

September 8, 2006 - William Blair’s Debt Capital Markets Department is pleased to announce the success of its client, Global Healthcare Exchange, in the closing of a $110 million senior secured credit facility.

September 7, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of Coinstar, Inc. with an Outperform rating and company profile of Core Growth.

September 6, 2006 - William Blair & Company hosted private clients for a luncheon presentation by Bob Newman, Director of Research, on quality growth stock investing.

September 1, 2006 - William Blair & Company acted as financial advisor to OnCURE Medical Corporation, a portfolio company of Halpern, Denny & Co., Crossbow Ventures Inc. and MedEquity Capital, LLC, in conjunction with its acquisition by Genstar Capital, LLC. Terms of the transaction are not being disclosed.

August 31, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of WESCO International, Inc. with a Market Perform rating and company profile of Aggressive Growth.

August 24, 2006 - William Blair & Company was included in the June 26, 2006 issue of The Business Ledger, which profiled the "Best Places to Work in IL."

August 16, 2006 - William Blair & Company, in collaboration with the Chicago Interactive Marketing Association (CIMA), today published the second edition of a semiannual interactive marketing survey that the partnership uses to take the pulse of the industry and relay its practitioners’ expectations for future performance and trends. Click for details and to the view the survey.

August 7, 2006 - William Blair & Company is pleased to announce the success of its client, Houston Wire & Cable Company, in connection with the pricing of 9.775 million shares in its initial public offering.

August 2, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of Systems Xcellence Inc., which provides information technology solutions and PBM services to constituents in the prescription payment and fulfillment industries, with an Outperform rating and company profile of Aggressive Growth.

August 1, 2006 - William Blair & Company announced today that the firm has opened a new office in Boston, located at Two International Place.

July 31, 2006 - William Blair & Company is pleased to announce the success of client ColBar LifeScience Ltd. in connection with the private placement of $11 million of preferred shares and its acquisition by Johnson & Johnson.

July 27, 2006 - Christopher T. Vincent, CFA, principal, and head of Fixed Income in Investment Management, was elected to the CFA Society of Chicago Board of Directors.

July 25, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of Houston Wire & Cable Company with an Outperform rating and company profile of Aggressive Growth.

July 24, 2006 - William Blair & Company is pleased to announce the success of client Denver Biomedical, Inc. in connection with its acquisition by Cardinal Health, Inc.

July 20, 2006 - William Blair & Company hosted reporters yesterday for an update on the trends affecting emerging markets and large-, mid-, and small-cap stocks.

July 17, 2006 - First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc., the nation’s largest provider of diversified industrial real estate, announced today that Robert D. Newman, principal and a member of the executive committee of William Blair & Company, has joined the board of directors.

July 17, 2006 - William Blair & Company is pleased to announce the success of client Western Dental Services, Inc., a privately held company, in connection with the sale of its business to Citigroup Venture Capital.

July 12, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of Town Sports International Holdings, Inc., the fourth-largest commercial operator of fitness clubs in the United States (as measured by revenues), with an Outperform rating and company profile of Aggressive Growth.

July 11, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of Grubb & Ellis Company, which provides transaction, management, and consulting services related to commercial real estate through a network of nearly 900 brokers at 51 company-owned offices, with an Outperform rating and company profile of Aggressive Growth.

July 6, 2006 - William Blair & Company is pleased to announce the success of client Kinetico Incorporated in connection with its sale to Axel Johnson Inc.

June 27, 2006 - William Blair & Company, L.L.C. today began its 26th Annual Growth Stock Conference, a three-day event featuring more than 200 companies and attracting investors from around the world.

June 27, 2006 - William Blair & Company is pleased to announce the success of client Educational Directories Unlimited, Inc. in its recapitalization with Halyard Capital.

June 22, 2006 - William Blair & Company will host its 26th Annual Growth Stock Conference in Chicago on June 27-29. Click to see which companies will present this year.

June 20, 2006 - William Blair & Company is pleased to announce the success of client Addison Search on the strategic investment in its business received from Lake Capital.

June 19, 2006 - William Blair & Company announced today that William J. Roddy has been promoted to head of its Institutional Sales and Trading operation. In addition, Mr. Roddy will join the firm’s executive committee.

June 14, 2006 - William Blair & Company today announced that Colin Williams, CFA, has been named a comanager of the William Blair Small Cap Growth team.

June 14, 2006 - William Blair & Company acted as Swap Advisor to WBEZ for their recent interest rate swap.

June 13, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of Delek US Holdings, Inc., a diversified energy business operating in both the refining and retail segments, with an Outperform rating and company profile of Aggressive Growth.

June 13, 2006 - William Blair & Company today announced the launch of the William Blair Health Care Information Technology Index (ticker: WBHCIT), an equal-weighted basket currently comprising 31 HCIT stocks designed to track the aggregate stock performance of the majority of companies focused on the health care IT industry.

June 8, 2006 - William Blair & Company announced today that The Vanguard Group has awarded the William Blair Mid-Cap Growth team a mandate to manage 50% of the assets of the Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth Fund.

