Channel firms make Buyout Track list

Industry players feature on list of most profitable private equity-backed UK companies

A host of channel players feature in this year's Buyout Track 100 list of private equity-backed UK mid-market firms with the fastest-growing profits.

Heading this year's list is Lovefilm.com, which posted EBITDA of £15.96m on sales of £97.17m in 2009. This represents a bottom-line compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 283.72 per cent over its past two fiscal years.

In sixth place, telecoms provider XLN Telecom has enjoyed a profit CAGR of 100.11 per cent, with EBITDA of £11.57m on sales of £54.86m for the year to March 2010. Software services player Acturis took eighth place, with two-year compound profit growth of 88.24 per cent.

Acquisitive reseller Kelway jumped 30 places on last year to take 16th spot, with bottom-line CAGR of 67.25 per cent. For the year to March 2010, the London VAR posted EBITDA of £8.4m on revenue of £178.14m. Carrier Gamma Telecom placed 30th, with profits growing 54.49 per cent annually. In 2009, the firm banked £6.54m on turnover of £141.29m.

A quartet of IT services specialists also made the list this year, with FDM Group taking 38th spot with a profit CAGR of 46.39 per cent. Attenda was five places behind with compound top-line growth of 43.67 per cent, while Adapt was 61st with 32.94 per cent yearly growth. Software and services giant Civica placed 77th, with average EBITDA growth of 26.9 per cent.

Office supplies and printer firm Danwood was in 91st position, with profits growing just under a quarter annually over the past two years.

Integrator Azzurri Communications also made the top 100, claiming 94th position. The Walsall-based firm's profits have grown 24.33 per cent, on average, during the past two years. EBITDA for the year to June 2010 stood at £14.45m, on sales of £141.06m.