Exclusive-Hellman & Friedman explores sale of Applied Systems at up to $10 billion, sources say

NEW YORK, Sept 23 — Private equity firm Hellman & Friedman is exploring a ​sale of insurance software provider Applied Systems that could value the company at up to $10 billion, according to people familiar with ‌the matter.

The private equity firm is working with investment bankers at JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs ⁠on the process, which has ​attracted interest from prospective buyers, ⁠said the sources, who requested anonymity because the matter is confidential.

Applied ‌Systems, Hellman & Friedman, JPMorgan ‌and Goldman Sachs declined to comment.

Headquartered in Chicago, Applied Systems ⁠provides software that helps insurance agencies ⁠and brokerages manage customer relationships, policy administration, and other workflows. Its customers include insurance brokerages such as HUB International, Insurance Office of America, and the Baldwin Group, according to its website.

Applied Systems generates more than $550 million in annual earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation ‌and amortization, one of the sources said.

Hellman & Friedman ​bought Applied Systems from Bain Capital in a deal valued at approximately $1.8 billion in early 2014.

A sale would rank among the largest software buyout processes this year and test investor appetite for mature software assets, following ServiceNow's $7.7 billion acquisition of cybersecurity provider Armis and buyout firm Hg's $6.4 billion take-private of financial software provider OneStream.

Sell-side ​activity in the software sector has picked up in recent weeks after ‌being relatively muted over ‌the ⁠past months, with more companies launching sale processes.

This month, Reuters reported that Thoma Bravo was exploring a sale of Foundation Software, Vista Equity Partners was considering a sale of banking software provider Finastra, and healthcare ‌software company Waystar was ​weighing strategic options, including a sale, ‌as sponsors seek to ⁠capitalize on ​improving valuations.

(Reporting by Milana Vinn in New York; editing by Echo Wang and ​David Gaffen)

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