June 7, 2006 - William Blair & Company acted as Financial Advisor to Presbyterian Homes for their recent forward-starting swap to fixed. This is a creative solution that enables a borrower to lock in an interest rate swap today that will go into effect at a specified date in the future.

June 6, 2006 - William Blair & Company acted as Financial Advisor to A. M. Castle & Co. in March on the setup of a new Mexican Revolving Loan Facility.

June 5, 2006 - William Blair & Company is pleased to announce the success of its client Primavera Systems, Inc. in conjunction with its recapitalization led by Insight Venture Partners and Francisco Partners.

June 2, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of ICT Group, Inc., a leading provider of outsourced business services (principally customer service), with an Outperform rating and company profile of Core Growth.

May 31, 2006 - William Blair & Company recently issued a report titled “The Future in Digital Media: Trends and Predictions Affecting Media Creation, Distribution, Monetization, and Consumption Throughout the Next Decade.”

May 30, 2006 - William Blair & Company is pleased to announce the success of client Omni Tech Corporation, d/b/a Dedicated Computing, in connection with its sale, in April 2006, to management and Mason Wells.

May 25, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of TALX Corporation with an Outperform rating and company profile of Aggressive Growth.

May 24, 2006 - William Blair & Company is pleased to announce the success of client West Corporation in connection with its acquisition of Intrado Inc.

May 24, 2006 - William Blair & Company Equity Analysts were included in The Wall Street Journal's “Best on the Street.”

May 23, 2006 - William Blair & Company’s Richard P. Kiphart to serve as the new president and CEO of the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

May 23, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of Wal-Mart de México, S.A. de C.V. with an Outperform rating and company profile of Core Growth.

May 17, 2006 - William Blair & Company hosted reporters for an update on the restaurant industry, three days before the industry convenes in Chicago for the National Restaurant Association’s annual convention.

May 17, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of American Capital Strategies, Ltd., the leading buyout and mezzanine fund providing capital to middle-market companies in the United States, with an Outperform rating and company profile of Core Growth.

May 17, 2006 - William Blair & Company is pleased to announce the success of its client Buckeye Industrial Mining Co. in its sale to KFx, Inc. for $37.5 million in cash and stock.

May 15, 2006 - William Blair & Company is pleased to announce the success of client Global Healthcare Exchange, LLC in connection with its acquisition of Neoforma, Inc.

May 15, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of VISICU, Inc. with an Outperform rating and company profile of Aggressive Growth.

May 12, 2006 - William Blair & Company’s Chairman Edgar D. (Ned) Jannotta was honored by the Chicago Historical Society at the 12th Annual Making History Awards Gala.

May 11, 2006 - William Blair & Company was recently named as one of the Best Places to Work in Illinois.

May 3, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of Clayton Holdings, Inc. an information and analytics company serving lenders, loan buyers, bond issuers, servicers, and fixed-income investors in mortgage-related loans and other securitized debt instruments, with an Outperform rating and company profile of Aggressive Growth.

May 2, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of Duckwall-ALCO Stores, Inc., which operates both discount and variety stores, with an Outperform rating and company profile of Aggressive Growth.

April 26, 2006 - On Wednesday, May 3, William Blair & Company is hosting an Equity Research Presentation featuring Ryan Daniels and Jeff Germanotta, who will discuss their coverage in the health care and business services sectors.

April 24, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of WebEx Communications, Inc., which offers unique, on-demand Web collaboration services, with an Outperform rating and company profile of Aggressive Growth.

April 19, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of Panera Bread Company, the nation’s largest fast-casual restaurant chain, with an Outperform rating and company profile of Core Growth.

April 13, 2006 - William Blair & Company hosted reporters for an update on some of the Chicago-area companies covered by the firm’s equity research department.

April 12, 2006 - William Blair & Company today announced that the firm is formalizing its Special Situations & Restructuring practice targeted at the middle market, where the firm has focused its business for the past 70 years and has established a vast network and respected expertise.

April 11, 2006 - William Blair & Company is pleased to announce the success of client Alma Lasers, Ltd. in connection with a majority investment in Alma of $90 million led by TA Associates.

April 11, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of Staples, Inc. and Office Depot, Inc., two of the largest office products distributors, with Outperform ratings.

April 7, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of Signature Bank, a $4.4 billion-asset commercial bank based in New York City, with an Outperform rating and company profile of Aggressive Growth.

April 6, 2006 - William Blair & Company today announced that Mark H. Dierkes, CFA, and Thomas J. Rowland, CFA, have joined the firm as financial advisors in the Private Investor group.

April 5, 2006 - William Blair & Company today announced that Chad M. Kilmer, CFA, CPA, has joined the firm as a portfolio manager on the William Blair Small-Cap Value team.

March 31, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of LCA-Vision Inc., the largest provider of fixed-site laser vision correction services in the United States, with an Outperform rating and company profile of Aggressive Growth.

March 31, 2006 - William Blair & Company today announced that John C. Moore has joined the firm’s Institutional Equity Trading team as co-head.

