UK's Bridgepoint buys Smyk for PLN 1.06 bln

Poland's Empik Media & Fashion (EM&F) has signed a PLN 1.06 billion deal to sell Smyk, a children's apparel and toy store chain, to a company owned by London-based private equity group Bridgepoint, EM&F said. The price includes debt. The company said that it expected the transaction to be finalized by the end of May. The chain has 125 stores in Poland and EM&F said that there is potential for sales to grow by 11 percent a year. EM&F has been trading on the WSE since 1997.