March 30, 2006 - On Thursday, April 6, 2005 William Blair & Company will be hosting an educational lunch seminar entitled, What It Means to Be a Trustee.

March 24, 2006 - On Thursday, March 30, William Blair & Company is hosting an Equity Research Presentation featuring Ben Andrew and Sharon Zackfia who will discuss their coverage in the health care and consumer arenas.

March 24, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of PDL BioPharma, Inc. with a Market Perform rating and company profile of Aggressive Growth.

March 22, 2006 - William Blair & Company is pleased to announce the success of its client, ivpcare, Inc., in connection with its acquisition by Oncology Therapeutics Network, Inc.

March 21, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. with a Market Perform rating and company profile of Aggressive Growth.

March 20, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of Kenexa Corporation, a leading provider of on-demand talent management applications to the enterprise market, with an Outperform rating and company profile of Aggressive Growth.

March 17, 2006 - William Blair & Company is pleased to announce the success of its client, Presutti Laboratories, LLC, in the sale of its Tindamax product line to Mission Pharmacal Company.

March 13, 2006 - William Blair & Company is pleased to announce the success of its client, Fresh Brands, Inc., in connection with its acquisition by an affiliate of Certified Grocers Midwest, Inc.

March 10, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of Scientific Games Corporation, the leading provider of instant lottery tickets, with an Outperform rating and company profile of Aggressive Growth.

March 7, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of HouseValues, Inc., which provides third-party services for consumers and agents engaged in the real estate industry, with a Market Perform rating and company profile of Aggressive Growth.

February 28, 2006 - William Blair & Company is pleased to announce the success of its client, Surgical Information Systems, LLC in connection with a leveraged recapitalization of a majority of its equity by management and by Vista Equity Partners.

February 27, 2006 - On Friday, March 3, William Blair & Company is hosting an Equity Research presentation featuring Joel Gomberg and John Kreger who will discuss their coverage in the financial services and health care arenas.

February 24, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of VistaPrint Limited, which provides custom graphic design and printing services to small businesses and consumers, with an Outperform rating and company profile of Aggressive Growth.

February 17, 2006 - William Blair & Company, in collaboration with the Chicago Interactive Marketing Association, today published the first edition of a semiannual interactive marketing survey. Click for more details and the view the survey.

February 9, 2006 - William Blair & Company announced this week that it has named 10 new principals to the firm.

February 7, 2006 - William Blair & Company is pleased to announce the success of its client, Checkpoint Systems, Inc., in the sale of its bar code systems businesses to SATO.

February 6, 2006 - William Blair & Company is pleased to announce the success of its client, Spirit Brands, a portfolio company of Capital Resource Partners, in connection with the 100% acquisition of its stock by Prospect Partners, LLC.

February 3, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of Ituran Location and Control Ltd., a leading provider of location-based services and products, primarily for stolen vehicles, with an Outperform rating and company profile of Aggressive Growth.

February 1, 2006 - We are very pleased to announce our newest William Blair Fund offering, the William Blair Mid Cap Growth Fund.

January 30, 2006 - Two William Blair & Company principals will be panelists at a February 2nd presentation sponsored by the Chicago chapter of the National Investor Relations Institute.

January 30, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of American Reprographics Company the leading provider of reprographic production and document management services to the U.S. construction industry, with an Outperform rating and company profile of Core Growth.

January 25, 2006 - William Blair & Company acted as placement agent on Oil-Dri Corporation of America’s private placement of $15,000,000 of senior unsecured notes.

January 24, 2006 - William Blair & Company acted as a financial advisor to WinWholesale, Inc. in connection with the issuance of $150 million of senior unsecured notes.

January 24, 2006 - William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of DealerTrack, Inc. with an Outperform rating and company profile of Aggressive Growth.

January 18, 2006 - William Blair & Company today announced that it initiated research coverage of Vocus, Inc., the leading provider of on-demand software for corporate communications and public relations, with an Outperform rating and company profile of Aggressive Growth.

January 18, 2006 - With the release of a comprehensive report titled “Capitalizing on the Power of Consumer Brands,” William Blair & Company initiated research coverage of four branded consumer products companies today.

January 10, 2006 - William Blair & Company today announced that it initiated research coverage of National Financial Partners Corp., a distributor of financial services products to high-net-worth individuals and small to midsize entrepreneurial companies, with a Market Perform rating and company profile of Core Growth.

January 6, 2006 - William Blair & Company is pleased to announce the success of our client Harlan Sprague Dawley, Inc. in the sale of a majority of its business to Genstar Capital LLC.

January 5, 2006 - William Blair & Company today announced that it initiated research coverage of IntercontinentalExchange, Inc. with an Outperform rating and Aggressive Growth company profile and CBOT Holdings, Inc. with a Market Perform rating and Core Growth company profile.

January 4, 2006 - William Blair & Company today announced that it initiated research coverage of Amerisafe, Inc., a specialty property-casualty insurance underwriter that writes workers’ compensation insurance in hazardous industries, with an Outperform rating and company profile of Aggressive Growth.